There are more than 13-hundred Mississippians waiting for organ transplants; according to the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency -- or MORA. MPB's Paul Boger reports on the need for more organ donors around the state.
In 2013, MORA received more than 229 organs from 70 donors across the state. Kevin Stump is with MORA. He says Mississippi has done a good job donating.
"About 75 to 80 percent of the families that we talk to about organ donation; say yes to donation." said Stump "About 40 percent of the families that we talk to, we approach them for tissue donations, say yes to the tissue donation. So, Mississippi does relatively well, but we can do better."
In an effort to increase the number of eligible donors, MORA has teamed up with the University of Mississippi Medical Center to raise awareness about Mississippi's need for more organ transplants. Doctor Chris Anderson is the Chief of Transplant Surgery at UMMC.
"Every year, there are about 1300 citizens of the state on the waiting list for organ donation or organ transplant." said Anderson. "We're try to raise awareness throughout the state to ensure that folks know that the program exists here in the state, and that everything they can do to be an organ donor helps out fellow citizens."
Jackson resident Catherine Lighter's son died last year, from a car accident. She says it was a hard decision to donate her son's organs, but she doesn't regret it.
" Well, he was born with everything, I wanted him to leave with everything." said Lighter. But after I thought about it, I just, you know, went on and did it, because I can save somebody else's life. He's living through somebody else. I can always just meet him, and be friends. I can just be a part of his life, because he's a part of my son."
Of the 13 hundred Mississippians in need of organ transplants, 12-hundred of them are waiting for kidneys.
