A different kind of love letter

Dear Friend,

Some people might call this a chain letter, but we like to think of it as a love letter. A different kind of love letter. It was started by a group of transplant recipients and, with your help, we hope that it will travel throughout the country encouraging people to discuss their wishes about organ and tissue donation with their families.

Did you know that you have the power to save up to six lives? If you choose to become an organ donor, it's possible for you to do just that. But what you need to do first is inform your family of your intentions.

Of course, organ donation happens only after you have died, and your family will be called upon to make a decision. You can make that moment easier for them by communicating your decision in advance.

And you can help people awaiting a transplant to enjoy life again through your gift of love and life.

Consider these facts:

• In 1996, 20,260 lives were saved or enhanced as a result of organ transplants.
• 85 percent of Americans support organ donation.
• More than 57,000 Americans are currently awaiting an organ transplant. Ten of them will die today without receiving the life-saving organs they need.
• Every 40 minutes, in a hospital somewhere in the U.S., a grieving family whose loved one has died unexpectedly from a brain injury faces a decision about organ donation.