July 2, 2012
07/03/12 Donate Life America unveiled its fifth annual National Donor Designation Report Card during the organization’s twentieth anniversary annual meeting in Chicago, IL. The document reports 101.4 million people had enrolled in state donor registries by the end of 2011. The public can add to that number and help save the lives of the more than 114,000 men, women and children awaiting organ transplants by designating a donation decision at www.donatelife.net.
Nationwide, 42.7 percent of individuals age 18 and older have registered to be organ, eye and tissue donors. Alaska and Montana top the list with 79 percent each, followed by Washington with 75 percent and Oregon with 73 percent.
The document also reports that of all recovered donors in the United Sates in 2011, 36.2 percent of organ, 44.7 percent of eye and 41.8 percent of tissue, were in their state donor registry at the time of death. These numbers have continued to rise since Donate Life America began collecting this data in 2007.
With thousands still awaiting lifesaving or healing transplants the need for donor designations remains a priority. To address the continued shortage, Donate Life America has undertaken a bold campaign to register an additional 20 million donors by the conclusion of 2012.
“With nearly 7,000 people dying each year due to a lack of available organs for transplant, the need is great,” said David Fleming, president and CEO of Donate Life America. “We hope this campaign will energize the public to do what is necessary to save the lives of thousands – register as donors today.”
For more information about organ, eye and tissue donation or to register to be a donor, visit www.donatelife.net.