Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday April 6th at 11:30 am, Governor Phil School will join individuals personally touched by organ donation, VT DMV Commissioner Rob Ide, Members of the VT Organ and Tissue Donation Advisory Council, and Donate Life Vermont to announce April as Donate Life Month in Vermont, encouraging citizens to register as organ and tissue donors.
What: April as Donate Life Month in Vermont
When: This Thursday April 6th at 11:30 AM
Who: Governor Phil Scott
DMV Commissioner Rob Ide and DMV staff
Vermont Department of Health
Vermont Organ and Tissue Donation Advisory Council
Trisha Kurtzhalz – organ transplant recipient
Matt Villimare – Donate Life VT Ambassador
Wendy Magnaghi – husband received a heart transplant and donor family
Donate Life Vermont
Where: Vermont State House - Governor’s Ceremonial Chambers
For the first time Vermont has reached 10 months in a row of monthly organ and tissue donation registrations rates of over 50%. The vast majority of individuals in VT (95%) register to be an organ and tissue donor at the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
In 2016, over 1033 lives were saved here in New England because of the generosity of individuals who became organ donors. Thousands more lives were enhanced through the gift of tissue donation. With the need for life-saving transplants growing every day - over 118,500 patients are now on the US transplant wait list - it is crucial to educate our communities about taking action to register as donors. The celebration commemorates those who have received or continue to wait for lifesaving transplants as well as the families of individuals who chose to be donors.
There are now 110 million registered donors in the United States; still, the number of people in need of transplants continues to rise. The solution to this problem is to continue educating the public about the lifesaving effects of donation and transplantation and encouraging them to sign up through their state donor registry.
National Donate Life Month is an opportunity to continue our education efforts, celebrate the lives saved and enhanced through donation and honor the donors who made the ultimate gift.
To register to be a donor or for more information visit www.DonateLifeVT.org