Blog Catalog Organ Donation Awareness Campaign is a worldwide effort to raise organ donation awareness

Today, July 18, 2007 bloggers from around the world are joining in a massive effort to raise organ donation awareness and encourage people to sign donor cards and/or register as a donor with their local government agency.

Organ donation is a gift of life. So today let's all come together and raise awareness about organ donation and the good it can do. If everyone blogs about organ donation, no matter what country you live in, we can save lives! It's easy and we can also prove that bloggers can do good at the same time!

Even if you are not a blogger, you can join the effort by e-mailing your contacts and include the links to obtain donor cards or to register as a donor.

For more information about the campaign and to see the response please go to Blog Catalog Organ Donor Awareness Campaign.

Here are some facts about organ donation in Ontario, Canada where I live:

• Every 3 days someone dies waiting for an organ transplant


• One organ donor can save up to 8 lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 others through tissue donation


• Everyone is a potential organ and tissue donor, regardless of his/her age. To date, the oldest Canadian organ donor was over 90 years of age while the oldest tissue donor was 102 years old


• Even an individual with serious illness can sometimes be an organ or tissue donor


• There are no costs associated with organ or tissue donation


• The organs and tissue that can be donated include: heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, small bowel, stomach, corneas, heart valves, bone and skin


• Most major religions support organ and tissue donation


• Organ and tissue donation does not affect funeral services and you can still have an open casket


• Even if you have signed your organ donation card you need to speak to your family about your wishes

For more information on organ and tissue donation and to register or obtain donor cards in your area please go to the following links:

United States
OrganDonor.Gov
Obtain donor cards and/or register to be a donor in your state (most, but not all, states have registries).
I am. Are You? Illinois Donate Life's blog. Illinois has gone digital in an attempt to register 3.5 million people in the state's new first-person consent registry by April, 2008. (Donate Life America's goal is to register 40,000,000 Americans by that date).

United Kingdom, Europe & International
UK Transplant
This site also has links to European and International organizations.
Live Life Then Give Life Campaign

Canada
Trillium Gift of Life Network (Ontario)
Links to Canadian National and Provincial organizations

“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Sign Your Donor Card & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”

Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network

Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov