West Virginia Website Makes Organ Donation Easy

Congratulations to West Virginia for taking a leading role in enabling individuals to register as organ and tissue donors.

From HuntingtonNews.net:

Charleston, WV (HNN) -- The West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles with the collaborative efforts of the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), Lifeline of Ohio and Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates has developed a new online website that will enable individuals to sign up as organ donors rather than visiting a DMV office in person.

The website, DonateLife.wv.gov will allow visitors to add the donor designation by entering their driver’s license/photo ID number, date of birth and the last four digits of their social security number. The entire process takes an average of less than 90 seconds, and could save and enhance more than 50 lives.

“Studies have shown that most Americans believe in the power of saving lives through organ and tissue donation,” said DMV Commissioner Joseph Cicchirillo. “It was time to make the process of registering as a designated organ donor as simple as possible, so that more lives can be saved. Currently, only 37% of West Virginians who are registered drivers are designated as organ donors. We’d like to see an increase in the number of designations. The need is great in West Virginia and donors could be helping their neighbors.”

Currently, 200 West Virginians await a life-saving organ transplant, of the total 98,656 waiting nationwide. The number of organ donors has nearly doubled since 1994, however, there is still a need for donors. Everyday 18 to 20 people die waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

CORE is a regional not-for-profit agency that is the primary call center and intermediary for the organ recovery and allocation process that serves 156 hospitals and more than six million people in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, New York. CORE has helped to pioneer organ procurement allocation and recovery for this region since it was founded in 1977 as the Pittsburgh Transplant Foundation.

In connection, West Virginia Organ Donor vehicle license plates are available. For more information on the plate and CORE, visit the DMV website or call 304-558-3900.

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

Register to be a donor in Ontario or Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network
For other Canadian provinces click here

In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov

Your generosity can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance another 50 through cornea and tissue donation