POMEROY — There are more than 160,000 Americans currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, as well as hundreds more awaiting a tissue transplant, which is why local residents recently joined a candlelight vigil on the steps of the Ohio Statehouse.

Last weekend, John and Cheryl Thomas and Morgan Mathews, represented Meigs County at Lifeline of Ohio’s 2010 Candlelight Vigil of Hope, Remembrance and Celebration in Columbus. The Thomas’ represented their late daughter, Brandi, who was an organ and tissue donor while Mathews represented the other side of the spectrum having received a liver transplant from another donor.

Since 2005, Ohioans have a new way to declare their wish to become a donor by registering online in the Ohio Donor Registry through www.lifelineofohio.org. Additionally, individuals may indicate their intentions when renewing their driver’s license, or by completing a Donor Registry Enrollment Form available online through the Lifelife of Ohio website. The State of Ohio established the Ohio Donor Registry on July 1, 2002.

According to Lifeline of Ohio:

• Approximately 18 times each day a man, woman or child dies while waiting for an organ transplant.

• Once every 48 hours an Ohioan dies waiting. In the last 10 years more than 2,000 Ohioans have died waiting for a transplant.

• 27,961 transplants were performed in the United States in 2008; and 6,219 were living donations.

• In 2009, 284 Ohioans shared the Gift of Life through organ donation at the time of their death. Through their unselfish generosity 945 individuals received a second chance at life through transplantation.

• 1,835 Ohioans gave improved quality of life to others through tissue donation.

• In Ohio, more than 3,000 people - 500 in Central Ohio - are waiting for an organ transplant at any time and hundreds more await tissue transplants.

• During 2009 in Central and Southern Ohio, 90 individuals shared the Gift of Life through organ donation and 361 through tissue donation.

• Each year more than one million Americans receive a donated tissue transplant.

• A single donor potentially can save the lives of eight people and enhance the lives of up to 50 more by donating vital organs (heart, two lungs, two kidneys, liver, pancreas and small bowel) and tissue (corneas, bone, fascia, skin, veins and heart valves).

Speaking strictly by the numbers, the national donor waiting list reflects the following needs: 84,003 patients waiting on a kidney, 15,875 waiting on a liver, 1,474 waiting on a pancreas, 2,205 waiting for a kidney-pancreas transplant, 240 patients waiting for an intestine transplant, 3,139 patients waiting on a heart, 71 patients waiting for a heart-lung transplant, 1,862 waiting for a lung.

At last week’s vigil, 1,470 candles were lit outside the State House to draw attention to the need for organ donors.