APRIL 6, 2009

Secretary Land, organ donor allies promote Donate Life Month;
urge residents to enroll on state's organ donor registry

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land today urged everyone to sign up on the state's organ donor registry, a simple yet powerful act that can help transform the lives of the 3,000 Michigan residents waiting for an organ transplant.

"It isn't every day that you are given a chance to make a real difference in someone's life," Land said. "But when you sign up to be an organ and tissue donor, lives are changed. If you don't have a heart sticker on your driver's license or state ID, visit the department's Web site or stop by any Secretary of State office today and let us know you want to be a donor."

Land made her appeal during a news conference at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing to kick off April as Donate Life Month, an observance recognized nationally as well as in the state. Sparrow is one of a handful of Michigan hospitals that received the U.S. Organ Donation Medal of Honor in 2008 for achieving a 75 percent or greater organ donation conversion rate for four consecutive years.

Efforts to promote organ, tissue and eye donation will continue on Wednesday, April 8 when Secretary of State offices across Michigan open their doors for the annual "Buddy Day" celebration. The offices host volunteers or "Buddies," who share their stories with the public. Many Buddies are transplant recipients or members of donor families. Thanks to the hard work of Gift of Life Michigan and the Michigan Eye-Bank, more than 300 Buddies will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to answer questions and encourage residents to add their names to the donor registry.

Branch offices in Wayne and Oakland counties will also have volunteers promoting organ, tissue and eye donation every Wednesday and Friday throughout April and May. This initiative is part of a special federal grant project to increase the number of names on the organ donor registry.

To foster greater participation, this year's campaign is encouraging everyone to "show us your heart" by becoming organ, tissue and eye donors. Land explained that enrolling on the organ donor registry is simple. You can sign up online at www.Michigan.gov/sos or at any Secretary of State office. Once you have enrolled, a heart sticker designating your wish to be a donor is provided for the front of your license or ID card.

One of the news conference guests, Dr. Michael Hagan, recounted a personal story about the lifesaving benefits of organ and tissue donation. Hagan, who is a liver recipient and director of quality improvement for Gift of Life Michigan, shares an exceptional bond with another of the participants, Jonas Rogers. Rogers' decision to donate the organs of his 21-year-old daughter Shemika, after her tragic death, resulted in the liver transplant that saved Hagan's life.

"The need for organs and tissues affects people of all ages," said Richard Pietroski, Gift of Life Michigan executive director. "More than 100,000 individuals nationally and 3,000 in Michigan are waiting for an organ transplant. I would like to commend Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and her staff for their dedication to making it easy to add your name to the state's organ donor registry. Every name on the registry gives someone hope for a new chance at life."

Also recognized at the news conference were heart recipient and Lansing-area volunteer Kay Walters and the Michigan State University Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Student Association. The BLDSA is the driving force behind MSU's success in winning the Gift of Life Campus Challenge trophy five times in the past six years. The award is presented each year to the university or college that signs up the most organ and tissue donors during a six-week statewide competition. Dr. John Gerlach, chief of MSU's division of immunology and serology, accepted the trophy on behalf of the student association.

The Michigan Organ Donor Registry contains more than 1.5 million names, or roughly 15 percent of the state's population. Age or existing health conditions shouldn't deter anyone from adding their name to the donor registry. A transplant physician will evaluate organs and tissues for their suitability.

Gift of Life Michigan is the state's certified, full-service organ recovery organization. It acts as an intermediary between donors, physicians and hospital staff. Contact the agency at (800) 482-4881 or www.giftoflifemichigan.org.

The Michigan Eye-Bank recovers, evaluates and distributes corneas for transplantation, supports eye and vision research and offers education on the importance of donation. To learn more call (800) 247-7250 or visit www.michiganeyebank.org.

For more information about the Department of State organ and tissue donor initiatives, visit www.Michigan.gov/sos.

Related link
> 2009 List of Secretary of State offices hosting a Buddy