By Lauren Wanko
Correspondent
Thirty year-old Samantha Denti is reading her “Second Chance at Life Wish List” that she wrote it in the hospital while waiting for a heart transplant.
“At the time I was 28 years old. To know that everything you wanted to do in life — now your laying literally on your death-bed — it’s the simple things, it’s the memories and all that,” Denti said.
In her early twenties the Toms River resident learned she had inherited the same heart condition that killed her father and she underwent almost a dozen surgeries.
“Then they sat my family on Sept. 27 and they said they did everything the could unless a heart was available,” she said. “Because unfortunately there are not enough donors that I didn’t have 24 hours left to live. They found a heart with 13 hours left and hoped on a plane and I got a second chance of life.”
The NJ Sharing Network is a nonprofit responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue in the state. They set a record in 2015 when 531 organs were donated by New Jerseyans — up 37% percent from the year prior. Tissue donation also reached an all time high up 7 percent from 2014.
“The organ donation process has a lot of what I like to say moving parts involved. In loved ones it requires a timely referral of a potential organ donor. People at hospital have to recognize that the person could become an organ donor and our staff have to be mobilized very quickly. I think the biggest factor is the fact that our public education process is gaining more traction with families and people of New Jersey,” President and CEO Joe Roth said.
Still, right now 5,000 New Jersey residents are waiting for a transplant and everyday approximately three people are added to the list. Last year 90 people died while waiting for a transplant. People can register as a donor on their driver’s license or by signing the online national registry, says the nonprofit.
“Transplant is really the only recognized way to save a life of a person who is in end stage organ failure,” Roth said.
The NJ Sharing Network’s Missy Peck says they rely on strong connections with hospitals. The nonprofit works with more than 50 in the state.
“Our hospital partners throughout the state know when to contact Sharing Network, when to let us know they have a patient here who has this type of injury so we can come in and evaluate them,” she said.
“It’s tough especially when you need a heart. You know that someone else has to unfortunately pass so you can live and you don’t wish that on anyone or their family, but you are fighting for your life because of your family,” Denti said.
Right after her heart transplant Sam was determined to honor her donor by living life to the fullest. That meant speaking about the importance of organ donations as much as possible. She does that now in hospitals, high schools and museums.
“I don’t know the name of my donor, but I know that I am forever grateful. That is my hero,” she said.
Sam only has two things left on her “ Second Chance at Life Wish List”: complete a memoir and head on a cross country road trip. She’s determined to do both this summer.