Did you know in the United States of America April is designated as National Donate Life Month!
To celebrate, let us explore more about the non-profit organization Donate Life America and what it could mean for the residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“Donate Life Pennsylvania is a collaborative initiative between Gift of Life Donor Program (GOL), the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), and the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Transportation. It is funded by residents of Pennsylvania through voluntary contributions included with driver’s license renewals, vehicle registrations and state income tax filings. All contributions are used by the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund to educate Pennsylvanians, build awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation, and increase the number of people who sign up to become donors on their driver’s license, learner’s permit or state identification card.” Donate Life
How can you get involved or support Donate Life PA?
It’s pretty easy. Simply sign up to be an organ donor or make a monetary donation!
Good news for Pennsylvania residents, you do not have to wait for your driver’s license renewal to change your Organ Donor status. You can sign up anytime online with the following information:
- PA Driver’s License Number
- Date of Birth
- Last four digits of your Social Security Number.
Here are a few staggering statistics from the Donate Life website regarding the need for organ donations.
- Every year thousands of people die while waiting on an organ transplant list.
- Every 18 hours, someone in PA dies waiting for an organ.
- A single organ donor can save up to 8 lives through organ donation and help the lives of 75 others through tissue donation
- Living kidney and living liver donation could eliminate up to 95 percent of the national transplant waiting list.
You may be wondering why we are covering this topic on a workers compensation website. At some point in life we will all face death. Some may suffer a work injury landing you on an organ donor waiting list. While we are here and healthy we have the opportunity to make an impact for those that need help. Your decision today can impact lives even after you are gone.
Yes, this is a heavy topic for many. For some there may be religious considerations that would prevent a donation or acceptance of an organ.
This is a great opportunity to consider what your impact can have as an organ donor or simply making the $1.00 donation when you renew your license. Every bit helps!
Find out more about Donate Life PA and becoming an organ donor at their website.
Additional Links:
Donate to the Trust Fund
Register to Become an Organ Donor
FAQ
