APRIL 10, 2009

Thousands of residents join Organ Donor Registry

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land today applauded the thousands of people who pledged to give the gift of life by joining the Michigan Organ Donor Registry this week, calling their generosity an inspiration for all. She also encouraged more people to register throughout the year because the need for organ transplants remains great.

Land, in conjunction with Gift of Life Michigan and the Michigan Eye-Bank, celebrated April as Donate Life Month this week with events that promoted organ donation and educated people about the constant need for lifesaving transplants. Their successful efforts resulted in 17,672 people "showing their heart" by joining the registry since April 1 via the Web or at Secretary of State offices.

"One person selflessly giving the gift of life can save or improve the lives of up to 50 people," Land said. "I encourage everyone to take a few moments and sign up today. At this moment, almost 3,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant in Michigan so each donor makes a huge difference. I applaud everyone who signed up this week or in the past.

"But our work here isn't done. We must continue this week's success throughout the year so the number of people who must wait for a lifesaving transplant can be reduced."

People who join the registry receive a heart logo sticker that goes on their driver's license, allowing them to "show their heart." The sticker gives emergency responders a quick visual cue to know if someone has decided to be a donor.

Highlights of the week included having more than 340 "Buddies" in Secretary of State offices across the state to talk with customers about the importance of organ donation. Buddies are volunteers who have been personally affected by organ donation or strongly support it. The events also featured transplant recipient Ann Arbor resident Dr. Michael Hagan, who is a liver recipient and director of quality improvement for Gift of Life Michigan. Hagan spoke about his bond with the family of a 21-year-old woman, who died tragically and whose liver went to Hagan. At another event, Wyoming resident and Grand Rapids Community College student Kathleen Mather spoke about receiving a heart transplant when she was 10.

The 2009 Donate Life Month efforts have been complemented by the "Tell Us Now" campaign, which is paid for with a federal grant and has been running in southeastern Michigan. The advertising campaign encourages people to join the organ donor registry by sharing the stories of those whose lives have been transformed by organ and tissue donation. It promotes organ donation among minorities, who are disproportionately represented on transplant waiting lists. Transplant surgeries often are more successful when the donor and recipient are members of the same racial group. The campaign also has run in Kent, Genesee and Saginaw counties.

Gift of Life Michigan is the state's federally certified, full-service organ recovery organization. The agency acts as an intermediary between donors, physicians, hospital staff and transplant centers. For more information about organ and tissue donation, contact Gift of Life Michigan at (800) 482-4881 or www.giftoflifemichigan.org.

The Michigan Eye-Bank's mission is the restoration of sight. It recovers, evaluates and distributes corneas for transplantation, supports eye and vision research and offers public and professional education on the importance of eye, organ and tissue donation. To learn more, call (800) 247-7250 or visit the organization's Web site at www.michiganeyebank.org.