organ donation

Are laws meant to be broken when your child's life is at stake? Inhale is a phenomenal film that explores the lengths that law abiding citizens and parents Paul and Diane Stanton (Dermot Mulroney and Diane Kruger) take to try and save their ailing daughter Chloe's (Mia Stallard) life as she waits for a lung transplant. The movie is incredibly difficult to watch at points as it explores illegal organ trafficking, but the flick also poses an intense ethical question. What would you do?

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Would You Break the Law to Save Your Child's Life?

Yes — I'd do anything for my child.

No — I wouldn't break the law for my child.

This might not be the sunniest of topics, but after reading the stories of hope that can accompany tragic accidents recently in the New York Times, I believe organ donation is certainly a topic worthy of discussion. I am not alone — Katherine Heigl is with me on this. After her older brother died in an automobile accident, Heigl's parents opted to donate their son's organs: his heart and kidneys saved the lives of three people, and his corneas gave sight to two others. In many of these generous tales, the act of donating organs helps the surviving family members make sense of a death of a loved one. It helps life to go on, literally.

In California, you can commit to the process by checking the organ donor box when you apply for your driver license. That's what I did — it was an easy decision. My neighbors growing up were both kidney transplant specialists, and the couple taught me that organ donation was a generous act and an act of life. Simply telling your loved ones that you would like to be an organ donor is a great place to start. You can learn more at the Donate Life website.

Tell me . . .

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Are You an Organ Donor?

Yes

No

Not sure

Except for my visits to the DMV, organ donation is not something I think about that often. Luckily, I've never needed an organ and neither has anyone close to me. I do have the organ donor sticker on my license though — if the possibility exists that I can give someone a second chance at life, then I'm all for it.

This month, a new law went into effect in Israel that encourages more of the county's citizens to become organ donors. If you become an organ donor, then you receive priority treatment if you ever need a transplant yourself. Israel has an alarmingly low rate of donors — about 10 percent of its adults. In America, a recent survey showed that although 95 percent of Americans support organ donation, only 40 percent are registered donors.

These numbers are only a reflection of deceased donors — people who donate their organs after they die. There is also a growing need for living organ donors — people who are willing to donate their kidney, or a portion of the liver, lung, intestine, or pancreas while living. And while we may have more organ donors than other countries, there are still over 100,000 people in the United States waiting for lifesaving organ transplants.

I'm curious . . .

popsugar poll

Are You an Organ Donor?

Yes, and I would consider being a live organ donor too.

Yes, but only after my death.

No, but I'm going to register to become one.

No, and I'll tell you why in the comments section below.