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Tom McNeil celebrated the 25th anniversary of his heart transplant on Nov. 1. |
Tom McNeil epitomizes the value of organ donation.
A cattle rancher from Taylor, Neb., McNeil will celebrate his 84th birthday on Nov. 21. No small feat.
But, even more noteworthy, he notched another milestone on Nov. 1 when he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his heart transplant at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine.
McNeil is flat out amazing. Every day, he does his chores on his cattle ranch located in the Sandhills in the middle of Nebraska.
“I never quit working,” said McNeil, who noted that he rolled his four-wheeler earlier this month while rounding up cattle. “It took me about 20 minutes to get out from under it. I got a few bruises, but I’ll be alright.”
How to become an organ donor
It’s estimated that more than 113,000 people nationally are on the waiting list for an organ transplant. Every 10 minutes, a new name is added to the waiting list.
In Nebraska, Live On Nebraska is the organization that enrolls people to become organ, tissue and eye donors.
Located in a new building at 3867 Leavenworth St. directly south of UNMC’s Home Instead Center for Successful Aging, Live On Nebraska facilitates the donation process and works closely with the medical center when an organ is available for one of its patients.
The only qualification necessary to register as a donor is that you need to be 16 years old or older. Age, health and lifestyle do not limit one’s ability to register or donate. By registering as a donor, you authorize donation to take place after your death, sparing your family from having to make the decision for you. Registration serves as legal consent for donation.
“Many organs can be donated and thousands of lives impacted by your decision to become an organ and tissue donor,” said Kara Cordell, marketing and public relations manager for Live On Nebraska. “It provides the opportunity for you to leave a legacy of kindness and generosity.”
Cordell encourages people to share their decision to become a donor with their friends and family.
“Your family will play an important part in supporting your decision and providing information that affects that outcome of your donation,” Cordell said.
With his flattop haircut and a face seemingly etched out of stone, McNeil still cuts an impressive figure. When he got his transplant in 1994, he was almost 59. Doctors hoped that the transplant would extend his life by another 10 years.
“I think it’s just spectacular,” said Brian Lowes, M.D., Ph.D., a UNMC professor, internal medicine-cardiovascular medicine, and a cardiologist with Nebraska Medicine. “Every year when I see him, I just smile. He’s in his 80s now and continues to work. He’s had an incredibly good outcome with this.”
McNeil remembers well what it was like to be on the waiting list for a new organ. With his heart failing, he had open-heart surgeries in 1980 and 1987.
“I waited a little over a year,” he said. “I thought it’s probably not going to happen because my health was getting worse as I went along, and I kind of thought. . . I better start making some different plans in life.”
As you would suspect, McNeil has become a huge proponent of organ donation.
“I’ve been lucky,” he said. “I’ve been doing what I want to do. I’ve been really fortunate since I had this transplant. It let me see my family grow up — my kids graduate from college. I probably would have never been able to see my grandkids or my great grandkids. It’s just been a blessing.”
McNeil’s remarkable success story is a perfect reminder of why it’s so important for people to consider becoming organ donors, Dr. Lowes said.
“The average donor can save approximately eight lives or donate about six organs,” he said. “We do about 3,000 heart transplants per year in this country. To meet the needs of our population, we probably need to do twice that.”
Perhaps McNeil says it best.
“I wouldn’t be here if someone hadn’t donated an organ to me. It’s just a waste to take ’em with you.”
What a great story, Tom!
Good people from my home town!
Organ donation is a gift everyone can give. It's a selfless act that we all can make to others who are in desperate need.
Great story Tom. The reason and reward for being a donor. Plus this is a Taylor boy!!