More people donating organs in Illinois
Program participation up 20 percent since law enacted
"Illinois’ first-person consent law provides that a person’s decision to donate his or her organs is legally binding. Previously, no matter what the deceased person had intended, the donation decision was up to the person’s family, and many bereaved survivors didn’t follow through on donation pledges"
Lowry joined more than three million other state residents who signed up for the first-person donor registry. Since it became law in 2006, the registry has increased organ and tissue donation by 20 percent. Now Illinois has the largest donor registry in the United States. Almost 6 million people have registered in either the first-person consent donor registry or its predecessor.
Lowry’s mother, Carolyn Mathewson, said that her son’s decision comforts her.
“It’s actually the only thing that helps me get through this because my son didn’t die for nothing. In his death, there was so much positive that happened,” Mathewson said. “When I get really sad, I realize that on the other side of this story, there is a mother somewhere who is extremely happy.”
Illinois’ first-person consent law provides that a person’s decision to donate his or her organs is legally binding. Previously, no matter what the deceased person had intended, the donation decision was up to the person’s family, and many bereaved survivors didn’t follow through on donation pledges. Read the full story.
“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
Your generosity can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance another 50 through tissue donation
1 comment:
Thanks for calling attention to the efforts in Illinois Merv!
-Scott
www.DonateLifeIllinois.org
Post a Comment