Drive for Five: Hearing Voices

Your scribe shares weekly about America needing more live organ donors, less kidney disease and also writes a column for Sports Illustrated . The topic is the University of Colorado athletic program. This former TV sports guy has been connected to the Buffs for more than five decades starting when CBS News Colorado hired a rookie sports guy back in 1988.

This ol’ jock has always been involved in athletics. As an athlete, long-time sportscaster and, now, a columnist. I love sports. Pay attention to what’s going on. That’s the preface to hearing the other day a former Alabama player talk about playing for a great college football coach: Retired Nick Saban, winner of seven national titles, six at Alabama and one at LSU.

The former player was talking about three things Saban pounded into the brains of Crimson Tide players. I can’t remember two but sure remember one. The handsome young man said with conviction. “Coach Saban always talked about paying the price of discipline or the price of disappointment."

What the hell does this have to do with "Drive for Five" 's effort to recruit more live organ donors and educate folks on the dangers of kidney disease? Thanks for asking. My cranium zipped to DFF and lots of other agencies advocacy for passage of the End Kidney Deaths Act.

This bill has been introduced in the House, sponsored by a growing number and endorsed by many lawmakers. It would address the growing kidney crisis in our land. More than 93,000 languish on transplant lists, Around 20 Americans die daily waiting on those lists. The lists are growing considering our unhealthy life styles with too much of the kidney killers: high blood pressure, diabetes and excessive weight.

The pain of discipline? How does it relate? We, citizens of the United States of America, elect women and men to represent our interests in Washington. They are supposed to serve us. Everyone of those lawmakers in the House, and soon it will be the Senate, have in front of them proposed legislation that, over the ten years of the pilot, would save an estimated 100,000 lives and taxpayers $37 billion dollars.

Save lives and save money. What’s better than that? We need more legislation with similar double-play magic. One bill, two tremendous benefits. Critics of EKDA says it’s “compensation for organ donation” and bad for us. “We shouldn’t be paying for organs.”

A few things refuting such nonsense. First of all, the journey is not easy to donate a spare kidney, lobe of liver or bone marrow. There is extensive testing of blood, physical health and mental fortitude. The gate is narrow to donate. Anybody trying to “game” a system offering a $50,000 tax credit - over five years - for sharing their spare? Because the payout is a tax credit and requires extensive testing and patience? Any shady characters, most likely, will pursue a far easier path.

Second point making opposition dumbfounding is our country offers tax credits for solar panels and electric vehicles. Pays cash for sperm, fertilized eggs and plasma. Why in the world would lawmakers object to offering a tax credit to share your spare and save someone’s life?

That’s crazy. Especially considering need for organs grows and willing donors have been stuck around 6,500 a year since the turn of the century. That’s not a good scenario: demand is increasing and supply has remained relative flat for a quarter century despite America having 70-million more citizens. What the heck is going on?

Back to Saban’s “Pain on discipline or pain of disappointment.” I know it’s a pain in the butt to try and contact staff within Congress and Senate offices in Washington. It takes discipline and those on the front lines fighting for this sensible legislation appreciate everyone who takes the time. Bless you.

We need more. Without pressure on lawmakers to pass meaningful legislation we’re gonna continue to be mired in the pain of disappointment. We know incentives boost participation. We know too many are dying. We know sharing your spare can save a life.

What is unknown is whether enough lawmakers realize this a solvable health crisis. Make your voice heard. Here’s how: https://shorturl.at/jiQ3r