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Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center Commits for Life in More Ways Than One
Sept. 8, 2011 – Two Houston-area nonprofits are combining forces to save and enhance lives.
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center recently pledged its support to LifeGift, the local nonprofit organ and tissue recovery agency with offices in Southeast, North and West Texas as an official Workplace Partner.
Spearheaded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Workplace Partnership for Life initiative was designed to increase donor awareness among Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, schools and other entities. As part of the program, The Blood Center will provide educational resources to its staff and encourage them to be organ and tissue donors. LifeGift is also supporting The Blood Center by Committing for Life as a blood drive group and hosting quarterly employee blood drives.
“The partnership between the two organizations makes perfect sense since we’re both in the business of saving lives,” said Brian Gannon, President and CEO of The Blood Center. “Whether it’s by donating blood or registering as an organ and tissue donor, one person can make a difference.”
LifeGift’s Workplace Partners, which include a variety of different companies and organizations, are instrumental in driving awareness of the Glenda P. Dawson Donate Life – Texas Registry, the official database of all Texans who legally authorize to being organ and tissue donors upon their deaths. While the registry continues to gain momentum, less than 10 percent of eligible Texas residents are registered organ, eye and tissue donations.
Texans residents can register as organ and tissue donors in one of three ways:
1. Through the Department of Public Safety (DPS) when renewing a driver’s license or obtaining an ID;
2. Online with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when renewing vehicle registration;
3. Electronically on the Donate Life Texas Website: www.donatelifetexas.org.
For more information about LifeGift and about the registry, visit www.lifegift.org. For more information about The Blood Center, visit www.giveblood.org.
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.
About Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is asking its donors to Commit for Life. It takes three simple steps: 1) Donate once per quarter; 2) allow The Blood Center to contact you; and 3) spread the word, encouraging others to Commit for Life. The Blood Center is the primary supplier of blood components to more than 170 hospitals and health care facilities in a 26-county Texas Gulf Coast region. Donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good general health. Individuals who are 16 years old, at least 122 pounds, in good general health and have their parents’ consent also may donate. The donation process is simple, taking only about one hour. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a nonprofit, independent blood center that is not affiliated with the American Red Cross.
