Every April, National Donate Life Month raises awareness about the lifesaving aspects of donation and transplantation. Across the country, activities take place to inspire Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors. There are many ways you and your company can support this lifesaving effort.
Critical need for organ donors
The need for organ, eye and tissue donors is a serious public health issue, affecting your employees, your customers, and their families. Approximately 115,000 people are waiting for organs in the U.S., and 20 people die waiting every day. In North Carolina, more than 3,100 men, women, and children are waiting for a life-saving transplant.
As business leaders, you can help them by raising awareness about the importance of registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor.
Just one organ, eye and tissue donor can save and heal as many as 75 others. Last year, our region, with its world-class transplant centers and generous donor families forever changed the lives of thousands of family members who are employed in our workplaces and live in our communities. Imagine what we could do if we all worked together to increase registration rates.
Take Action
The most effective way to address this need is to educate and encourage people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors at Register as a Donor or at a local DMV. It only takes a few minutes to register online.
Here’s how your company can help:
- Provide links to register on your web and social media sites. Here is a sample post:
115,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Register your decision to give the gift of life at DonateLifeNC.org.
- Include information and a link to register as a donor in your internal employee communications and forms (onboarding, benefits renewal) and in external communications.
- Provide brochures with information on the importance of registering as a donor.
- Encourage organ, eye and tissue donor registration at company health fairs and blood drives.
- Host transplant recipients, donor families, and organ donation professionals to speak at company programs.
- Offer discounts or giveaways to employees and customers who are registered as donors.
