Colorado and Wyoming Awarded Gold Medals for Achievement in Number of People Registering to be Organ and Tissue Donors
Colorado and Wyoming were among just five states awarded with gold medals by Donate Life America in recognition of their achievements as part of the Donor Designation Collaborative (DDC), a national initiative to improve organ, eye and tissue donation rates with goals of reaching 100 million designated donors and a 50 percent donor designation rate.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) November 6, 2010
On November 3rd, Colorado and Wyoming were among just five states awarded with gold medals by Donate Life America in recognition of their achievements as part of the Donor Designation Collaborative (DDC), a national initiative to improve organ, eye and tissue donation rates with goals of reaching 100 million designated donors and a 50 percent donor designation rate.
Colorado and Wyoming reached the top tier in all five of the DDC’s mandatory categories for the period of July 2009 through June 2010 including: a 50 percent or greater donor designation rate [the rate at which individuals join the state donor registry as a percentage of licensed drivers and ID card holders]; 50 percent or more of all state residents age 18 and older registered as donors; and at least 40 percent of actual organ, eye and tissue donors authorized through state donor registries. Joining Colorado and Wyoming in receiving gold medals were Louisiana, Ohio, Utah and Washington.
Colorado achieved a donor designation rate of 64 percent; 59 percent of Colorado residents age 18 and older registered as donors and 56 percent of organ, eye and tissue donors were authorized through the Donate Life Colorado donor registry from July 2009 through June 2010.
Wyoming achieved a donor designation rate of 55 percent; 81 percent of Wyoming residents age 18 and older registered as donors and 42 percent of organ, eye and tissue donors were authorized through the Donate Life Wyoming donor registry from July 2009 through June 2010.
Awards were presented at the National Learning Congress for the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday, November 3rd. The Congress is sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance.
“I feel honored to accept these inaugural awards on behalf of Colorado and Wyoming in recognition of the work we have done as state teams to improve donor designation,” said Jennifer Moe, director of communications and public relations for Donor Alliance, the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement organization and an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. “Once again, Colorado and Wyoming residents have shown their generosity by taking action and registering as organ, tissue and eye donors, ultimately propelling their states' donor registries to the top in the nation.”
About Donor Alliance
Donor Alliance is the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement organization and an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. As a recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of transplantable organs and tissues, Donor Alliance’s mission is to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To achieve this mission, Donor Alliance employs an effective family approach and recovery programs in more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance also inspires the public to register as organ and tissue donors through community partnerships, public outreach and education campaigns throughout its donation service area. http://www. donoralliance. org
About Donate Life America
Donate Life America is a not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and state teams, serving as a national voice and inspiring all people to save and enhance lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Donate Life America was founded by the donation and transplant community in 1992 to educate the public about organ, eye and tissue donation and avoid duplication of effort. For more information, visit http://www. donatelife. net.
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