Show Your Heart: Supporters of Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation to Sweep 16th Street Mall April 19

DENVER, April 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 19, in celebration of National Donate Life Month and National Donate Life Blue and Green Day, hundreds of advocates for organ, eye and tissue donation will perform a "sweep" of the 16^th Street Mall, delivering the message that donation and transplantation saves lives and reminding Denverites to register as donors. National Donate Life Month honors the generosity of organ, eye and tissue donors and their families and commemorates all transplant recipients in the United States throughout the month of April.

During the 16^th Street Mall sweep, advocates will all be adorned in the designated blue and green Donate Life colors. Mall patrons will be asked to "show their hearts" on their driver's licenses to receive a 20% discount at the Hard Rock Café, where the celebration will begin at 11 AM and culminate at 2 PM. Anyone who joins the sweep wearing the blue and green of Donate Life will also receive the discount.

"We invite everyone to join the mall sweep during their lunch hour on April 19 for a moving display as a sea of blue and green makes its way down 16^th Street in celebration of organ, eye and tissue donation," said Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor Alliance, the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement organization serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. "Especially during National Donate Life Month, we like to remind Coloradans that there are still 2,200 people here in our area awaiting a lifesaving transplant. We encourage all residents to consider giving the gift of life by registering to be organ, eye and tissue donors."

Local residents who are not yet registered donors will have the opportunity to sign up during the sweep, or receive more information about donation and transplantation. Local radio stations KOSI 101, Alice 105.9 and 99.5 The Mountain will be hosting remote broadcasts from the Hard Rock Café during the event, and helping to spread the word about organ, eye and tissue donation on air. Participating groups have also combined to offer free giveaways throughout the event, including an iPad 2^™.

Donor Alliance will be hosting additional events around the state throughout National Donate Life Month:

• Denver: 4-7 PM April 17, 18 & 19 at the Dave & Buster's location at I-25 and Colorado Boulevard: everyone who shows the heart on their driver's license will get a free $5 Power Play Card and can register to win an iPad 2^™. Radio stations 92.5 The Wolf, KOOL 105 and Mix 100 will broadcast live on the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th, respectively.  
• Colorado Springs: 11AM-6PM at the Chapel Hills Mall: participants can enter to win a $150 Chapel Hills Mall Gift Card. Radio stations My 99.9, Y96.9 and 96.1 The Beat will broadcast live from the event.
• Ft. Collins: 10AM-2PM at The Promenade Shops at Centerra: Donor Alliance will be providing information about donation and how to register as a donor, as well as raffling off one fully loaded iPod^™ Shuffle. Radio stations K99 FM and Tri 102.5 will be broadcasting live.
• Grand Junction: 4 PM-7 PM at the Grand Junction Ale House: Donor Alliance will be on site providing information about donation and how to register as a donor, and will also raffle off one fully loaded iPod^™ Shuffle to someone that shows the heart on their driver's license or wears blue and green.

Donor Alliance would like to ask citizens to join the 67 percent of Coloradans who have registered to be organ, eye and tissue donors. For more information about organ and tissue donation, please visit DonorAlliance.org. To register to be an organ and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org or call 303-329-4747 for more information.

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 educational campaigns throughout its donation service area. For more information visit the Donor Alliance website, or the Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming Facebook pages.

SOURCE Donor Alliance