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03.27.12
Organ and Tissue Donation
Every Person in New York |
Donate Life America is a non-profit with a mission to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation. Their goal is register an additional 20 million donors in 2012. (It's too serious a subject for the expected Cheney joke, though we're tempted.)
NY Organ Donor Network, part of Donate Life's organization, is the go-to site around here, since they coordinates organ, tissue, and eye donation with local transplant centers and hospitals. Only 18% of legal-age New Yorkers are registered for donation (nationwide, it's 42%). In the NY metro region, there are 8,000 people on the transplant waiting list on any given day. One donor can save up to eight lives and improve dozens of others.
New York residents can register for donation online, though you'll still need to sign and mail a consent form.
Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration
Over 55,000 people have had their sight restored through corneal transplants made possible by donations to the Eye-Bank.
New York Firefighters Skin Bank
Part of New York Presbyterian's Burn Center, the Skin Bank helps treat burn victims – often small children, older adults and firefighters. Your age or history of disease does not generally preclude you from donating.
United Network for Organ Sharing
Among other things, UNOS matches organ donors to recipients. As of this morning, 72,779 people are active waiting list candidates in need of the right donor.
Additional Resources
For more information on organ and tissue donation, TRIO (Transplant Recipients International Organization) and The Gift of a Lifetime have helpful information for transplant candidates, recipients, donors and their families.
  
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Jason Polan started Every Person in New York in March of 2008. He plans on working on the project until it is finished. Look for Every Person in New York on Tuesdays in MUG and daily at Jason's site.
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