Living organ donation, bike ride to raise awareness: 'Urgent need'
WAUWATOSA, Wis. - An organ donor has found another way to save lives: riding his bike.
For 68-year-old Mark Scotch, his effort aims to get more living donors. He plans to ride around the Midwest – covering four states and roughly 1,200 miles.
"There's this urgent need, 13 people are dying every day in the U.S., one to two people every week in Wisconsin, waiting for a kidney transplant," he said.
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Scotch and his wife, both of whom are living donors, have been dedicated to raising awareness through bike rides since 2020.
"We just felt that if more people knew about the need, more people would donate," he said.
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Donations have saved people like Carl Jackson, who waited more than six years. A transplant has him back doing what he loves.
"I've done blood work twice a week, now I'm down to once a month, which is a sign of growth and advancement and progress," said Jackson.
Ty Dunn, director of kidney and organ transplant at Froedtert Hospital, said it's a process that is safe and easier than ever before.
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"We can find kidney donors that match recipients in need within about four months on average," he said. "When people are spending years on dialysis, it just takes one person who's willing to be tested, and if they can be a donor, they can make that miracle for that recipient in need."
UW Health said there are over 100,000 adults and children across the U.S. waiting for organ transplants – including more than 1,400 people in Wisconsin. Anyone interested can register to donate through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
"We just want to get the message out to as many people as possible," said Scotch.