James Rev was on dialysis for seven years before he received a phone call about an available kidney. One year later, Rev is still grateful.
"I was a firefighter for 30 years, I saved three lives. That's nothing to me. The life that I was given, that's a lot."
More than 122,000 people nationwide are on the waiting list for an organ transplant. Eleven thousand of those people are in New York State.
To raise awareness of the issue, Upstate University Hospital is celebrating Donate Life Month and is encouraging individuals to join the organ donation registry. Deborah Corapi was given a kidney last year from her friend she’s known since she was five years old.
"Everyday I do thank her and when I go to bed at night I think about her and we have tears together when we see each other which we always will still do I think because we went through such a bonding and incredible time together."
Ten percent of the nation who are waiting for organ transplants are in New York state, with only three percent of all registered donors.
Kathy Baker’s daughter Michelle Coville became an instant donor when she died nearly a year ago in May. Baker says it’s been comforting in dealing with the tragedy of her daughter’s death.
"I don't really have a word that describes what it's like knowing that my daughter gave the gift of life. It's knowing that through the tragedy of her death there has come life and that's helped me dealing with the grief of losing her."
Last May, Upstate University Hospital completed its first donor kidney chain. The chain begins when an altruistic donor donates a kidney. This kidney is transplanted into a recipient who had a donor that was not a match for them. The incompatible donor then donates a kidney to a patient who is not known to them, who is a match.
To find out more about becoming a donor, visit the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network at www.donorrecovery.org.