Can A Petition Get Sarah Murnaghan The New Lung She Needs?

More than 72,000 people have signed a petition urging transplant officials to get Sarah Murnaghan, 10, the lung she needs if she is going to survive cystic fibrosis.

Philly.com reports that Murnaghan, who is hospitalized at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, hasn’t yet received a lung because rules state that child transplant recipients can only receive a loung from another child. That makes the list of possible donors terribly short. Adults are given priority for adult-sized lungs.

Her family has started a petition on Change.org, asking supporters to urge the Department of Health and Human Services to change the regulations.

“This policy needs to change,” the petition says. “The OPTN/UNOS Lung Review Board, a national group of transplant physicians and surgeons, can make an exceptional ruling for Sarah. And they can recommend new policies to OPTN.”

As of this morning, more than 72,000 people had signed the petition. The OPTN said in a statement this week it can’t change its rules based on one patient.

The girl’s family says she has only a few weeks to live.