South Carolina Donor Registry Goes Online January 14th

It's encouraging to see that more and more jurisdictions around the world are setting up online organ donor registries and South Carolina is to be congratulated for taking this initiative to make it easy for people to register their legal consent to be donors via the internet.

Ceremony to officially launch S.C. Donor Registry online is January 14

By NICOLE BOONE
WBTW News13 Anchor

"The registry will aid in making matches for transplantable organs and tissue, and, ultimately will help reduce the number of people waiting on organ and tissue transplants..."

Legislators will be among the first 11 people to register online as organ/tissue donors at the official launch of the new South Carolina Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.

The launch will take place during a Jan. 14, 2009 ceremony in Columbia. The ceremony will include adding another person to the South Carolina organ transplant waiting list every 11 minutes. The name willl be added to a “living billboard” across the street from the Clarion Hotel-Downtown in Columbia.

This will kick off a statewide awareness campaign about the new SC Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. Beginning at 9:15 a.m. the new, secure S.C. Organ & Tissue Donor Registry Web site will be launched, providing individuals with the opportunity to register their legal consent to be donors via the Internet.

Representatives say the need for organ and tissue donors is tremendous. There are approximately 750 people currently on the South Carolina transplant waiting list.

Until now, there has not been a list or a registry in South Carolina for those who want to register to be donors. Historically, signing a donor card and getting the red heart on one’s driver’s license/ID served as an important symbol of intent to be a donor.

However, neither action actually placed the individual’s name on a list or registry. A person’s next of kin or legal guardian made the final decision about donation at the time of death.

By registering to be an organ/tissue donor in the South Carolina Organ and Tissue Donor Registry, consent is no longer required from any other person unless the donor is under the age of 18. For minors under the age of 18, the parent or legal guardian will also be required to consent at the time of donation.

“We are very pleased that South Carolina now joins the majority of other states that have donor registries. DLSC is proud to provide a newly-created secure way for individuals to register their desire to be organ and tissue donors in order to save and improve lives,” says Tracy Rachele. The registry will aid in making matches for transplantable organs and tissue, and, ultimately will help reduce the number of people waiting on organ and tissue transplants in S.C.

Nancy A. Kay, adds, “I believe that over time, the registry will be a meaningful resource allowing us to honor the donor’s wishes and giving potential donor families the knowledge of their loved one’s desire to become a donor.”

DLSC and LifePoint are working together on this project. For more information visit http://www.donatelifesc.org or http://www.lifepoint-sc.org.

“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

In Great Britain, register at NHS Organ Donor Register

In Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register

Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants. One tissue donor can help up to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves