SAN DIEGO, Calif., Nov. 22, 2013 – President Barack Obama has signed the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, giving the Organ Procurement Transplant Network (OPTN) the green light to begin researching the impact of HIV-positive organ transplantation in cases where the donor and the recipient are both HIV-positive. If it is determined that such positive-to-positive transplantations do not impact the overall safety of the organ transplantation network, OPTN can permit such transplants. By doing so, the HOPE Act has the potential to save 1,000 HIV-infected transplant patients each year, as well as shortening the list for uninfected people awaiting transplants.*

“Donate Life California welcomes this effort to make more organs safely available for transplant,” said Donate Life California CEO Charlene Zettel. “With more than 120,000 Americans on the organ transplant waiting list, any opportunity to improve the organ donation and transplant process is necessary. The HOPE Act is a step in the right direction, and we thank President Obama for his support.”

Two California Congresswomen, Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Lois Capps, introduced the HOPE Act in their respective houses on February 14, 2013. Along with other members of Congress, they worked in a bipartisan effort to pass the legislation.

*Source: The Human Rights Campaign, and the American Transplant Society

About Donate Life California:
The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry, which records the decision to donate in a confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: 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.

For more information about the Donate Life California Registry, how donation saves and improves lives, and to sign up, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

Fast Facts from Donate Life California:
– One in five on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list lives in California.
– Last year, nearly 1,100 people died in our state waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
– All major religions support or permit organ, eye and tissue donation.
– Anyone can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor regardless of age, ethnicity or medical history.

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.

# # #

Brianne Mundy
Program Manager
Donate Life California
619-940-7084
brianne@donateLIFEcalifornia.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.

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 20, 2013 – When Oakland residents sign up for a new Oakland City ID Prepaid MasterCard®, they can also register to be organ, eye and tissue donors and proudly display the pink donor dot, which already appears on state-issued driver licenses and IDs across the state.

More than 10.5 million Californians have said “YES!” to organ, eye and tissue donation either by registering at the Department of Motor Vehicles, or by signing up at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org. But, that’s only one-third of California’s eligible population. Now in Oakland, more Californians, especially lower-income and immigrant populations, have access to the organ and tissue donor registry and can say “YES!” to saving lives when they sign up for an Oakland City ID Prepaid MasterCard®.

“Our state’s underrepresented communities are disproportionately affected by diseases that lead to the need for organ transplantation,” said Charlene Zettel, CEO of Donate Life California. “Of the more than 21,000 Californians waiting for life-saving organ transplants, 15,000 are ethnically and racially diverse. We ask that you register as organ, eye and tissue donors and proudly display the pink dot on your City of Oakland ID Prepaid MasterCard®. This single act gives hope to the thousands who wait for the gift of life.”

Oakland is the first city in the country to offer municipal ID cards with optional prepaid debit card features AND the option of registering to give the gift of life through organ, eye and tissue donation.

About Donate Life California:
The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry, which records the decision to donate in a confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: 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.

For more information about the Donate Life California Registry, how donation saves and improves lives, and to sign up, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

Fast Facts from Donate Life California:
– One in five on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list lives in California.
– Last year, nearly 1,100 people died in our state waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
– All major religions support or permit organ, eye and tissue donation.
– Anyone can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor regardless of age, ethnicity or medical history.

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.

Help save lives by spreading the word about organ, eye and tissue donation by reserving a Pink Dot Plate today! Go to www.PinkDotPlate.org for details.

Contact:
Brianne Mundy
Program Manager
Donate Life California
619-940-7084
brianne@donateLIFEcalifornia.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.

Register as an Organ, Eye & Tissue Donor

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Nov. 14, 2013 – Join Donate Life California in celebrating National Donor Sabbath this November 15-17, a time for people of all faiths to honor those who have given the life-saving gift of organ, eye and tissue donation. Every year during this special time, donation and transplant organizations work closely with communities of faith to bring the life-saving message of donation to congregations across the country.

Faith plays a significant role in the decision to register as a donor.  All major religions support organ, eye and tissue donation, and believe it to be a final act of kindness and generosity. To read the views of specific theological groups, read our Religious Views on Organ Donation page.

“While religions differ in many ways, one of the common points is positive, inspiring messaging. Messaging that provides hope,” says Charlene Zettel, CEO of Donate Life California “By registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, you can provide hope to the more than 120,000 men, women and children across the United States currently awaiting organ transplants and the hundreds of thousands more in need of cornea and tissue transplants.”

Make a statement of hope and faith today and register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. People of all faiths and denominations are encouraged to register as donors by visiting www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

About Donate Life California:

The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry, which records the decision to donate in a confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: 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.

For more information about the Donate Life California Registry, how donation saves and improves lives, and to sign up, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

Fast Facts from Donate Life California:

– One in five on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list lives in California.
– Last year, nearly 1,100 people died in our state waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
– All major religions support or permit organ, eye and tissue donation.
– Anyone can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor regardless of age, ethnicity or medical history.

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.

Contact:
Brianne Mundy
Donate Life California
619-940-7084
brianne@donateLIFEcalifornia.org

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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.