fbpx

Gift of Life Michigan calls for action as Michigan Organ Donor Registry grows at the slowest pace since its founding

Senator Kevin Daly stands at a podium in front of a Check Your Heart banner on the Michigan Capitol steps

About 2,400 patients are waiting in Michigan this month for a life-saving organ transplant. The best way to save their lives is to grow the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. More than 90% of all registrations come from the Michigan Department of State (MDOS) asking the donor registration question when IDs and driver’s licenses are renewed. We thank MDOS for its years of commitment and support, but office visit changes due to COVID and the shift to fewer and more online transactions have had an unintended negative consequence on the Donor Registry. It’s now growing at its slowest pace since its inception in 1994.

Our part of the solution:

· Check Your Heart graphic showing driver's license with red heart organ donor symbolRegistration drive: Gift of Life Michigan is investing in the biggest donor registration drive in its 51-year history. Check Your Heart is a statewide marketing campaign, education program, and community outreach effort.

· Expanded partnerships: Community organizations and businesses have committed to including the donor registration question to their employees. If your company is interested in being a workplace partner, visit GOLM.org/partners.

· Education: Gift of Life is looking to expand education outreach efforts regarding organ, eye and tissue donation to students in every Michigan high school through our award-winning All of Us program.

We need help from Michigan legislators to support these life-saving initiatives:

· Michigan Organ Donor Registry Database: Funding to improve how the Donor Registry receives data, making it easier for residents to sign up online.

· Patient Access to Donor Registry Information bill: This bill will help family doctors and urgent care centers educate patients and their families about organ, tissue and bone marrow donation.

· Proposal for organ donor education in high schools: Gift of Life is seeking to add organ and tissue donation instruction to the health and/or science curriculum in public high schools in Michigan. Indiana, Ohio and Illinois already include organ and tissue donation education in high school health and/or science curriculums. Three women showing an anatomical display with plastic organs and handout materials

· Other proposals supported by Gift of Life:

· Tax credit to offset costs for organ donors.

· Adding the Donor Registry question and registration information to the Michigan Income Tax form.

 

Read more in the Gift of LifeLINES newsletter

Read More Posts
Sara Schmidt, who became an organ donor, hugs her mother, Donna Ternes

Michigan woman pens book about daughter, organ donation

“But God” chronicles difficult life that led to a decision to save others Sara Schmidt’s…

Read More
Female doctor holding open chart looking at the camera

Donor Registry Awareness Bill introduced in Michigan

House Bill 4060 would increase awareness, provide education on organ and tissue donation State Reps….

Read More
Vickie Figeroa stands in front of several pews and stained glass windows

Heart recipient adopts second mission: Advocating for organ, tissue donation

“I always tell people to sign up,” Grosse Pointe Woods woman says Vickie Figueroa makes…

Read More
Two Black men at an information table sharing facts about organ donation

Don’t Let Misinformation About Organ Donation Affect Your Decisions

Don’t let misinformation about organ and tissue donation affect your decision to sign up as…

Read More
Blue, white and green infographic showing 2022: A Record Year with 463 organ donors and 1,821 tissue donors

Gift of Life Michigan sets record for organ, tissue donors in 2022

Gift of Life Michigan helped a record 463 people become organ donors and 1,821 give…

Read More
Portrait of Krishna and Pamela Sawhney

Bloomfield Hills couple pledges $125,000 to Gift of Life Michigan

Donation will support award-winning youth education program Pamela and Krishna Sawhney of Bloomfield Hills have…

Read More
Scroll to Top