Through their partnership, Donate Life California and the California Hospital Association (CHA) have created this page as a resource for a hospital volunteer interested in supporting a culture of organ, eye and tissue donation in the hospitals in which they generously volunteer their time.
Donate Life California is the state-authorized nonprofit organ, eye and tissue donor registry dedicated to saving the lives of thousands of Californians awaiting a life-saving transplant. Many people recognize us as the pink “DONOR” dot on their driver license.
Donate Life California works closely with the four California organ recovery organizations. Each organ recovery organization coordinates organ and tissue donation education and outreach events in its local hospitals and communities in the form of events, health fairs, high school education programs, speakers’ bureau and other activities. To find the organ recovery organization that serves your hospital and the local community, click here.
Participate in National Blue & Green Day Next April!
In your hospital: Ways to support organ & tissue donation
- Contact your organ recovery organization to obtain a Donate Life Flag for your hospital or pin, pen, or other goodies for your hospital volunteer committee.
- Reach out to your organ recovery organization to initiate or join events for April Donate Life Month, such as a Donate Life Flag Raising, Blue and Green Day, or to set up Donate Life materials.
- Join the Donor Committee or Donor Action Team at your hospital to plan or participate in other Donate Life activities throughout the year. Find out how you can become an active hospital volunteer by clicking here to find the contact for your hospital.
- Request a trained speaker to discuss organ donation at a hospital volunteer meeting.
- Work with the organ recovery organization for your area to create a donor registry challenge at your hospital.
- Request an article for your hospital’s volunteer newsletter. Email us.
- Support your hospital in its participation in the nationwide HRSA Hospital Campaign. For a list of California hospitals recognized during Phase V (August 1, 2015-April 30, 2016), click here. The 2017 Hospital Campaign (Phase VI) runs October 1, 2016 through April 30, 2017. Contact your organ recovery organization for more info.
- View our photo gallery to see what California hospitals are doing.
In your daily life: Ways to support organ & tissue donation
- If you haven’t already, register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor in California. To sign up in other states, go to www.donatelife.net.
- Follow us on Facebook and sign up for our monthly eNewsletter. Share the stories that touch you.
- Start an eCampaign to inspire your friends and family to sign up as organ, eye & tissue donors. An eCampaign is a free and simple way to share why donation is important to you. We create a customized URL for you, you add your story and photo(s) and then share it with friends and family via email and social media. We can even tell you how many people joined the Donate Life California Registry through your eCampaign! Find and share your hospital’s campaign link here.
- Request a trained speaker to discuss organ donation at a meeting in your community (Rotary Club, church, place of employment, etc.). Click here to schedule.
- Read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), donation Myths “Debunked”, Stories of Hope, and Religious Views on Organ Donation.
- Do your shopping year-round at AmazonSmile. When you choose Donate Life California as your charity, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of the price of your purchases to the organization. Click here for details.
- Participate in one of three Donate Life Run/Walks in California – SoCal in April or the Bay Area in September or the Sacramento Region in October.
Resources Available for Download for a Hospital Volunteer
(click on each item to open)
- Donation-related Observance Days
- About Donate Life California
- Donation & Transplant Facts & Statistics
- Organ Donation Myths
- Donor Registry & Donation Process
By the Numbers*
- Nearly 114,000 people in the United States waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Nearly 23,000 of them are Californians.
- Approximately 81 organ transplants take place every day in the United States.
- More than 28,000 people in the United States begin new lives each year thanks to organ transplants.
- More than one-third of all deceased donors are 50 or older and nearly 8% are 65 or older.
- Sadly, an average of 21 patients die every day while waiting for a transplant, simply because the organ they need does not become available in time.
* Statistics from Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network
Did You Know?
- Anyone can be a potential donor, regardless of age or medical history.
- A single donor can save or heal the lives of more than 75 people through organ, eye and tissue donation.
- Every major religion in the United States supports organ, eye and tissue donation as one of the highest expressions of compassion and generosity. Read more here.
- There is no cost to the donor’s family or estate.
- An open casket funeral is possible for organ, eye and tissue donors.
