Having the “D” marked on a driver’s license indicates a decision to be a donor, but if a person isn't registered, the load on their family increases. A few minutes on the Web can take the weight off the shoulders of a potential donor’s family.
(SALEM) - Donate Life Northwest, formerly known as the Oregon Donor Program, came to the state capitol Wednesday in their campaign to raise awareness about the launch of a statewide online donor registry.
Currently, nearly 1.5 million Oregonians have “D” marked on their driver’s licenses, indicating their decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.
However, consent must be given by the potential donor’s family members. Registering through the online donor registry takes the burden off family members and serves as informed consent to become a donor.
“Too often, we see a person’s wishes to be a donor not honored because family members don’t know about their choice or won’t provide their consent,” said Mary Jane Hunt, executive director of Donate Life Northwest. “As the state’s formalized consent process, the online registry is the only way to be completely sure your wish to be a donor is honored.”
The group's director, Mary Jane Hunt, met with Salem-News.com's Tim King Wednesday to bring Oregonians up to speed on how to streamline the process.
WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW BELOW
Found at donatelifenw.org, the registry allows individuals 18 years or older to specify what they wish to donate, update their information or remove themselves from the registry at any time. The registry is administered by Donate Life Northwest, but only authorized employees of the organ, eye and tissue recovery agencies can access the database. Their phone number is (800) 452-1369.
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Interview With Director of Oregon Donor Program Reveals Crucial Information (VIDEO)Salem-News.com