100 Million in the U.S. Now Registered as Organ and Tissue Donors

Donation and Transplant Community celebrates long-awaited milestone

Lubbock,, Oct., 11, 2011 — A goal set by Donate Life America and the donation and transplant community in 2006 was achieved this month. One hundred million people in the United States are now reported as registered organ, eye and tissue donors through state donor registries. As the community celebrates this achievement, the need for transplants continues to rise. More than 112,000 men, women and children nationwide and nearly 11,000 Texans await a lifesaving organ transplant today.

Thousands more await needed tissue transplants to resume their normal lives. A surge in the number of donors is necessary to continue saving more lives. Texas residents are encouraged to register as donors by visiting www.donatelifetexas.org.

To date, the Glenda P. Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry has more than 2 million registered organ, eye and tissue donors. With nearly 10,000 people in the state awaiting organ transplants and the thousands more in need of corneal and tissue transplants, it is critical to continue increasing the number of registered donors. Each person that registers as a donor provides hope to the thousands of men, women and children who are in need of transplants to return them back to their lives and loved ones.

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“We thank those who have already made the generous decision to donate, providing others with the precious gift of life,” said Sam Holtzman, president and CEO of LifeGift, the local not-for-profit organ procurement organization that recovers organs and tissues for individuals needing transplants in North Texas, Southeast Texas and West Texas. “As the transplant waiting list continues to grow, more Texans need to step up and show their support for donation by registering as organ, eye and tissue donors. Organ and tissue donation saves lives … it’s just that simple.”

As this national achievement of 100 million registered donors is celebrated nationwide, LifeGift continues its work to save lives by joining Donate Life America and its network of state teams and partner organizations in their goal of adding 20 million more registered donors by the end for 2012. Increasing the number of registered donors will result in more lives saved.

The public is encouraged to join the 100 million individuals already registered as organ, eye and tissue donors by visiting www.donatelifetexas.org.

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About LifeGift

LifeGift is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization dedicated to recovering organs and tissue for individuals needing transplants in 109 Texas counties in North Texas, Southeast Texas and West Texas. For more information, go to www.lifegift.org or 1-800-633-6562.