More than 50 percent of the eligible New York population has registered to become organ and tissue donors through New York’s Organ Donor Registry. This milestone is particularly significant for New York, which has historically had one of the lowest organ donor registry enrollment rates in the country, leaving thousands of New Yorkers waiting for a life-changing transplant, with about 400 New Yorkers losing their lives each year due to a shortage of donors. The State was at just 22 percent a decade ago.
“This is a very important milestone for New York and the thousands of New Yorkers who are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant,” Governor Hochul said. “It is the result of dogged efforts by advocates and my colleagues at the Departments of Motor Vehicles and Health to raise awareness about the never-ending need for organ and tissue donors. Making that decision to provide the gift of life to someone else is a great example of the giving spirit of New Yorkers.”
Nearly 8,000 New Yorkers are currently on the waitlist for a life-changing organ. A single donor can save up to eight lives and heal 75 more through organ and tissue donation.
New Yorkers can register to become organ donors on the Donate Life New York State website.
Executive Director of Donate Life New York State Aisha Tator said, “When I joined Donate Life New York State more than a decade ago, achieving the mark of a majority of New Yorkers registered as organ and tissue donors was an ambitious goal, but thanks to our efforts alongside our partners — including years of work with DMV and DOH — today we are proud to celebrate this major milestone. The growth of the Donate Life Registry helped save the lives of about 3,000 New Yorkers last year. These are parents, children, and community members who now lead happier and healthier lives. With 8,000 New Yorkers still waiting for a life-changing organ, our work is far from finished, and Donate Life New York State will continue building a culture of donation to improve the lives of the thousands of New Yorkers in need.”
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