BRIDGEVILLE, PA — Pennsylvania officials are urging residents to register as organ donors, highlighting that more than 6,000 people statewide are currently waiting for transplants while nearly half of eligible residents are already registered.
What This Means for You
- You can register as an organ donor when renewing your driver’s license or ID, or online at any time
- There is no cost to add an organ donor designation to your license or ID
- A single donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) issued the reminder Wednesday as part of National Donate Life Month, alongside partners including the Center for Organ Recovery and Education and the Gift of Life Donor Program.
Officials said about 47.7 percent of driver’s license and ID holders in Pennsylvania — roughly 4.9 million people — are registered organ donors.
How to Register
Residents can choose to become organ donors when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or identification card, or by registering online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website.
Once registered, individuals receive a designation card to carry until their next license or ID renewal. There is no fee to add the designation.
“Choosing to become an organ donor is a selfless, courageous act that could help save a life or help improve the lives of people waiting for a transplant,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton.
Impact of Organ Donation
Health officials said one organ donor can save up to eight lives, while also improving the lives of others through tissue donation.
Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen said registration takes little time but can have a lasting impact.
“We all have a minute to spare to sign up to become an organ donor, but for those on the waiting list, every second counts,” Bogen said.
The announcement also highlighted the story of Shaahed Hussain, a 19-year-old University of Pittsburgh student from Delaware County who survived multiple liver transplants as an infant and now advocates for organ donation.
“I survived because someone said ‘yes’ to donation,” Hussain said. “Now I’m living to pay that gift forward.”
Additional Ways to Support
Residents can also contribute $3 to the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund when applying for or renewing a driver’s license, ID, or vehicle registration. Funds support public education and outreach through nonprofit organizations.
Officials also noted that PennDOT’s online services — including license renewals, address changes, and registration services — are available 24 hours a day.
More information on organ donation and registration is available through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website.
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