VALENTINE’S DAY IS NATIONAL DONOR AWARENESS DAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    
CONTACT: Danelle Snodgrass

February 14, 2003                                                                               Bureau of Consumer Protection
(775) 687-6300

Kevin Malone
Department of Motor Vehicles
(702) 486-1311

Nevadans Encouraged to “Give the Gift of Life” through Blood, Organ and Tissue Donation.

Carson City—Former Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa and Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons today held a news conference at the State Legislative Building in Carson City to draw attention to National Donor Awareness Day, and to proclaim the success of the specialized organ donation license plates that were first made available in Nevada last year at the same time.  So far, more than 460 Organ Donor license plates have been purchased by Nevada drivers.  Saturn dealerships across Nevada, United Blood Services of Nevada, and numerous other community organizations joined Del Papa and Gibbons in encouraging Nevada citizens to consider organ, tissue and blood donations in honor of National Donor Awareness Day.

Del Papa and Gibbons, who co-chair Nevada’s Organ and Tissue Donation Task Force, also heralded the success the task force has achieved in dramatically increasing the number of people who have agreed to become organ and tissue donors.  According to figures from The Living Bank, a national organ and tissue donor registry, 32% of Nevadans have either signed up to be an organ donor through the Department of Motor Vehicles, or completed the necessary paperwork through The Living Bank to do so.  That’s up from a mere five percent one year ago.

The Task Force is comprised of members from the transplant community, organ and tissue procurement agencies, health organizations, Nevada Legislature, DMV, and the Attorney General’s Office.  Its campaign slogan is “The Gift of Life! Pass It On.“

I would like to call on all Nevadans to please give careful thought to giving ‘The Gift of Life’ by becoming an organ, tissue or blood donor,” Del Papa said.  “The decision you make today will help save lives tomorrow. ‘National Donor Awareness Day’ is a time when family members and loved ones are encouraged to reflect and talk about their choice to become a donor.”  

Gibbons said, “National Donor Awareness Day falls on Saint Valentine’s Day as a way to call attention to the importance of being an organ donor.  By agreeing to give the ‘Gift of Life’ Nevadans can play a significant role in helping to save the lives of others through their thoughtful act of kindness.”

The specialized organ donor license plates are available at a cost of $35, plus all applicable registration and licensing fees.  The license plates are renewable for $10 each subsequent year.

Del Papa said, “These specially designed license plates will help achieve the goal of alerting more Nevada citizens to the overwhelming need for additional organ and tissue donors.  I would encourage all Nevadans to consider ordering one of these specially designed plates.”   

Gibbons said, “The more we can get the message out to the general public about the vital importance of organ and tissue donation, the more we will be able to benefit people here in Nevada and throughout the U.S. who are in desperate need of a transplant.  The license plates are another example of how people can help spread the word.”

More than 80,000 people in the United States are in need of a lifesaving organ transplant; more than 6,100 will die this year alone waiting for a suitable donor; and eleven transplant candidates die every day waiting for their second chance at life. 

When getting or renewing a driver’s license at DMV, the applicant will be asked to become an organ donor. If someone agrees, the words “ORGAN DONOR” are stamped on the person’s license.  The final critical step is signing the driver’s license and donor registry application to The Living Bank.

Assembly Bill 497, sponsored by Gibbons and passed by the 2001 Legislature, created a funding mechanism being used by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection to produce and disseminate educational materials about the critical need for more organ and tissue donors, along with empowering DMV to periodically send a list of Nevada citizens who have volunteered to be a donors to The Living Bank.

Under the provisions of A.B. 497, when a person agrees to become an organ donor, DMV will ask that person if he would like to donate $1 or more to the Anatomical Gift Account.  The money collected will be forwarded to the Bureau of Consumer Protection for the purchase and dissemination of educational literature and brochures addressing the importance of organ and tissue donation.  If enough money is donated, A.B. 497 also allows money to be used to provide financial assistance to those in need of a transplant.  Donations can also be sent directly to:

Anatomical Gift Account
Bureau of Consumer Protection
1000 E. William Street, Ste. 200
Carson City, NV 89701-4717

With the passage of A.B. 497, each interested DMV customer will be given a brochure on organ and tissue donation, along with an application to register with The Living Bank.  The application will provide an additional guarantee that an individual’s wish of becoming a donor will be carried out.  The Living Bank provides rapid access to next of kin contact information, thereby allowing a licensed organ procurement organization instant access to this critical information nationwide, 24-hours a day.

Saturn of Reno and United Blood Services of Northern Nevada will kick off campaigns to encourage Nevada residents to consider giving the “Gift of Life.”  Saturn of Reno will host a blood drive at the dealership on Saturday, February 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Saturn of Reno is located at 1000 Kietzke Lane.  Keith Myers of Saturn Reno said, “I got over my reservations about giving blood by thinking about the good a single donation can do for several people. If I can do it, anyone can.”

For a copy of the Nevada Organ and Tissue Donor Task Force Action Plan or “The Gift of Life! Pass It On,” brochure, please go to http://www.nevadadmv.state.nv.us/nvdl.htm or http://ag.state.nv.us.

For more information on becoming a donor, call the Living Bank at 1-800-528-2971, or go to www.thetransplantnetwork.com, www.nevadadonornetwork.org, or to www.livingbank.org.