Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – As April marks Donate Life Month, a local healthcare leader is encouraging more people to register as organ donors and discuss their wishes with family members.

Valerie Krohe, acute dialysis, apheresis and transplant care nurse manager at Springfield Memorial Hospital, spoke on the WTAX Morning Newswatch about the life-changing impact of organ donation.

“It’s spectacular to watch someone go from starting dialysis to receiving their kidney transplant,” Krohe said. “To watch their life change, it’s truly amazing.”

Krohe said she hopes more people consider becoming donors, noting the wide-reaching impact a single donor can have.

“One donor can affect up to 75 different people,” she said. “They can save up to eight lives through organ donation and restore sight to two people.”

She added that nearly every part of the body can be donated. If an organ or tissue cannot be used for life-saving purposes, it may still help advance medical research.

According to Krohe, anyone can register to become a donor, and what can be donated is determined at the time of death. She emphasized the importance of documenting that decision and making sure loved ones are aware.

Illinois is a state where a person’s decision listed on their driver’s license is honored, meaning families are not responsible for making that choice. Still, Krohe said those conversations remain important.

“It’s always easier in that moment, especially if it’s an unexpected event, that your family knows what your wishes were,” she said. “Donor families often say that in one of the most difficult times of their lives, knowing their loved ones gave the gift of life, brought them hope.”

Krohe said the need for organ donors remains high. About 86% of people on the national transplant waiting list are waiting for a kidney, with average wait times ranging from three to five years. Kidneys are also among the organs that can be donated by living donors. Portions of the liver can also be donated, as the organ can regenerate.

While Springfield does not currently offer liver transplant services, Springfield Memorial Hospital does operate a kidney transplant program.

Krohe said the hospital partners with Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network to facilitate donations. She noted that last year, Memorial had about 15 donors, which helped save more than two dozen lives.

Krohe encouraged listeners to register as donors and have conversations with their families about their wishes. Residents can sign up online at RegisterMe.org or indicate their decision when obtaining or renewing a driver’s license.