15th annual event inspires creative ways to motivate peers to donate life
ANN ARBOR, MI, January 17, 2018 — Students at 13 Michigan colleges and universities are showing their school spirit by participating in a life-saving competition – and they likely will never know the people they save.
The schools are participating in the 15th annual Gift of Life Michigan Campus Challenge, an organ and tissue donor drive competition. Each campus is signing up people to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry through February 20, 2018. The contest kicked off today. Students, professors, alumni and local community members can sign up on the Donor Registry in honor of their favorite school, scoring a point for that school.
Participating schools will encourage students, alumni and other supporters to sign up through social media, poster displays, at tables in student unions and at athletic events. Scores are shown in real time on Gift of Life Michigan’s website. At the end of the five-week competition, awards will be presented to the school with the most donor registrations and to the school with the most registrations compared to student population.
A new twist in the competition this year is the opportunity for each school to “Take Over” Gift of Life Michigan’s Instagram profile for a day, showcasing what their students are doing to promote the Donor Registry through photos, stories and videos.
“Michigan students continue to shine as compassionate, generous people who are saving and healing lives,” said Dorrie Dils, CEO of Gift of Life Michigan. “The energy and enthusiasm of these students is inspiring, and it will ensure another successful Campus Challenge. Signing up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry is an easy, quick way to give hope to the 3,500 residents of our state waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and tens of thousands more who need cornea and tissue transplants to improve the quality of their lives.” Dils added.
To sign up visit GiftOfLifeMichigan.org/CampusChallenge, and select your favorite school’s name from the drop-down menu provided.
The Gift of Life Campus Challenge is one of the most successful organ donation college outreach programs in the nation, and has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for its exceptional results. Since its inception in 2004, the competition has inspired nearly 40,000 people to join the state’s Donor Registry.
Gift of Life Michigan is the state’s federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization, which acts as intermediary between donors, their families, hospital staff and transplant centers. Gift of Life Michigan, in collaboration with Eversight Michigan, provides all services necessary for organ, tissue and eye donation.
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· A full list of participating colleges and universities, and their current scores in the Campus Challenge, is available at giftoflifemichigan.org/campus-challenge.
· Student leaders on each campus are available for interviews. Please contact Jennifer Tislerics at Gift of Life Michigan, jtislerics@giftoflifemichigan.org or 734-922-1048.
