APRIL 11, 2007

Spartan Spirit may have notched another victory in the University Challenge this year, but it is future organ recipients who are the big winners in the contest, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land said today.

Land and Gift of Life Michigan representatives presented Michigan State leaders with the traveling University Challenge cup. MSU registered more people on the Organ Donor Registry than any of the other 14 participating Michigan colleges and universities. MSU has taken home the trophy three out of four years.

MSU's efforts were again led by members of the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Student Association. Land singled the association out for praise because of its long-standing efforts to register people as possible organ donors, noting that the group encouraged Gift of Life Michigan in 2004 to put on the first University Challenge.

"Michigan State's record of encouraging organ donation is sure to make other colleges and universities green with envy," Land said. "But it should make us all proud that we've seen so many young people across the state dedicate themselves to this important effort that saves hundreds of lives each year. More than 3,000 Michigan residents and 95,000 people nationally wait each year for life-saving transplants so new donors are always needed."

The student association, which signed up 1,166 people over five weeks, is made up of undergraduates in the university's Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program. The program prepares students for jobs in medical and laboratory-related fields.

Douglas Estry, MSU's acting associate provost for undergraduate education and dean of undergraduate studies, accepted the University Challenge cup on MSU's behalf. He is a past director of the diagnostics program.

"I'm proud to see Michigan State students take the initiative with this effort and serve as role-models for their peers throughout the state," MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said. "They have spearheaded the contest that has signed up thousands of people to an effort that saved or improved the lives of 600 Michigan residents last year alone."

Land made the presentation during her "Show Us Your Heart" campaign this week, which encourages people to register as possible organ donors. She organized the week in cooperation with Gift of Life Michigan, which recovers human organs for distribution, and the Michigan Eye-Bank, which deals with eye tissue. Go to www.Michigan.gov/organdonation and click on the registry link to sign up.

Due to a recent law change, registrants now receive a sticker with a heart logo to affix to the front of their driver's license or state identification card when they enroll on the registry. The sticker signifies a person's wish to be a donor and is an immediate alert to medical personnel or emergency responders. It is important to note that anyone who signed up prior to Jan. 1 should re-enroll to receive the heart sticker.

Other highlights of the weeklong initiative included Tuesday's "Buddy Day," when nearly 300 Gift of Life and Michigan Eye-Bank volunteers visited more than 130 Secretary of State offices to share their stories about donating and receiving organs.

Visit the Department of State Web site at www.Michigan.gov/sos, Gift of Life Michigan at www.GiftofLifeMichigan.org or the Michigan Eye-Bank at www.michiganeyebank.org for additional organ donor information. The Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program Web site is medtech.cls.msu.edu.