Donate Life New York State Partners with Governor Cuomo and New York State to Introduce Easy-To-Use Organ and Tissue Donor Registry

ALBANY, N.Y., Oct. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Donate Life New York State (DLNYS), formerly New York Alliance for Donation, in partnership with Governor Cuomo and the State of New York, today unveiled a new, easy-to-use organ and tissue donor registry. The new registry, located at www.donatelife.ny.gov, establishes a simple and fast organ and tissue donor registration process, which will improve participation rates statewide, a primary factor in the number of lives that can be saved and improved. 

For years, New York State has languished far behind other states in terms of enrollment in their organ and tissue donor registry. Thanks to DLNYS, Governor Cuomo and the launch of the new and improved New York State Donate Life Registry, New Yorkers can now simply go to www.donatelife.ny.gov and register to be organ, tissue and eye donors in a matter of minutes. The new registry brings New York State in-line with the rest of the nation in providing a dedicated website, which will reduce the number of people waiting for lifesaving transplants.

"We thank Governor Cuomo, our state legislators, and the Department of Health for their leadership and commitment to making a difference in the lives of thousands of New Yorkers who are awaiting a lifesaving organ, tissue and eye transplant," said Aisha Tator, Executive Director of Donate Life New York State.  "We are grateful that our team was able to play a key role in building and launching this important registry for the State of New York." 

DLNYS was selected by the State of New York to transform and champion the New York State Donate Life Registry in 2014. Along with its member organizations, who represent all New York State organ procurement organizations and state-licensed tissue and eye banks, this registry will be an effective lifesaving tool that successfully facilitates transplantation for New Yorkers in need. The New York State Donate Life Registry is the culmination of the organization's partnership with Governor Cuomo and the State.

Mike Thibault, Executive Director of the Albany-based Center for Donation and Transplant and DLNYS Board Chair, said, "The launch of the new New York State Donate Life Registry represents a strong partnership among our member organizations, state and legislative champions and community leaders taking needed action to increase the number of NY State residents enrolled in the registry.  This critical program simplifies the registration process and allows for more New Yorkers to make known their desire to help others by being an organ, eye and tissue donor.  As a result, more patients will receive the life-saving or life-enhancing transplant they need."

The organ and tissue donation community, legislators, donor families and recipients will formally celebrate the launch at a November 14 event at Facebook Headquarters in New York City.

Important organ and tissue donor stats to consider:

• Only 28 percent of people in New York are registered to donate organs, compared with more than 54 percent nationally.
• Every 17 hours, a New Yorker dies waiting for a life-saving transplant.
• One organ donor can save up to eight lives, while tissue donated by one person can positively impact the lives of more than 75 people.
• On average, 22 people die each day in the United States from causes that could have been treated with a donated organ.

About Donate Life New York State:
Donate Life New York State (DLNYS), formerly the New York Alliance for Donation, is a not-for-profit with a mission to increase organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State through collaborative advocacy, education, promotion, and research. Its goal is to ensure a transplant for every New Yorker in need. DLNYS is comprised of the four organ procurement organizations, three eye and tissue banks and/or processors, and affiliates, including dedicated donation and transplantation professionals. 

Additional Quotes from Donate Life New York State Members

"92% of New Yorkers support organ donation, but just 30% are registered.  Giving New Yorkers a simpler, easier way to sign-up will lead to many more registered organ donors, which will lead to many more lives saved through organ donation," said Helen Irving, Executive Director, LiveOnNY, New York, NY.  "So, at LiveOnNY, we celebrate the launch of this state-of-the-art registry.  And, we thank the numerous organizations, community leaders, cause volunteers, and elected officials who joined together with NYAD and LiveOnNY over many years to bring this important, and ultimately lifesaving tool to fruition."  

"The Donate Life New York State Registry is an important step in allowing New York residents to easily register their desire to save and heal lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.  New York lags far behind every other state in the country for donor registrations, and we are confident the new DLNYS registry will help us turn that situation around," said Martha Anderson, Executive VP of MTF Biologics, which operates tissue donation agencies in Albany, Syracuse and Rochester.

"We are pleased the new New York State Donate Life Registry is now operational and the process to enroll made easier," said Victoria Adler, RN, BSN, CPTC, CEBT, executive director, Lions Eye Bank at Albany / Rochester.  "We are optimistic the launch of the new registry will help to increase the number of people enrolling as eye, organ and tissue donors – as a result, more lives healed and saved every year."

Mark Simon, President & CEO of Unyts in western New York, said, "The launch of the new online registry marks a great day for New York State and a great day for the healthcare industry. We at Unyts have high hopes that this new channel for enrollment will help in encouraging people to say "yes" to donation, and will boost the number of organs available to the over 116,000 people currently waiting."

"The Eye-Bank of New York encourages New Yorkers to use their smartphones to sign up to become donors in the NYS Donate Life Registry.  We now have the power to change lives right in the palm of our hands," says Patricia Dahl, Executive Director of The Eye-Bank in New York, NY.

Mike Thibault, Executive Director of the Albany-based Center for Donation and Transplant and DLNYS Board Chair, said, "The launch of the new Donate Life New York Registry represents a strong partnership among our member organizations, state and legislative champions and community leaders taking needed action to increase the number of NY State residents enrolled in the registry.  This critical program simplifies the registration process and allows for more New Yorkers to make known their desire to help others by being an organ, eye and tissue donor.  As a result, more patients will receive the life-saving or life-enhancing transplant they need."

Rob Kochik, Executive Director of Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network, said, "The new registry makes it easier for every New Yorker to document their wish to give the Gift of Life. By taking a few minutes to enter our personal information, we can save up to eight lives!"

SOURCE Donate Life New York State

Related Links

http://www.donatelife.ny.gov