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http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial-page/buffalo-news-editorials/article440001.ece

The state of Vermont is in critical need for organ and tissue donors. There are fewer than 1,500 registrants signed up, out of a state population of over 620,000, ranking Vermont 50th in the nation for total number of registered organ donors. So please share this info with your networks to help spread the word about the importance of signing up online.

To register to become and organ and tissue donor in Vermont, please visit www.DonateLifeVT.org

In an effort to increase organ donor registrants in the state of Vermont, Donate Life Vermont is offering exclusive Black Friday discounts at local Vermont businesses to all existing and new organ donor registrants.  This “Thanks4Giving” campaign launched last week and coincides with the launch of Vermont’s new online organ donor registry.

Some of the participating businesses offering discounts exclusive to organ donor registrants include Carved Solutions, Independent Vermont Clothing, Christmas Lights DVD, and Pico Sports Center.  Organ Donor Registrants can learn more about gaining access to these deals by visiting www.DonateLifeVT.org for more information. Those that wish to join the registry can also register at www.DonateLifeVt.org

More than 108,000 people in the United States are awaiting a life-saving organ for transplant with 14 more people being added to that list every day.  Every week, over 100 people die due to the lack of available organs. In the state of Vermont there are only 289 people signed on as a volunteer organ donor registrant, which is less than .001% of the total population in Vermont. Donate Life Vermont hopes that this initiative will bring awareness to this important cause.

“More than ever, there is an urgent need for organ donors in the state of Vermont” stated Jeffrey Orlowski, chief executive officer for CDT. “With the new online donor registry, Vermonters can quickly and easily make the decision to save lives through donation. We hope that the added incentive provided by local Vermont businesses will help bring awareness to this important cause.”

The Donate Life online registry is a confidential database of individuals who have made the decision to donate their organs and/or tissues to those that are in need at the time of their death. Each organ and tissue donor has the potential to save or enhance the lives of over 50 people. Vermont residents can join the Donate Life Vermont Donor Registry at www.DonateLifeVermont.org .

About Donate Life Vermont:

Donate Life Vermont is a social initiative sponsored by The Center for Donation & Transplant to increase the number of organ donor registrants in the state of Vermont.  Its mission is to bring awareness and education to the Vermont communities about the importance and need for organ donors while providing the tools to take action. Donate Life Vermont is proud to announce the launch of its community- oriented web site, www.DonateLifeVermont.org to encourage Vermont residents to join the organ donor registrant list and motivate their networks to do the same.   For more information, please contact Donate Life Vermont at 1-866-637-9112 or visit www.DonateLifeVermont.org.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition,” stated Jeffrey Orlowski, chief executive officer of CDT. “It is a testament to the incredible generosity of the families who chose to donate life.  With an average of 17 people who die every day due to the shortage of donors, we must do everything we can to maximize the number of organs available for transplant. ”

At a special ceremony at the National Learning Congress, CDT received the HHS “Gold Level Award,” an award given to select organizations which have succeeded in increasing the amount of organs available for transplant by meeting or exceeding three critical goals set by HHS: 

• Increasing the percentage of eligible (potential) donors that become actual organ donors
• Increasing the average number of organs recovered per organ donor
• Increasing the percentage of organs recovered after cardiac death

 Only 14 percent of organ donation organizations were recognized with the Gold Level Award which measured benchmarks over a period of 18 months, requiring a sustained level of excellent performance. During that timeframe a total of 183 organs were transplanted due to CDT’s efforts.

There are currently over 109,000 patients on the waiting list for a transplant. The Center for Donation and Transplant is one of 58 federally designated organ procurement organizations in the United States. The center coordinates the retrieval of donor organs and tissues at 43 hospitals throughout northeastern New York and western Vermont.

To become an organ donor, New Yorkers can enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry by visiting www.donatelifecdt.com or by requesting a donor card by calling CDT at 1-800-256-7811.

According to Jeffrey P. Orlowski, CEO of the Center for Donation & Transplant  “The new law allowing the electronic signature to be used for registering on the NY State registry is a very important step forward.  National data has consistently shown that those states which have web accessible registries with a single-step registration process are by far the most successful in terms of enrolling potential donors.  In a number of those states more than 50% of adults have registered, while in NY currently only about 11% of adults are registered as organ or tissue donors.   Our registry has lagged behind in terms of participation and I am confident that this is a key step in helping NY State’s Donate Life registry grow and succeed in meeting the needs of nearly 10,000 New Yorkers who await life-saving organ transplants.”