http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/missouri-encourages-more-people-sign-organ-donor-registry_12016.mp3
April is National Donate Life Month. Health officials are encouraging more Missourians to sign up for the organ donor registry. KSMU’s Xiaowen Tan reports.
Jessica Rathert is a spokeswoman for the Mid-America Transplant Services. She said right now there are over 110,000 people waiting for an organ donation across the country. And in Missouri alone there are 1,600 people waiting for life saving transplants.“People die every day waiting, and unfortunately names are also added every day. So the need is great and more people need to understand that it’s a gift and it’s something doesn’t occur until after you’ve passed on”, she said.Rathert said there’s a misunderstanding about being an organ donor. She said that many people think if they are organ donors, emergency paramedics from the hospital wouldn’t save them if an accident happened. She said the good thing about registering now is that each person can make his or her own decision about being an organ donor instead of having the family make that difficult decision when they pass away.Missourians can sign up for the organ donor registry online at Missouriorgandonor.com or Donatelifemissouri.com. They can also sign up when they go to renew their licenses at a local driver’s license office. For KSMU news, I’m Xiaowen Tan.