Maine Public Health: organ donation

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Organ donation

Organ donation allows for healthy organs and tissues to be taken from one person for transplantation into another. The organs from one donor can save or help as many as 50 people.

The majority of individuals who register as organ and tissue donors register their intent at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) office. The Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Advisory Council has set a goal of 55 percent Donor Designation Rate for 2016, an increase from last year’s rate of 53 percent.

Maine residents who are 16 years of age or older can help save lives by signing up on the Maine Organ Donor Registry. Registration is free and takes a few minutes. You can sign up or check your registration at http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/donatelife/

For more information about organ donation, visit http://www.organdonor.gov/

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Donate Life

April is National Donate Life Month. More than 100,000 US patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant. More than 4,000 new patients are added to the wait list each month.

Organ donation takes healthy organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another. Experts say that the organs from one donor can save or help as many as 50 people. Organs you can donate include

Kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs
Skin
Bone and bone marrow
Cornea

Most organ and tissue donations occur after the donor has died. But some organs and tissues can be donated while the donor is alive.

Maine residents who are 16 years of age or older can help save lives by signing up on the Maine Organ Donor Registry. Registration is free and takes a few minutes a couple of minutes. You can sign up or check your registration at http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/donatelife/

Maine CDC Director Dr. Sheila Pinette will join other members of the Organ Donation Advisory Council appointed by Gov. Paul LePage and Secretary of State Charles E. Summers Jr. at a ceremony to raise awareness of organ donation at 2 p.m. today at the State House.

For more information about organ donation, visit http://www.organdonor.gov/