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09 Nov

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Events News

November 9th Marks the Beginning of National Donor Sabbath

Beginning today November 9th and thru November 11th, Donate Life California invites you to join us in celebrating National Donor Sabbath! Every year, we celebrate National Donor Sabbath for persons of all faiths to honor donors who have saved lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.

This National Donor Sabbath, be a symbol of hope for those who are waiting.

Along with taking a moment to pause and honor all the donors who have saved lives, National Donor Sabbath also looks to spread the word about the importance and need of organ, eye and tissue donation across all faiths and congregations. With over 114,000 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, the need for new organ donors remains critically important.

National Donor Sabbath Encourages Education on Organ Donation

When it comes to registering as an organ and tissue donor, many mistakenly believe that their religion prevents them from being an organ and tissue donor. In fact, most religions support and even encourage organ donation.

Over the past five years, key religious figures such as Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama have vocally expressed how organ donation is one of “the greatest service(s) to mankind.” Many religions believe organ donation to be a final act of kindness and generosity. If you are interested in checking out the views of various religions on organ donation, please click here.

"Organ donation is a serious practice of "dharma" and the greatest service to mankind." - The Dalai Lama

National Donor Sabbath encourages all faith leaders and followers to research his or her religious group’s tradition and position on organ and tissue donation and transplantation, as well any other ethical issues that may be of concern. In addition, each faith leader should be mindful of any new resolutions or positions adopted at his or her religious group’s national assembly. The group’s position is also subject to change at any moment.

How You Can Help This National Donor Sabbath

For all those attending religious congregations on this National Donor Sabbath weekend, we encourage you to strike up conversations about organ and tissue donation with your fellow parishioners. Additionally, discussing the matter with your leaders of faith may encourage them to bring up the topic of organ, eye and tissue donation during your service. And as always, we encourage you to share our message of saving lives through your own social media outlets. For additional information on National Sabbath, please click here.

Before we let you go, here are some quick facts on organ donation that you can share with members of your congregation:

  • Almost 35,000 patients began new lives in 2017 thanks to organ transplants (about 92 every day).
  • Nearly 22,000 people in California – over 114,000 people nationally – are currently waiting for an organ transplant.
  • Sadly, over of 20 people die every day while waiting, because the organ they needed is not donated in time.
  • A living donor can save a life by donating a kidney or a portion of their liver, lung, pancreas or intestine. For more information on living kidney donation, go to Living Donation California.
  • On average, there are more than 30,000 tissue donors and more than 1 million tissue transplants are performed each year; the surgical need for tissue has been steadily rising.
  • Approximately 40,000 patients have their sight restored through corneal transplants each year.

"Donating organs is a gesture of love." - Pope Francis

 

10 Aug

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Events News

California Teams Bring Home Big Wins From the 2018 Transplant Games of America

Game on! This past week, Salt Lake City hosted the 2018 Transplant Games of America! This biennial competition boasted a gathering of over 40 teams with hundreds of transplant recipients and living donors. We were incredibly proud to have two teams representing the beautiful Golden State: Team NorCal and Team SoCal!

Team SoCal wins the gold medal in the Volleyball competition.

Pictured: Team SoCal wins the gold medal in the Volleyball competition.

All the athletes were given an opportunity to participate in a variety of events: 5K Run/Walk, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Cornhole, Cycling, Darts, Golf, Racquetball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Texas Hold ‘em Poker, Trivia Challenge, Virtual Triathlon, Volleyball, Ballroom Dancing, Pickle Ball, Youth Olympiad, Track and Field, and Lyrics for Life.

Nearly 90 Californian athletes participated in over 20 competitions for the chance to win bronze, silver and gold medals. Together, Team NorCal and Team SoCal brought back home a whopping 208 medals, 93 of which were gold!

Pictured: Lloyd Tucker of Team SoCal in action during the 4x100m Team Relay.

“The Transplant Games are an amazing experience for the transplant community, and I am honored to help lead our team in Salt Lake City,” said Debbie Morgan, Team SoCal’s president and former Transplant Games athlete. “The emotion we share as we trade stories is unforgettable. From watching a 10-year-old stop short of the finish line during his race so that a younger boy on a walker could take home the bronze medal, to experiencing the whole stadium cheering on a woman as she slowly finished her race in last place, the Transplant Games of America provide memorable experiences that go beyond competing.”

For additional coverage on California’s presence at the Transplant Games, visit Donor Network West and OneLegacy’s Facebook pages.

And the Winner of the Transplant Games Team Cup Award is…

One of the many awards given out during the Transplant Games of America is the Team Cup Award.  The Cup is awarded on the last day of the Games to the team of 15 or more organ recipients that won the most medals per person during the Games.

We are absolutely ecstatic to announce that Team NorCal won the Team Cup Award at the Transplant Games of America! Team NorCal went in with 37 athletes and walked away with 120 medals, a stunning feat! Congrats Team NorCal!

Team NorCal receiving the Team Cup Award.

