The Joys of Childhood
When we think of children, we think of love, laughing, and joy. It’s something we know and cherish since children are the best of what we are as humans in so many ways. Happy, healthy children are one of life’s great treasures. Tragedy is not only something that never crosses our minds when it comes to kids, it’s something that we intentionally omit from out thoughts as not even being possible. It’s not something to talk about. “Real” life is tough enough, childhood is magical. I know that this is how I live my life and how pretty much everyone I know does as well. Unless you are one of the very tragic few that have experienced the loss of tragedy.
Turning a Loss Into a Gain
There are many people that have to deal with terrible loss, as much as I hate to think about it. Thankfully there are also a lot of people that turn that tragedy into something extremely good and positive for themselves and others. It’s those inspiring people that put others they probably don’t even know in a much better position to deal with and possibly avoid the same fate. It’s a truly heroic type of person that can do these things.
I wanted to share the story of a child and family that turned a great loss into a gain for others and are still going strong each and every day.
Lane Thomas
Lane was a beaming, spirited and loving child who always referred to himself by his first and middle names, Lane Thomas. After the sudden and traumatic loss of their precious son, Lane Thomas Graves, at age 2 years, 9 months and 11 days in June of 2016, their focus quickly became finding a way to honor Lane and to support families the way others have supported them. He was a joy to all he met and in his memory, parents Matt and Melissa and their daughter Ella established The Lane Thomas Foundation as an enduring way to remember the light and hope he brought to the world.
Keep Love Alive
In 2018, of the approximately 115,000 people who are on the waiting list for an organ transplant, nearly 2,000 are children. Over 100 children die waiting each year for a pediatric organ donation.
Parents are ultimately responsible for the decision whether to donate or not and we believe that having a discussion now about the outcome will produce better results than thinking about this for the first time in the middle of losing a child. There are very few opportunities in life to save a child’s life with a decision, but that is exactly what parents can do if they support pediatric organ donation.
Keep Love Alive!
The Foundation
The goal of The Lane Thomas Foundation is clear and two-fold. First, the Foundation will provide financial assistance to support families of children undergoing solid organ transplants. This allows them to focus on their child and keep their family together. Also, The Foundation improves public awareness and understanding for increased organ donation to ultimately save children’s lives. Having conversations as a family about donating organs before a tragic event happens can help save children’s lives!
It’s a critical mission that will help many children and their families in many ways for years to come.
Take The Lane’s Light Pledge
The vision of the foundation is that no child dies waiting for a transplant. What would you want for your child if they were waiting? If you knew they had a better than 85% chance of survival if they just get an organ in time.
Right now, you can become an advocate for pediatric organ donation. One organ donor can save up to 8 lives. Save a life with a decision to be a beacon of hope to a child in need.
Will you take the pledge? Want to learn more about pediatric organ donation and all the the Lane Thomas Foundation does? Please join in taking the Lane’s Light Pledge at lanethomas.org.
17 comments
I fully support this. I love my children more than anything. I don’t know how I would survive if they passed. That being said, one thing I do know is that when they leave their corporeal form, they have no need of their organs, but A LOT of other children do. I’m an organ donator myself, so I fully believe in it.
This is a great foundation. I must definitely pass this message to my fellow friends. As this would be something new for them as it is for me.
I don’t think there’s a more unselfish gift to give than organ donation. I know my heart would feel so dead with the loss of my child, but I would always choose to give another child a shot at life in the event of her untimely passing.
I hope everyone can be an organ donor when the time comes that we don’t need them anymore. :0)
This is such a beautiful organization. Organ giving is so important. Becoming an organ donor is so important. This really touched my heart.
Thanks for sharing this! Organ donation is amazing and to help someone else, if you can, is so unselfish and kind. I can’t even imagine to be in the position of the parents.
I often think about becoming an organ donor. My religion doesn’t support it, but I feel like if someone else can benefit from them, why should I take them with me?
It is wonderful when you can find a silver lining to something so devastating. It is not something I would wish on anyone. 🙁
We just recently watched a friend pass away due to needing a donor. It’s a very sad reality in our world today.
I am on the transplant list and try to donate blood as often as I can. I wish I could do more!
I signed up to be a blood marrow donor and am saddened I don’t have a match as of yet. I would love to give someone the gift of life; it’s a tragedy when so many lose their battles each year.
I wish I could do this but because of a chronic illness, I am not qualified to be an organ donor. Even my blood is not that good, because of the medications I take. If I could, I would! It would be the best gift I could give – to have others live a full life.
It’s take a heart to donate organs and only great people can do it. Thanks for sharing such inspirational post.
I have a friend who was in a waiting list for a kidney donor and his health was deteriorating fast. Thankfully, they found a match. Now, my friend and the kidney donor meet up every year on the anniversary of the transplant. Organ donation is the best gift we can give to others.
I actually am a donor it’s a wonderful gift
I should really read more about this foundation. It’s for a good cause. Nice article. I’ll definitely help them in the future.
I don’t have children (yet) but I am so moved by this. To the Graves family, I am so sorry for your loss but also want to say how happy I am that despite the battle you endured, you were able to come out above this and create hope for other children in need. May God continue to bless you. You both have such beautiful hearts.