New Yorkers encouraged to become organ donors
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NEW YORK STATE (WETM) — New York State officials and advocates are encouraging New Yorkers to register as organ donors during Donate Life Month.
Elected officials, the commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and volunteers and leadership from Donate Life New York State gathered in Albany on April 16 to celebrate Donate Life Month, honor those who have saved lives through organ donations, and persuade people to become donors. Assemblymember Phil Palmesano, who represents all of Schuyler County and portions of Steuben and Chemung counties, shared his personal experience with organ donation to raise awareness of the issue.
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According to Palmesano, his sister Teresa needed two organ transplants after juvenile diabetes damaged her kidneys and overall health. A stranger donated a kidney to Teresa in 2000, and six years later, Palmesano gave one of his kidneys to his sister. Palmesano emphasized the positive impact organ donations have on families.
“One person can make a difference because just one person who donates at the time of their death can save up to eight lives and impact the lives of up to 75 others through eye and tissue donation,” said Palmesano. “We must continue our bipartisan efforts of working together to help raise awareness about the critical need for organ donation and implement smart policies which encourage, and make it easier for, people to join the registry and help save lives.”
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According to Donate Life NYS, nearly 8,000 people in New York State are on the organ donation waitlist. About 3,300 New Yorkers received life-saving organ donations in 2023, but around 400 people on the list die every year due to a shortage of donors. The percentage of New Yorkers who are registered as organ donors (47%) has been climbing over the years, but New York is behind the national average (64%).
“Over the past decade, Donate Life NYS has more than doubled the number of organ donors across New York State, but there’s still much more work to be done,” said Aisha Tator, executive director of Donate Life NYS. “I believe in the generosity of New Yorkers, and I’m confident that when they realize the impact they can make, they’ll step up to the challenge.”
New Yorkers who would like to become organ donors can register on Donate Life NYS’s website.
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