Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Erin Island
SC105
Persuasive Speech
Specific Purpose: I want my audience to plan for organ and tissue donation.
Thesis: Everyone should make plans to ensure the donation of organs/tissues upon death.
Arouse Step
Nothing bad will happen to my family because bad things only happen to other
II. I have. This was the way I felt before June of last year, before my father died.
III. We had a lot to deal with and a lot of decisions to make. The decision of whether or
A. She had just received the biggest shock of her life, and within five minutes she
was on the phone with the hospital making the biggest decision of her life.
B. Fortunately, she told the doctors to proceed with tissue donation, even though
IV. About a month later, our family received a letter stating that my dads eyes had been
A. Although nothing could ever ease the pain of loss, there was a certain relief
B. Someone else could wake up every morning and thank our family for their
gift.
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V. Nothing can bring my dad back, but nothing can take away the pride I feel because
(Thesis) Today I am proposing that every one of us make plans to ensure the donation of
(Preview) I will first explain to you how serious this problem is and the ways that you can
help. Finally, I will illustrate the ways in which you and your family can possibly benefit
(Transition) First, lets look at just how serious the shortage is for organ donation.
Need Step
A. First, the lack of education on this subject causes people to miss out on the
1. For example, have you ever heard that if you are in an accident and
the hospital realizes you are an organ donor, then the doctors will not
team.
2. Others are under the impression that they are not able to donate.
a. For example, have you ever thought that you were too young to
son.
ii. Little Logan did not make it through the surgery, but his
his heart.
(Internal transition) Even if you have doubts about your eligibility, it is worth it to make plans
Some believe that they have planned properly, but they have not actually done
so.
1. Many feel that by writing their requests in a will, they can ensure
2. Many times, people wish to have their organs donated, but fail to tell
their family.
3. Not discussing this matter with your family can also cause unneeded
possible?
c. Wouldnt you also want your family to have comfort in the fact
that they made the right decision in order to carry out your
wishes?
of death.
(Transition) So as you can see, many factors contribute to our shortage of donated organs. There
are many myths concerning organ donation that stop people from donating. Some simply do not
make the right kind of plans. This can cause much unneeded pain. Obviously, donors and their
families are not the only ones affected. In fact, those in need of healthy organs often suffer most.
A. St. Louis Post Dispatch writer and organ recipient Greg Freeman made this
point when he wrote, Too many people die needlessly because not enough
the U.S. were waiting for an organ transplant according to the U.S.
a. That means that almost 2000 people in our state are waiting for
an organ today.
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students.
B. The World Almanac and Book of Facts reports that more than 6200 people in
America die due to a lack of donations each year; this means that each day, an
average of 17 people die because they were waiting for someone to save them.
1. Did you know that one donor can save up to 8 lives through organ
3. Donating does not interfere with a timely open casket funeral either.
a. One St. Louis family understood this concept when they were
Manchester Road.
d. Her mother said, Our family had never talked about organ
f. Amy was only seventeen, but she had already donated blood;
g. This was a truly giving family who chose the right thing to do.
1. Each month, 300 names are added to the waiting list in the United
States.
awaits an organ which may or may not come in order to save his or
her life.
decreasing.
(Transition) I have just shown you the problems that can occur when people do not make plans to
donate their organs. Now that you completely understand how large this problem is, let me show
Gratify Step
III. We each need to take a few precautions to ensure that our wish to be a donor is
fulfilled.
preference.
license.
b. They are simple to fill out and only require two witnesses to
sign.
3. The final and single most important step you should take involves
d. If your wishes are made clear to your loved ones, then your
4. For added assurance, you can make copies of your records and then
and upon death, those records can act as further proof to aid
(Transition) Now that you understand the dilemma and the simple ways to prevent and rid the
problem, lets take a look at what can happen based upon your actions.
A. Imagine what the world will be like if we continue the way we are today.
1. There are so many people waiting for organs to save their lives.
5. By the time this day is over, 17 people will be dead because they
B. Now imagine the difference you could make if only you made plans to donate
today.
2. You could save up to 8 lives with your organs and you could save or
(Transition) After visualizing what the future may look like based upon your decisions, are you
Move Step/Conclusion
A. Life is precious for those of us who are waiting for organs as well as those who
B. What better time to make your decision and act upon it?
C. Today download an organ donor card, or better yet, call a relative and discuss
D. Even though this is a difficult matter to talk about, you cannot let that stop you.
E. Each one of us must remember that every day we forget or avoid discussing this
issue with our families, some other person may be saying goodbye to theirs.
II. As you leave here today, I challenge you to make plans to donate your organs and
tissues.
Works Cited
Page.htm>.
Find Out How to be an Organ and Tissue Donor. Coalition on Donation. 21 April 2004.
<http://www.donatelife.net>.
Frequently Asked Questions. Department of Health and Human Services. 14 April 2004.
http://www.organdonor.gov>.
Kappel, Dean F. Report to the Community from Mid-America Transplant Services. 16 April
2004. <http://www.mts-stl.org>.
http://www.Iowaconsulting.com>.
Organ and Tissue Donation. World Almanac and Book of Facts. Pg 96. Academic Search
Premier EBSCO Host. Kent Library, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. 16 April 2004.
<http://search.epnet.com>.