Merry Christmas!  As you open your gifts this year, think about how you can contribute to the gift of life.  Yes, moms and dads give the gift of life each time a new baby is born, but there are many other ways to contribute to this gift pool.

The easiest is charitable giving to organizations that provide food and shelter for those without.  But have you ever given blood?  Our blood supply is in greatest demand during holidays.  Yet the American Red Cross reports that blood donations decrease during this time of year.  If you are a healthy adult, you can also talk to the Red Cross about being a platelet donor.

Organ donors are givers of life for thousands of patients on the transplant lists.  Talk to your loved ones about whether you have signed organ donor cards.  You may feel like you'd rather die than discuss this, but your discussion may prevent someone else's premature death.  There are also life-saving organ donations that you can make while living:  you've probably heard about people who've donated their bone marrow or kidneys but may not have ever considered what you would do in their situation.

For couples with infertility, a positive pregnancy test would be the best holiday gift of all.  Here, egg and sperm donors are truly providing the gift of life, one that best represents Christmas after all:  a new baby.

Created: 12/25/2000  -  Donnica Moore, M.D.