Donate Life to Save Lives

A Legislative Column by Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush

Established in 1992, Donate Life America is a non-profit organization that works to increase the number of donated organs available to save as many human lives as possible. Through transplants, many Americans have been able to extend their lives by many years, allowing more time with their families and loved ones. Without the Donate Life program, many of these Americans would have gone without organ transplants and would no longer be with us today. This program needs our continual support so no one ever has to watch a loved one struggle to find the organ that would save their lives.

Since 1992, over 170 million organs have been registered through Donate Life America. These organs have been donated by everyday Americans who joined this cause to save the lives of others. Deceased or living, Donate Life allows the opportunity to donate organs or tissue at any point in a person’s life. Whether it be a kidney while the donor is still living or a liver after the donor has passed away, one donation to Donate Life can be the difference between life or death for another.

We can still do more. In New York, 46% of adults above the age of 18 are registered as organ and tissue donors. While this is fantastic, 394 patients passed away waiting for an organ donation in 2022 in the state of New York. If more New Yorkers sign up to be organ donors, we can keep driving this number down closer and closer to zero. Let’s set an example for the rest of the nation that New Yorkers support each other like no one else.

There are many different ways in which a New Yorker can enroll to be an organ donor. Anyone can go onto the New York State Donate Life Registry and register online to be an organ donor. When registering to vote, you can elect to fill out a form that will enroll you in Donate Life. If these situations don’t present themselves, any time you renew or receive a new driver's license you can sign up for Donate Life at the DMV. It is easier than ever to sign up to be an organ donor.

Many members of the Minority Conference of the NYS Assembly have donated to the Donate Life America program. Here are their stories…https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Qvg56VWLUJ2aDe5U2-FjwMIvhB0H_OI/view

If you are looking for more information and would like to sign up to be an organ donor, go to https://www.ny.gov/services/become-organ-donor and fill out the forms. Let’s lend each other a hand and keep New York healthy.