Policymaking
2008 Legislative Education Day
On April 8, 2008, nearly 120 people participated in the annual Legislative Education Day to highlight organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State. The event was sponsored by the New York Alliance for Donation, whose mission is to increase organ and tissue donation throughout the State by enhancing awareness through education, outreach and evaluation which emphasizes the needs and benefits of donation and transplantation for all people.
The group included representatives of the State's procurement organizations, other non-profit groups interested in donation and transplantation issues, volunteers, transplant recipients, living donors, and donor families. Volunteers personally visited with nearly half of New York's 211 legislators or their staff to educate them about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation and share their experiences with donation. Packets of information about donation and transplantation were distributed to all legislators which highlighted the fact that 8,800 New Yorkers are on the waiting list for an organ and that only 1.4 million New Yorkers (out of a population of 19.3 million) are enrolled in the State Donate Life organ and tissue donor registry. The packets also included information on the benefits of transplantation and facts about donation.
Legislation highlighted included: the passage of the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act; legislation to promote organ and tissue donation education in high schools; a check off on the State income tax form for funding organ and tissue donation awareness; and legislation to improve the implementation of the new consent donor registry in New York. In addition, lawmakers were encouraged to take steps to increase donation by providing a link on their websites to the Donate Life Registry, distributing press releases highlighting April as Donate Life month, and providing information about organ, eye and tissue donation in their offices.
The day was a great celebration of life and our message was very well received by those we visited. A huge thank you to all who participated and helped out to make the day a success.
