Uneasy organ donors

A study conducted by Donate Life America finds that only 38 percent of licensed drivers are organ donors.

It says drivers are reluctant to check the box on their driver's licenses because:

• 23 percent of people fear they are not healthy enough or are too old to donate their organs.
• 50 percent of respondents are concerned that doctors will not try as hard to save them if they are known to be an organ donor.
• 44 percent believe there is a black market in which people can buy or sell organs or tissue.
• 57 percent question whether or not a person can recover from brain death.

Are you a donor? Why or why not?

It took me several years to get up the courage to check the box on my now-ragged Missouri driver's license.

It seemed morbid, especially when I was 16 and felt invincible. Since then I've lost several friends in car accidents and I realized that I really won't have much use of my organs when I die, whenever and however that will happen.

It seems like the right thing to do. If my organs can save someone else's life, then I can help that person. I've never thought doctors would be less likely to save me if they saw I'm a donor, and I've never been too concerned about the organ black market.

Donate Life America has set up a Facebook page to make the donor process easier.