Awareness Is Ongoing: Lessons from Donate Life Month
2026 California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Conference – Kathy Vochoska (Living Donor, OneLegacy Ambassador), Lacey Felder (Senior Program Manager, Donate Life California), Theresita Gonzalez (Supervisor of Community Development at Donor Network West)
Each April, Donate Life Month gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and recognize the extraordinary generosity of donors, families, and advocates across California. It is a time to celebrate lives saved and transformed through organ, eye, and tissue donation.
It is also a time to look ahead with honesty and humility and consider the work that remains.
We all appreciate progress. Celebrating success helps us recognize the partnerships, community efforts, and individuals who move this mission forward. At the same time, organ donation carries a constant responsibility. Today, nearly 19,000 people in California are waiting for a life-saving transplant. They are the reason we come to work each day. They are the reason awareness cannot stop at one month.
We have made meaningful progress. Nearly half of Californians have registered their decision to become organ donors. Awareness continues to grow through community outreach, partnerships, and expanded education efforts. More families now authorize donation on behalf of their loved ones, even when a decision was not formally recorded.
We also see progress in the number of opportunities people have to engage with this topic. DMV interactions, tax return forms, and college campus outreach all create moments for people to reflect, ask questions, and start conversations.
This progress reflects a collective effort. Volunteers, ambassadors, educators, healthcare professionals, and community leaders all contribute. That is something to be proud of. It is also a reminder that the work is not finished.
Awareness alone does not lead to action.
While millions of Californians have registered, donor registration rates have started to decline. That trend tells us something important. Awareness does not always lead to understanding or trust.
Every community brings unique experiences, beliefs, and questions into this decision. Some individuals approach healthcare systems with caution. Others may rely on cultural perspectives, current events, or limited access to accurate information when forming their views.
We must acknowledge that we do not have all the answers. Recognizing this gap helps us move forward. It has led us to begin research across California to better understand attitudes, perceptions, and awareness around organ donation. Listening is essential if we want to build trust.
Trust grows through transparency, consistency, and respect.
At Donate Life California, we take that responsibility seriously. As the state-authorized nonprofit that manages the donor registry, we operate with the support of Californians who contribute through the DMV. That support carries a clear responsibility. We must provide accurate, accessible information and serve as a trusted resource.
Education must evolve as people and behaviors change. In the past, many individuals first learned about donation when applying for a driver’s license. Today, fewer young people go through that process. This shift requires new approaches. Expanding education through college campuses allows us to meet people at a different stage in life, when they are making independent decisions and planning for their future.
We also need to create space for conversation. Donation is a personal decision. People deserve time, information, and support as they consider what feels right for them. That may include talking with family, asking questions, or seeking out trusted sources.
Awareness does not end when April ends. It continues in classrooms, at kitchen tables, in community spaces, and in everyday moments where people learn and make decisions.
If you are considering a donation, you might start with a few simple questions:
- Would I want someone to say yes for me if I needed a transplant?
- Do I want to make this decision myself, or leave it to my family?
- Have I shared my wishes with the people closest to me?
There is no single path to that decision. There is value in taking the time to understand it.
I continue to believe in the generosity of Californians and in our shared desire to care for one another. Awareness grows through conversation, and conversation starts with openness.
For more information about Donate Life California, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.
