Roughly two Virginians die every week waiting for an organ that never comes. That number represents patients whose lives depend on a donor and transplant. In recent years, Virginia has seen fewer organ donor registrants, leading to preventable deaths. Sadly, this loss is shaped by fear and misinformation about the process and not about the lives of people.
I was fortunate enough to receive the call that not everyone does.
The ring came just after midnight. After months of waiting for a lung transplant, I was told a donor match had finally been found. By sunrise, I was in surgery at Duke University Hospital preparing for the operation that would save my life.
My journey started years ago with pulmonary fibrosis, the same disease that claimed my father’s life in 2002. He was the 10th person in our family to die from it. Doctors eventually told me what I feared most. It was not a matter of if I would need a transplant, but when. I tried to stay active and healthy, but pulmonary fibrosis does not care how hard you work. You cannot exercise your way out of it.
In 2023, my health worsened significantly. After repeated pneumonia infections and a hospitalization in Richmond during the Virginia General Assembly session, doctors confirmed I needed a left lung transplant.
What affected me most emotionally came after surgery. I began reading stories from patients who never received the organ they needed in time. That is why misconceptions surrounding organ donation concern me.
Today, I walk daily, serve on Danville City Council and spend time with my family because one person made the decision to become an organ donor. I am grateful every day for a second chance, but too many Virginians are still waiting for theirs. My experiences reshaped how I think about time, family and community. It also changed how I talk to others about organ donation because people often hesitate to register due to uncertainty about the donation process.
People frequently make decisions based on fear, incomplete information or myths they read online. Some believe doctors will not work as hard to save registered donors. That claim is simply not true. Organ donation is a highly regulated medical process with extensive safeguards and evaluations.
My advice is simple, do your own research. Organizations like Donate Life Virginia provide clear, factual information about how organ donation works, how donor registration is protected and how lives are saved every day because someone chose to register.
I have placed Donate Life messaging on my vehicles because it often starts conversations with strangers across Virginia and North Carolina. I find most people are not opposed to organ donation, they simply have questions, and they deserve honest answers. Take a few minutes to learn more, talk with your family and make an informed decision.
Right now, more than 3,000 Virginians are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, and one donor can save up to eight lives while improving dozens more through tissue donation. Your conversation and choice could one day save someone’s parent, spouse or child.
It saved me.
Danny Marshall is a member of Danville City Council and a former member of the House of Delegates.
