More than 100,000 patients are on the waiting list for solid organ transplants, but in 2011 there were just 28,465 transplants completed. And the shortage is only worsening as the numbers of available organs continues to drop, both from living and deceased donors.

For far too many patients fighting the valiant fight against chronic kidney disease (CKD), tragically, the call never comes.

18 people die every day, due to the lack of organs available for transplant. Every 11 minutes, a new name is added to the national list. Making one's organs available postmortem just makes sense.

We hide behind words because the reality can be too painful. We try to soften the edges with euphemisms or oblique references. I will never say "pull the plug" again.