In a world similar to that of Unwind, people’s lives depend on organs—healthy, living organs.

In the real world, there are not enough organs to replace the failing ones, and because of this, an average of 18 people die each day waiting a lifeline, in the form of human organs, that does not come.

“There are currently over 120,000 people on the waiting list for organ transplants,” New England Organ Bank’s communications and development coordinator Laura Dempsey said.

The NEOB is the oldest organ donation agency in the country with a mission to spread awareness of organ and tissue donation, while encouraging the community to become donors.

According to Dempsey, oftentimes organ donors and recipients create close relationships, becoming emotional on both ends.

“If either the donor family or recipient would like to contact the other person they will send a letter to us,” Dempsey said. “This [exchange of written communication] continues for a while and eventually, if they would like, we help arrange for them to meet. I know several donor families who have become very close with the recipient. I also know donor families and recipients who would prefer not to meet the other party because it is too emotionally difficult for them.”

Dempsey said that working at the NEOB has reminded her of how fortunate she is.

“It’s changed my life in that it reminds me how fortunate I am to be healthy. If anything were to ever happen to me and I was a candidate to be an organ and tissue donor, I like to think that I would be helping someone else live their life.”