No one has a right to an organ transplant. If there were no organ donors there would be no organ transplants. Organs should be given first to registered organ donors.

Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren’t willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.

Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. No one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. LifeSharers has 7,863 members, including 142 members in Wisconsin. Over 700 of our members are minor children enrolled by their parents.

Our nation’s organ transplant system has been valuing one transplant recipient over another for more than 20 years. It will continue to do so as long as there is a shortage of donated organs. If everyone agreed to donate their organs when they die, there would be no organ shortage. So let’s put organ donors at the front of the transplant waiting list.