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Tag Archives: Organ Donation

29 Jul

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in
Press Release

Donate Life California Responds to Recent Media Coverage: Reaffirming Our Commitment to Transparency, Trust, and Life-Saving Facts

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In light of recent articles published by The New York Times and other media outlets, Donate Life California is reaffirming its commitment to serve the people of California with clear, accurate information about organ, eye, and tissue donation.

“Donation is a deeply personal decision,” said Jim Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Donate Life California. “Our role is to ensure every individual has access to the facts they need to make that decision with confidence and trust.”

Since the publication of the July 20 article by The New York Times, Donate Life California has experienced a significant increase in public inquiries and concerns. In just a few days, more than 2,500 individuals across California have removed themselves from the state’s organ donor registry—a sobering reminder of how misinformation can influence decisions with life-or-death consequences.

“The stories as reported do not reflect the work Californians organ procurement organizations do each day to honor donors and save lives,” Martin continued. “Key facts about donation procedures and safeguards were omitted, leading to public confusion and fear.”

Currently, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving transplant. Nearly 20,000 of them reside in California. Every person who unregisters as a donor represents a missed opportunity to save or heal lives.

The articles in question highlight donation after circulatory death (DCD), a carefully regulated medical practice rooted in ethical standards and clinical rigor. DCD allows more families to carry out their loved ones’ wishes and increases the chances of saving lives. Like all forms of donation, it is based on the foundation of informed authorization and governed by strict protocols.

“We support transparency and accountability in all aspects of our work, including in response to media coverage,” said Martin. “We welcome open dialogue and are here to answer questions about how donation works and how it saves lives.”

Donate Life California encourages members of the public with questions or concerns to visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or contact the organization directly at info@donatelifecalifornia.org. For those seeking more information about DCD or the donation process in their region, a list of local Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) is available at: https://donatelifecalifornia.org/about-us/local-donation-resources.

“Organ donation is one of the most meaningful gifts a person can give,” said Martin. “As we navigate these conversations, we do so with a deep sense of responsibility to educate, advocate, and uplift the truth—because lives depend on it.”

Media Contact:

Jim Martin
CEO
Donate Life California
jim.martin@donatelifecalifornia.org
916-678-6044

27 Sep

By

in
News Press Release

Governor Newsom Signs AB 1374 to Improve DMV Organ Registration Language, Increasing Donors

New Law Strengthens California Department of Motor Vehicles and Donate Life California Partnership

SACRAMENTO, CA, September 22, 2021 – AB 1374 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Sponsored by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D-22), AB 1374 is a critical step in the effort to increase the number of registered organ donors in California. The new law creates a pathway to amend the language of the DMV donor registration, in the hopes of encouraging more Californians to say “yes” to organ, eye and tissue donation.
California has the longest transplant waiting list in the country, with more than 20,000 patients currently in need of a lifesaving organ. The partnership between the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Donate Life California is key to saving lives. Since 2005, the DMV has accounted for more than 95% of the 17.5 million registrations to the Donate Life California organ and tissue registry. Leaders from both organizations hailed the new law as an important turning point.
“We have long enjoyed our partnership with Donate Life California. Our joint efforts have saved many lives,” said Kathleen Webb, DMV Chief Deputy Director. “We look forward to more success registering organ, eye and tissue donors with this new agreement in place.”
“Since the creation of the Donate Life California registry, Californians have taken even greater strides to help save the lives of thousands,” stated Jim Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Donate Life California. “Every Californian has the power to make a difference when they sign up to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor, and we hope our simplified partnership with the DMV helps Californians to understand the importance of that decision.”
“OPOs are proud of their work with Donate Life California and the DMV to pass AB 1374 and increase organ donation,” said Tom Mone, Chair of Donate Life California’s Board of Directors and CEO of OneLegacy, Southern California’s OPO or Organ Procurement Organization. “Our work as OPOs starts with collaboration with all 334 California hospitals who refer potential donors, then by supporting families and donors who choose to leave a life-saving legacy, medically assessing and treating every donor to maximize the number of lives saved and making sure that life-saving organs get to the patients with the greatest need. This cannot happen without advocating for these patients by supporting legislation like AB 1374 and educating communities on the importance of registration, as well as investing in science that improves transplantation, all to fulfill our commitment to advance solutions that save more lives.”
Facts about donation
• In 2020, organ and tissue donors in California saved more than 4,500 lives and improved the quality of life for hundreds of thousands more.
• 18 people across the country die each day awaiting lifesaving organ transplants.
• Approximately 20,000 people in California need a lifesaving organ transplant — approximately 19% of the national transplant waiting list.
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 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, Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. For more information about Donate Life California, 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.