Pictured: Team NorCal receiving the Team Cup Award.

A New Guinness World Record Set!

As if all the medals weren’t enough, both teams also helped break a Guinness World Record: “Largest Amount of Solid Organ Recipients in a Single Place.” 540 people were in attendance to help set this new record, breaking the previous one organized in Turkey earlier this year. Kudos to all of those who participated and helped shine a spotlight on donation!

Participants in the Guinness World Record-breaking attempt of largest gathering of transplant recipients.

Pictured: Participants in the Guinness World Record-breaking attempt of the largest gathering of transplant recipients.

We want to thank all the organizers of the 2018 Transplant Games for running such a smooth operation in Salt Lake City and a thank you to Yes Utah! for being such welcoming hosts! We look forward to the next set of Games in 2020.

Congratulations to all the transplant recipients and living donors coming home with medals, you’ve made all of California proud! Join in the effort in supporting organ and tissue donation by signing up as a donor today!

Team NorCal Delegation at the 2018 Transplant Games.

Pictured: Team NorCal Delegation at the 2018 Transplant Games.

05 Apr

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Events News Press Release

Donate Life California Honors Senator Ben Allen as Legislator of the Year

SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 4, 2017 – Donate Life California kicked off April as National Donate Life Month by recognizing California Senator Ben Allen as Legislator of the Year for his work on legislation in support of organ, eye and tissue donation. Donate Life California is the state’s nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry.

Senator Allen also co-authored a Senate Resolution designating April 2017 as Donate Life/DMV Partnership Month in California, with Senator Tom Berryhill, who received a heart transplant in May 2001. The Donate Life California board of directors witnessed the resolution presentation on the Senate Floor.

“Donate Life California wants to recognize Senator Allen as Donate Life California’s Legislator of the Year for his leadership in authoring legislation that decriminalizes organ donation between HIV-positive donors and HIV-positive recipients,” said Monica Johnson, Donate Life California Board President. “The implementation of this bill allows us to honor the wishes of people with HIV who choose to be organ donors, and in doing so, saves more lives through donation and transplantation.”

Senator Allen authored SB 1408, which amends an outdated California statute to remove a provision that prohibited HIV-positive individuals from donating organs, thus bringing state law in line with federal law under the HOPE (HIV Organ Policy Equity) Act and allowing for organ donation between HIV-positive donors and HIV-positive recipients.

“I am honored to receive this award from Donate Life California, a wonderful organization that saves thousands of lives each year by promoting organ, eye and tissue donation. I am proud to be an ally in this worthy effort,” Senator Allen (D – Santa Monica) said.

National Donate Life Month, celebrated each April, is a national campaign aimed at encouraging the public to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor and to celebrate those who have saved lives through the gift of donation. This campaign is especially important in California, which has the longest waiting list but where only about 40 percent of adults are signed up to be organ, eye and tissue donors, putting California well below the national average of 50 percent.

The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry – which has grown from 9,000 when it launched in 2004 to nearly 14 million in April 2017 – offers hope to those on the waiting list who count on the kindness and generosity of others for the “gift of life.”

Earl Lovell of Suisun City, CA, a retired Navy veteran, husband and father, and was the picture of health until he suffered a “widowmaker” heart attack in June 2009 that so severely damaged his heart, he required a transplant. On August 1, 2012, Earl received a “new” heart, thanks to his donor, a 42-year old husband and father. “It is the greatest gift I could ever have received. I owe it to my donor and the family he left behind to tell the world of his unselfish act.”

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is an important Donate Life California partner, with 95 percent of California’s nearly 14 million registered organ, eye and tissue donors having checked “YES!” while applying for or renewing their California driver license or ID. Californians can also sign up on the registry at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

Each day in the U.S., 22 people die waiting because the organ they needed did not come available in time. Organs needed for transplant are heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas or intestine.

Tissue transplants, meanwhile, save and heal lives. Tissues for transplant include cornea, skin, heart valves, bone tissue, tendons, veins, ligaments and cartilage. More than a million tissue transplants are done each year, and the surgical need for tissue has been steadily rising. Corneal transplants restore sight to nearly 50,000 people each year.

Fast Facts from Donate Life California:

  • 21,886 people are on the organ transplant waiting list in California; 118,368 are waiting nationally (i.e. one in five on the national organ transplant waiting list lives in California.)
  • More than 33,000 people in the U.S. begin new lives each year thanks to organ transplants (about 91 transplants every day).
  • 22 people die each day because the life-saving organ they needed did not become available in time.

About Donate Life California

Donate Life California is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry. Individuals can add their name to the registry by checking “YES!” every time they renew/apply for their driver license or ID card at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This ensures their desire to donate life will be carried out. A pink “DONOR” dot is added to their driver license or ID as a symbol of their decision. Individuals can also sign up online at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org. As a public service, the registry ensures all personal information is kept confidential and stored in a secure database, accessible only to authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. The registry is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs): Donor Network West, Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services.