DES MOINES, Iowa, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- April is National Donate Life Month. If you've made a decision to donate your organs at death (or if you feel strongly about not donating) now is a great time to ensure your intentions are honored by having the right legal documents in place.
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"For me, organ donation is the ultimate gift of life," says Ann Dieleman, Chief Marketing Officer of ARAG®, a global provider of legal solutions. When a friend of Dieleman's 11-year-old daughter died in an accident, the family chose to donate her organs to other children. "In some way, it helped them cope with the tragic loss. While they couldn't bring their daughter back, her spirit was with others and her life could still make a difference."
If you are considering donating organs or tissues after death, be sure to learn the facts and take the appropriate steps to ensure your intentions are known and followed. You can indicate that you want to be a donor in the following ways:
- Register with your state's donor registry. Check the list at OrganDonor.gov.
- Designate your choice when you get a new or renewed driver's license.
- Sign and carry a donor card. Cards are available from OrganDonor.gov.
It's also important to tell your family that you want to be a donor. Hospitals seek consent from the next of kin before removing organs, although this is usually not required if you're registered with your state's donor registry. The best way to ensure that your wishes are carried out is to put them in writing. This includes putting your wishes in your Living Will, as well as on your driver's license.
Free Guidebook Available
Living wills and other advance directives are a proactive step to indicate your intentions and are typically a component of legal plans, such as those offered by ARAG. To help create these estate planning documents and others, ARAG is offering the Estate Planning Guidebook – Building Your Legacy for free download. This guidebook will introduce you to the kinds of questions you'll need to ask as well as explain the estate planning documents available, what they do and how they work. To further safeguard your future, check with your employer about enrolling in legal insurance coverage where you work. Comprehensive legal plans provide plan members with a wide range of services that include tools to help you put documents in place, providing security and peace of mind.
About ARAG:
ARAG ® (www.ARAGgroup.com) provides affordable legal solutions through trusted service to help people protect what matters most.
ARAG is the world's largest privately owned legal solutions enterprise. The company has an international premium base of nearly $2 billion and protects 15.5 million individuals and their families – worldwide. We are committed to providing our customers a choice of legal solutions to help them live a life full of opportunities.
We demonstrate expertise, integrity and passion in everything we do to serve our customers and make a positive difference in our community. We are proud to sponsor ARAG Free Will Day, providing low and middle income citizens with free access to attorneys for the creation of important legal documents to protect their family, finances and future.
ARAG's North American headquarters are based in Des Moines, Iowa. We've earned the prestigious Center of Excellence Award for six consecutive years (2007-2012) and have been awarded a Top 100 and Top 20 Call Center (2010-2011). ARAG team members voted ARAG a Best Places to Work in Insurance (2009-2012).
For more news and information about ARAG visit ARAGgroup.com.
Media Contact
Jen Harken
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SOURCE ARAG
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