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Cynthia (Sponsky) Hale’s is a sad story that could end up having life-saving implications.
The 47-year-old Ebensburg woman, who had suffered kidney problems for more than a decade, died last month, just weeks before she was set to receive an organ.
The fact that Mrs. Hale was scheduled to get a kidney through a swap program involving a living Wisconsin woman whom she had never met was inspiring. It was a truly selfless act by Janet Sterken, as evidenced by the fact that she intends to go ahead and donate her kidney for another recipient even after Mrs. Hale’s death.
The tragic twist in Mrs. Hale’s tale came on Aug. 19, when she was robbed of life, not by the debilitating disease that she had battled for so long, but from the subdural hematoma she had suffered during a simple slip in the bathtub days earlier.
The story could have ended there, two days after Mrs. Hale’s 47th birthday, as one of heartache, loss and sorrow. And it was, without a doubt, just that for Mrs. Hale’s family.
But even in death, Mrs. Hale gave her family – and others – hope.
That’s because Mrs. Hale was an organ donor.
Her death, as tragic as it was, helped give life to others.
Mrs. Hale’s corneas and heart valves were transplanted and her lungs were donated to cancer research.
“Cindy knew how much organ donation meant and she wanted to be an organ donor,” her mother, Carole Sponsky, told our Arlene Johns. “It’s really the gift of life.
“She wanted everyone to be aware.”
So do we.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ organdonor.gov website offers sobering statistics on the subject:
* More than 115,000 people are waiting for an organ.
* Eighteen people will die each day waiting for an organ.
* One organ donor can save up to eight lives.
We urge anyone who hasn’t already done so to sign up today to become an organ donor. You can sign up online at organdonor.gov or donatelife-pa.org, or when renewing your Pennsylvania driver’s license, learner’s permit or photo ID card.
There is no fee to place the organ donor designation on your driver’s license or photo ID, but the decision to do so can truly be a priceless gift.
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