Latest News

08 Oct

Real-time Data Collection Will Save More Lives in California

SAN DIEGO, Calif., October 8, 2014 – Smart phones are the state’s latest tool for saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law AB 2399 (J. Pérez), which allows Donate Life California to electronically register individuals to be organ, eye and tissue donors by scanning their driver license or state-issued identification (ID) card into a secure smart phone application.

“e-Registration is fast, simple, accurate and secure. Using current technology to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor makes the process quicker and more efficient at community events,” said Cindy Siljestrom, president of the Donate Life California Board of Directors. “We hope to increase California’s registry numbers to reflect the true generosity of Californians by making registration as easy as possible.”

“I am pleased the Governor has signed AB 2399, to make it easier to verify a person has elected to become an organ donor,” said Assembly Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez. “With so many thousands of Californians awaiting an organ donation, it’s vital that we take every step to ensure that those Californians who wish to donate their organs have their wishes honored; and this legislation helps ensure that outcome. I also want to thank Donate Life California for their efforts on this bill and for all the work they do to promote organ donation throughout California.”

The majority of people on the Donate Life California Organ, Eye & Tissue Donor Registry sign up through the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). However, only about 32 percent of licensed drivers in California are registered donors, despite a 2012 national survey stating that 94.9 percent of U.S. adults support donation.¹ Sadly, California has one of the lowest state donor registration rates in the country, despite having the largest waiting list with more than 22,000 people needing life-saving transplants.

e-Registration will make it easier for people to become registered donors. Individuals can sign up onto the Registry in a matter of seconds while at community events and health fairs throughout the state by scanning their DMV ID card or driver license through a handheld smart phone device.

How E-Registration works:

Scan the DMV ID card or driver license through an encrypted smart phone device
ID holder confirms the information and desire to register as a donor
Upload the information to the Donate Life California Organ, Eye & Tissue Donor Registry

¹National Survey of Organ Donation Attitudes and Behavior sponsored by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

Fast Facts from Donate Life California:

18 people across the country die each day awaiting life-saving organ transplants.
One in five on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list lives in California.
All major religions support or permit organ, eye and tissue donation.
You’re never too old to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor.
Do not rule yourself out! People with all medical conditions are potential donors.

About Donate Life California:
Donate Life California is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry. As a public service, the registry assures 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 recovery organizations: Donor Network West (formerly CTDN), Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. For more information about Donate Life California; how organ, eye and tissue donation saves and improves lives; and to sign up, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

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.

29 Jul

By
Administrator

in
News

Donate Life California Featured in “Donate Your Junk Car” Article

SAN DIEGO, Calif., July 29, 2014 – Donate Life California is one of “25 awesome California-based charities that accept car donations” according to an article by insurance company Obrella.

We are honored to be chosen, as we know there are a lot of charities in California that do great work. All donations we receive go toward our education and outreach programs, which inspire people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. Right now, there are more than 21,000 people in California waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. The more people who register as donors, the more lives we save together!

See the full article here, and donate your pile of rust today!

Snapshot of Donate Life California featured in Obrella article. The picture is of the Palmdale DMV celebrating Blue & Green Day on April 11, 2014.

26 Jun

By
Administrator

in
News Press Release Social Media

61 California Hospitals Recognized Nationally for Organ Donor Registration Campaigns

SAN DIEGO, Calif., June 26, 2014 – The California Hospital Association (CHA) and Donate Life California congratulate 61 California medical centers, hospitals and health systems for receiving national recognition of their efforts to increase organ donor designations. The organizations were honored as part of the 2014 Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration.

Hospitals are uniquely positioned to educate patients, visitors, members of the community, and their own staff and caregivers about the life-saving importance of becoming an organ and tissue donor. California’s four organ procurement organizations (OPOs) collaborate with hospitals to provide educational materials on organ, eye and tissue donation and host promotional events such as Donate Life flag-raising ceremonies, media opportunities, donor family events and more.

This year, each OPO enrolled its region’s hospitals in Phase III of the 2014 WPFL Hospital Campaign and tracked their Donate Life activities between June 2013 and May 2014 to accumulate points toward a gold, silver or bronze level recognition. Eight hospitals earned gold medals, 11 earned silver medals and 42 earned bronze. All 61 hospitals were recognized at the Association for Organ Procurement Organizations 2014 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md. A full list of recognized California hospitals can be found at http://organdonor.gov/howhelp/recognitionlists_6_25.pdf.

“It is absolutely incredible to see our hospitals’ increasing commitment to educating their employees and communities on the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation,” said Joan Cardellino, director, volunteer services at California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. “Last year, just one California hospital participated in the WPFL campaign. To have 61 recognized this year is a testament to the successful efforts of California hospitals to create a culture of donation.”

“We couldn’t be happier with the results of the 2014 WPFL Hospital Campaign,” said Charlene Zettel, Donate Life California CEO. “California has the largest waiting list in the country, with nearly 22,000 people in need of life-saving organ transplants. Yet, with about 35 million people in California, only one-third have registered their wishes to become organ and tissue donors. While we have 11 million on our registry, we are not keeping pace with the generous spirit for which California is known. We are confident our partnership with California’s hospitals, CHA and organ and tissue recovery organizations will save lives by inspiring more people to sign up as donors.”

Each day, 79 people in the U.S. receive life-saving organ transplants, and thousands more benefit from cornea and tissue transplants. These extraordinary gifts have been generously donated by people of all ages and backgrounds who took just a few minutes to indicate their decisions to become organ and tissue donors. However, broader awareness of the need for organ, eye and tissue donation is crucial. More than 123,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant nationwide, and each week more than 100 die because no organ is available.

CHA and Donate Life California encourage others to give the gift of life by signing up today to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

Fast Facts about organ, eye and tissue donation:

In 2013, organ donors in California saved more than 3,000 lives and improved thousands more with eye and tissue donation.
One organ donor can save as many as eight lives and improve many more through eye and tissue donation.
Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race or medical history.

About Donate Life California:

The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry. As a 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 at the time of an actual donation opportunity. The registry is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: Donor Network West (formerly CTDN), Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. For more information about Donate Life California; how organ, eye and tissue donation saves and improves lives; and to sign up, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

Please visit Donate Life California’s Stories of Hope web page to read inspiring stories about organ and tissue donors and recipients from around the state.

Contacts:
Jan Emerson-Shea, Vice President, External Affairs, CHA, 916-443-7401
Brianne Mundy, Program Manager, Donate Life California, 619-563-5137