Yearly Archives: 2013

A statement from Lisa Stocks, President of Donate Life California:

Many of the tributes to Steve Jobs note with sadness that we lost this 56-year-old California native way too early. Donate Life California agrees and thanks the Donor Family who gave us all an extra two years of life with Steve following his successful liver transplant in 2009.

His Donor Family’s gift of life allowed Steve precious additional time with his family and the work he loved. Steve also made time to work with us – California’s official organ and tissue registry – to propose what will be quite literally Steve’s Living Legacy SB1395 (Alquist, D-Santa Clara). His endorsement and willingness to share his experience with organ failure and transplant resulted in unanimous support from the California legislature to establish what will be the first statewide Living Donor Registry in the nation.

California already has the largest organ and tissue registry in the world. Nearly nine million Californians have registered to be donors after they die. But the state also has the largest waiting list. Currently one in five people on the national organ waiting list live in California. It means the wait here can be long. Tragically 18 people die waiting each day nationally, because there are not enough donors – despite the fact that a single donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and help an additional 50 people through the gift of tissue.

Steve realized first hand that we need to encourage more people to be living donors in addition to giving the gift of life after we die. (Living donors are able to save lives by donating a kidney, or portion of their liver or lung to others.) The Altruistic Living Donor Registry Steve envisioned is being finalized now by transplant professionals throughout California.

Our condolences go to his family and a world full of fans – along with our appreciation again to Steve’s Donor Family and all the people who say yes to donation and give people a second chance at life.
We praise the call from SLATE Magazine writer William Saletan that challenges: “If you want to honor Steve Jobs, do what somebody did for him: Donate your organs.”

To make a profound, life-saving difference for others after you are gone, go to www.donateLIFEamerica.net to learn how to sign up to be an organ and tissue donor in your state. In California, you may register at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

We also have established a special tribute registration page for Steve at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org/SteveJobs that will allow us to let his family know how many people signed up in his honor. (Please note this secure link will register you as a donor, but only tallies the number of people who sign. As always, your registration information is confidential and can only be accessed by the federally-designated, non-profit organ recovery agencies serving your region.)

Donate Life California will let you know when the Altruistic Living Donor Registry Steve supported is ready. In the interim, if you would like to be a living donor, please contact a transplant center in your community. You can learn more about life-saving organ and tissue donation on our website at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.
Thank you, Steve Jobs, for the incredible legacy you gave us. You transformed the future through technology and continue to give the hope of a future to many through your support of Donate Life.

High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.

SACRAMENTO, CA, September 26, 2012 – Governor Jerry Brown on Sept. 26 signed Assembly Bill 1967, a bill introduced by the Speaker of the State Assembly John Pérez (D-Los Angeles), that will ensure information on organ and tissue donation is taught in health and science classes statewide.

“I am very pleased the Governor has signed my legislation which will encourage young people to choose to become organ donors by ensuring they have access to the information to help them make an informed decision,” said Pérez. “More than 20,000 Californians are currently awaiting an organ to become available through donation, and by ensuring students have information on how to sign up, we can help ensure that these Californians can have a new lease on life that comes with an organ transplant.”

As with drivers in other states, California teenagers obtaining their first driver licenses are presented with the question, “Do you wish to register to be an organ and tissue donor?” According to Donate Life California (DLC) data, young drivers (between the ages of 15 and 19) have been less likely to register as organ and tissue donors than those aged 20 to 49. Clerks at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) report uncertainty about the donation process among teenagers and their parents when it comes to the donation question on the driver license application.

In keeping with the goal of preparing students to make informed donation decisions, DLC sponsored Assembly Bill (AB) 1967 (John A. Pérez). This bill, which passed the State Assembly and Senate with strong bi-partisan support, requires the Instructional Quality Commission and State Board to ensure that the health and science curriculum frameworks adopted in the course of the next submission cycle include the subject of organ procurement and tissue donation as appropriate.

“We greatly appreciate the tremendous support we have received from the Governor, the Speaker, the Legislature and the Department of Education for this vital legislation. Updating California’s health and science frameworks will give teenagers accurate information so they can make a confident decision about signing up to save lives on the Donate Life Registry,” said Donate Life California President Lisa Stocks. “We also hope that students will help us educate their parents and grandparents about the important Gift of Life possible from organ and tissue donation.”

California has the largest state donor registry in the country with more than nine million designated donors. But it also has the largest waiting list with approximately 20,000 transplant candidates. Californians lag behind most of the rest of the states when offered the opportunity to register. Of the 26 million licensed drivers and ID holders, only 36 percent have signed up to be organ and tissue donors (as compared to the 43% average for state registries nationwide). In 2011, only 26.9 percent of California DMV customers checked ‘Yes’ on their forms to register as donors, which places our state seventh from the bottom.

Despite the state’s lower donor registration rates, the DLC Organ and Tissue Donor Registry plays an increasingly essential role in saving and healing Californians in need of organ and tissue transplants. In 2011, one in four recovered organ donors and one in three recovered tissue donors were registered donors. Since the on-line registry was founded in April 2005, donors who had registered prior to death conservatively have saved and healed more than 100,000 lives through organ and tissue donation.

“It is a tragedy that nearly one third of individuals currently on the waiting list will fail to receive their transplant in time. I am hopeful that this bill will save more lives,” said Speaker Pérez.

About Donate Life California
Donate Life California is a nonprofit, state-authorized organ and tissue donor registry, administered by California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organizations, each responsible for facilitating the donation process in the state: Donor Network West , Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. As a state-authorized public service, the registry assures that all personal information is kept confidential and stored in a secure database, accessible only to authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel.

High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.