Disability News Service, Resources, Diversity, Americans with Disabilities Act; Local and National.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

February 14 is National Donor Day!

Valentine’s Day?? Sure, sure. But Feb. 14 also happens to be National Donor Day!

Whether you’re an organ/tissue donor, blood donor or marrow donor, this is your day!

Recognized by the U.S. Government’s blog, here’s some background info on the big day from organdonor.gov

How did National Donor Day start?

National Donor Day was started in 1998 by the Saturn Corporation and its United Auto Workers partners with the support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and many nonprofit health organizations.

Why be a donor?

o Over 100,000 people are in need of a lifesaving organ transplant.

o Approximately 35,000 children and adults in our country have life-threatening blood diseases that could be treated by a marrow/blood stem cell or cord blood transplant.

o Every two seconds someone in America needs blood, more than 39,000 units each day, according to the American Red Cross.

How Can you Help on National Donor Day?

o Visit www.ShareYourLife.org and register as an organ/tissue donor.

o Join the National Registry of potential volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors.

o Donate blood.

# For 'Donate Life America' visit: http://shareyourlife.org/

# For 'Donate Life America' Illinois visit: http://www.donatelifeillinois.org/

No comments: