MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPP

ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AWARENESS COMES TO STATE CAPITOL

State's three organ recovery agencies to visit Austin as legislative session draws near

WHAT: To help raise awareness of organ and tissue donation in Texas, the state's three organ procurement organizations (LifeGift, Southwest Transplant Alliance and Texas Organ Sharing Alliance) will host a registry drive for Texas House and Senate staff members. The registry drive comes as the state lawmakers prepare to head into a legislative session in January of 2011.

WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010 @ 2 p.m.

WHERE: State Capitol Building, Main Conference Room (E2-0025)

WHO: House and Senate staffers; representatives from LifeGift, Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA) and Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA); Bryan J. Rollings, a kidney transplant recipient, who is training for an Ironman

FACTS:

108,000: The number of people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in this country

10,000: The number of awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant in Texas.

19: The number of people who die every day while waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

12: The number of minutes a new name is added to the transplant waiting list.

8: The number of lives that can be saved by one organ donor.

4: The number of ways you can sign up to be an organ donor (DPS, DMV, online via www.donatelifetexas.org) or paper form by calling your local organ procurement organization.

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