Contact:
Lacey Wood
Donate Life California
(530) 308-7046 (cell) | (916) 678-6006 (office)
lacey@donateLIFEcalifornia.org

30 Mar

By

in
Press Release

This April, Donate More Than Clothes at Goodwill of Orange County Stores — Donate Life

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

For additional information contact:
Nicole Morrison (Goodwill of OC) 562-773-9910
Lacey Wood (Donate Life CA) 916-678-6006
Ingrid Smart (Casanova) 949-300-296

This April, Donate More Than Clothes at Goodwill of Orange County Stores — Donate Life

Donate Life CA and Goodwill of OC Team Up for Innovative Donor Registration Initiative

Santa Ana, CA (April 2, 2021): This April for National Organ Donation Month, you can donate more than clothes and gently used items at Goodwill of Orange County stores – you can donate life. Through an innovative partnership between Donate Life CA and Goodwill of Orange County, all Goodwill shoppers and donors will be given the opportunity to register as organ, eye and tissue donors.

Historically, most people register at the DMV when they get or renew their driver’s license, but this month, they will also be able to easily register as an organ donor when they drop off donations or shop at any Goodwill store in Orange County.

Each day, 20 people in the U.S. die waiting for an organ donation, and there are more than 100,000 people currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant. More than 22,000 people, or 20% of the national waiting list, are right here in California. The program, created by local ad agency Casanova//McCann, aims to significantly increase the number of registered organ donors here in O.C.

“We are excited to be part of this initiative and to use our store and donation sites to change lives in a different way this month,” said Nicole Suydam, President and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County. “On average, we see 90,000 donors in April, so we have a unique opportunity to significantly impact the lives of so many in need.”

“California still lags behind the national average of organ donors and our goal is to close that gap,” Jim Martin, CEO, Donate Life CA said.” We are grateful to partner with Goodwill of Orange County, a respected organization that has given us access to a whole new way to register donors.”

“This is our second initiative for Donate Life CA and our first with Goodwill of Orange County, and we couldn’t be more excited about it,” said Ingrid Otero-Smart, President and CEO, Casanova//McCann. “Last time we increased registrations by 19% and it is our goal to beat that number with this initiative”.

About Goodwill of Orange County
Goodwill of Orange County helps people facing barriers find and keep jobs, which provides purpose, pride, and dignity. Since its inception in 1924, Goodwill has supported hundreds of thousands of individuals through quality training and education programs, supportive employment services for people with developmental and physical disabilities, on-site job coaching, community integration programs, veteran employment services, and more. The nonprofit operates a collection of 25 retail venues throughout Orange County, including five OC Goodwill Boutiques and its ecommerce platform shopgoodwill.com, to support these life-changing programs and services. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.

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, 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.

About Casanova//McCann:

Casanova//McCann is one of the leading Hispanic integrated communications agencies in the U.S. and the most awarded Hispanic agency in Cannes the past two years. Founded in 1984, the company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, CA, with N.Y. and Detroit offices. It handles Hispanic advertising and integrated communications services for Fortune 500 clients like Nestlé, Chevrolet, US Postal Service, Cigna, and Coca-Cola, among others. Casanova has been affiliated with Interpublic Group of Companies since 1999 and became a minority, female-owned, in October 2020. For more information about Casanova//McCann, visit www.Casanova.com.