On Oct. 10, my life-long best friend, Pamela Liebi-Strohl of Rome, underwent life-saving organ donation transplant surgery with wonderful success.

More attention needs to be paid to the dire need for organ donors. Currently in the U.S. there are 100,000 people in need of an organ transplant, and there are approximately 9,300 waiting in New York State.

Eighteen people die daily in the U.S. for lack of receiving the organ that they need. In 2008 there were only 373 deceased donors in the state. One donor can save up to eight lives, and there is no charge to a donor’s family.

If you or a loved one had the opportunity to enable another person to live, would you not want to do that? To help someone live.

Contact the state’s donor registry at:

www.SaveLivesNewYork.org.

Hats off to Pam, her loving family, Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, doctors, nurses and staff.

— Peggy Money-Everett, 11 Brookside Drive,

Town of Lee