The New York State Department of Health encourages New Yorkers on Valentine's Day to register as organ donors and save someone's life. National Donor Day is observed annually on February 14 to spread awareness and education about the lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation.
“What could be more selfless and loving than saving a life? How about saving eight lives? This Valentine's Day spread love and enroll as a donor in the New York State Donate Life Registry," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Just one donor can save the lives of up to eight people while tissue donors can make a meaningful difference in the lives of up to 75 people in need. We thank everyone who has enrolled and given the priceless gift of life.”
There are 7,897 people currently on the New York State transplant waiting list; 6,896 of them are waiting for a kidney. Some people wait years before getting the call that an organ is available for them, and for others that call never comes.
Tissue transplants include corneas from donated eyes, skin that can be used for cancer patients undergoing breast reconstruction surgery, skin that can save the lives of burn victims or other tissues that allow a person to walk again.
People joining the NYS Donate Life Registry give legal consent to the donation of their organs, tissues and eyes in the event of their death. People registering their consent to donation by joining the NYS Donor Registry can determine what they want to give, including specific organs and tissues, as well as identify whether their donation can be used for transplant, research or both.
By joining the registry, New Yorkers can donate organs and tissues, including:
- Organs: Heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines.
- Tissues: Eyes, corneas, skin, bone, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves, cartilage and connective tissues.
All New Yorkers age 16 and older can register to save lives by enrolling in the New York State Donate Life Registry, through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) myDMV portal, when registering to vote on paper or via the Board of Elections Online Voter Registration portal (NY Online Voter Registration), and many other ways. The organ and tissue donor database is confidential, and individuals can access their registration to make changes.
In New York, roughly 83 percent of current registrants have done so through the DMV when applying for or renewing their driver's license, learner's permit, or non-driver ID, registering a vehicle, or via the myDMV website.
Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “DMV takes pride in being the number-one way people register to be an organ donor, and we have worked diligently to increase those numbers. We are especially glad to say that last year we reached a significant milestone where most eligible New Yorkers joined the registry. We are still committed to increasing those numbers further because we know New Yorkers have a heart and want to help others with the precious gift of life.”
Governor Kathy Hochul announced last October that for the first time, more than 50 percent of the eligible New York population has registered to become organ and tissue donors through New York's Organ Donor Registry.
DMV also offers a "Donate Life" custom license plate to raise awareness and support critical research. When a consumer orders the plate, $20 of the annual fee is directed to the "Life Pass It On Trust Fund," which is used for organ donation and transplant research and educational programs promoting organ and tissue donation. Plates can be ordered on the DMV website at https://dmv.ny.gov/plates/life-pass-it.
Additional ways to enroll include:
- When applying for health insurance through the New York State of Health Official Health Plan Marketplace.
- When applying for a license to hunt or fish through the Department of Environmental Conservation.
- When completing a paper enrollment form at donatelife.ny.gov or registry enrollment events held statewide.
Frequently asked questions about organ donation and the registry can be found here.