HARRISBURG, PA — To mark National Donate Life Month, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Department of Health (DOH), the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE), and the Gift of Life Donor Program are coming together to emphasize the critical importance of organ donation. These efforts aim to inspire Pennsylvanians to take a life-saving step by registering as organ donors.
Currently, more than 6,000 Pennsylvanians are waiting for organ transplants, underscoring the urgent need for donors. “Choosing to become an organ donor could help save a life or enhance the quality of life for someone awaiting a transplant,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton. Pennsylvanians can register as donors at any time, without waiting for their driver’s license or ID card renewal.
Today also marks National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, a special observance encouraging residents to wear blue and green, the colors symbolizing organ donation, to spread awareness and promote this vital cause.
According to the DOH, nearly 48.5% of Pennsylvania’s driver’s license and ID holders are already registered donors, representing about five million individuals. However, the state remains focused on expanding these efforts to reduce the current shortfall. “One organ donor has the potential to save up to eight lives,” said Cindy Findley, DOH Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
To register as a donor, Pennsylvanians can visit PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website. Registrants will receive a designation card to carry until their driver’s license or ID is updated. Additionally, residents can contribute $3 to the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund when renewing or applying for licenses. Contributions support education and outreach by organizations such as CORE and the Gift of Life Donor Program.
“In Pennsylvania, one man, woman, or child dies every 18 hours due to a lack of organ donors,” said Dr. Lisa Battat, Chairperson of Pennsylvania’s Organ Donation Advisory Committee. “Donors create a legacy of life and hope for others. Organ donation is truly a quiet act of heroism.”
This month-long campaign aims to highlight the life-saving impact of organ, cornea, and tissue donation, while encouraging Pennsylvanians to consider joining the registry and making a difference.
For more information on organ and tissue donation in Pennsylvania or to sign up as a donor, visit www.donatelifepa.org, www.core.org, or www.donors1.org. It only takes 30 seconds to save a life.
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