Senate approves Benton's "Donate Life Month" resolution to encourage more people to become organ donors February 28, 2008 OLYMPIA…The Senate this afternoon unanimously approved a resolution offered by Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, promoting April as “Donate Life Month” as declared by Gov.Gregoire this morning. “One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and enhance the lives of more than 50, but the sad truth is that organ donation is not common enough,” Benton told his colleagues. While public support is very high, 90 percent, for programs that provide donated organs, tissues and eyes, only about 41 percent of the people in the region are registered organ donors. “About 100,000 people are currently on the national organ donor waiting list,” Benton said. “In fact, nearly 6,500 people a year die waiting for an organ transplant – that’s almost 18 people a day. It is very sad.” Benton carries the heart symbol on his driver’s license to show he is an organ donor. “We need more people to get the heart on their license,” Benton added. “We need more people to understand the critical need for organ donors. “We know that awareness is important because a recent survey showed that more than 50 percent of the respondents hadn’t even discussed donating their organs or made sure their families knew their wishes.” During the 2007 session, Benton also sponsored a resolution to encourage more people to become organ donors. He was joined in a news conference after the vote by Vancouver resident Mike Sivley, a liver transplant recipient; Department of Health Secretary Mary Selecky, whose father’s corneas were donated to two different recipients; Shirley Harney-Taylor, a “donor mother”; and many transplant recipients and people waiting for transplants. People can join the organ donor registry online at www.livinglegacyregistry.org. They can also become an organ donor when they apply for or renew their Washington state driver’s license. - 30 - Additional Contact: Penny Drost (360) 786-7522 or drost.penny@leg.wa.gov |