Donor registry growing It’s hard to believe that the new Organ/Tissue Donor Registry is already four years old! There are currently 5.1 million people in the new registry, which debuted in Illinois in January 2006 and made donation a legally binding agreement. Donor staff, facili- ty employees and donor advocates across the state have worked tirelessly over the past four years registering new 10 donors and re-registering donors from the previous registry at g 20 Sprin White • facilities, health fairs, community events, sporting events and Secretary of State Jesse other venues across the state. The graph below shows the impressive growth of the registry. Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry Growth Never before has donation been as important as it is now — a Celebrate National Donate Life Month in April January 1, 2006 — Registry becomes effective record 106,000 people sit in wait April is National Donate Life Month, a cel- rial ceremonies for those who have given of a lifesaving transplant nation- ebration of life and promoting the impor- the gift of life, and celebrations of donor August 2006 ally. In Illinois, 4,800 await a tance of organ/tissue donation. Education families who have made the courageous April 2007 lifesaving vital organ transplant. is critical for the public to understand decision to give the gift of life. January 2008 DONOR AWARENESS AT CHICAGO SLAUGHTER GAMES — Donor Program staff is coordinating donor registration drives at Chicago And even with more than 28,000 donation — too many people still believe December 2008 Slaughter football games this spring. The Chicago Slaughter is the premier successful transplants performed one of the many myths and misconcep- For more information on donor events in November 2009 indoor football team in the Chicago area, owned by former Chicago Bears nationally in 2009, hundreds still tions surrounding donation. your area, please visit LifeGoesOn.com, the quarterback Jim McMahon. The team has signed running back Jarrett Gift of Hope Web site at giftofhope.org, March 2010 Payton, son of the late Chicago Bears player Walter Payton. The Slaughter die waiting for that call. The Kicking off Donate Life Month in Illinois is the Donate Life Illinois Web site at plays at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. Pictured at the first impressive 5.1 million names on the Secretary of State’s new 30-second donatelifeillinois.org, or call the Secretary 0 1,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 6,000,000 Slaughter game in March are: (left to right) Donate Life Illinois volunteer Lisa Campagnolo, Donor Program regional coordinator Jean Anderson, and the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor donor public service announcement, which of State’s Organ/Tissue Donor Program at Donate Life Illinois volunteer Josie Emnace. Registry represent hope for many will run statewide on TV and radio sta- 800-210-2106. of those in need of a transplant, The most waited for organ transplant national- tions. This year’s PSA features Chicago ly is kidney — nearly 84,000 — more than 75 but it’s still not enough to meet Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and his Seven children under age 1 FACT percent of the total waiting list. In Illinois, of 13-way Kidney Swap the ever-increasing need for family’s donor story. As an infant, Tillman’s FACT are waiting for transplants in daughter, Tiana, suffered from cardiomy- Illinois. Six wait for a liver, the 4,800 people waiting for a transplant, What do you do when you need a kidney transplant but a viable organs and tissue. 3,800 are waiting for a kidney. opathy, an enlargement of the heart, and one waits for a heart. loved one who offered to donate his or her kidney is not a needed a lifesaving heart transplant. While match? You look into new programs such as paired kidney During National Donate Life waiting for a donor heart that the Tillmans donation, or “kidney swap,” being offered by more transplant Month in April, Donor Program prayed would come in time, their daughter centers. staff and countless volunteers, was kept alive with the Berlin Heart, a donor specialists, donor family device that keeps blood pumping. Tiana Donor numbers for facilities Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center members and transplant recipi- was the first child in Illinois to use it. Beginning this year, Donor Program staff will provide recently pioneered a 26-person transplant effort — 13 people Tiana is now a healthy, active toddler statistics to all Driver Services facilities across the state donating a kidney to 13 recipients waiting. In paired kidney ents will be out in communities thanks to both the Berlin heart and the as well as to regional managers and staff personnel. donation, a person willing to be a living kidney donor for a fami- across Illinois educating people donor heart that saved her life. Facilities, managers and staff will be sent two statistics ly member is not a match but might be a match for a person about donation. I encourage you sheets: one with the numbers from the start of the cur- needing a transplant in another mismatched family situation. to join the events in your com- In Chicago, a weeklong donor awareness rent program’s registry (2006) through the current The pairing allows a family member from one family to donate munity and show your support month, and the other with the numbers for that current campaign will take place at the James R. to a person needing a transplant in another family if someone for donation. By doing your part month. The statistics will include the number of people else agrees to donate to his or her family member in need. Thompson Center, and a Chicago White to support organ/tissue dona- who have said yes to donation as well as the percentage Sox autograph-signing day will be held in for each facility. According to the National Kidney Foundation and the Alliance tion, we can ensure that people late April. Donor Program staff also is Secretary of State Jesse White and Chicago Bears for Paired Donation, this type of cross-matching of living kid- young and old have an opportu- helping coordinate many local activities cornerback Charles Tillman following shooting of nity at a better life, a longer life, throughout the state such as tree planting the new donor commercial in the Bears’ locker ney donation may save an additional 3,000 lives annually. room at Soldier Field. or the only chance at life ceremonies, donor dedication days, memo- through donation. It’s easy to join the Organ/Tissue Donor Registry: • Visit www.LifeGoesOn.com (it only takes 60 seconds to register online). • Visit any Driver Services facility and say “yes” to the donor question. Jesse White • Call the Organ/Tissue Donor Program hotline at 800-210-2106. ♻ Printed on recycled paper. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois. March 2010 — 2M Secretary of State • Complete and mail the registration card on the “It’s Up To YOU” brochure. “Sing For Life” in Peoria Donor awareness efforts around the state 2010 Donor Poster On November 13, in conjunction with National Donor Sabbath, Donor (Left) Secretary of State Jesse White Contest winners Program staff coordinator Damarius Blanks and the Peoria Life Goes On was recognized at a Northern Illinois Committee organized a “Sing For Life” event at Zion Baptist Church in Secretary of State Jesse White has University basketball game in January Peoria. The program included performances by several local church choirs for his office’s donor awareness efforts. announced the winners of the 2010 and testimonials from transplant recipients, donor family members and Pictured with him are: (left to right) Joe Organ/Tissue Donor Poster Contest. More Matty of the NIU Alumni Association; those who had lost loved ones waiting for a transplant. Secretary of State than 6,500 letters and entry forms were sent Jeff Compher, NIU Associate Vice Jesse White was the featured speaker and met and exchanged donor stories Brian Bush’s grandfather, Robert Phillips to kindergarten through 12th-grade schools President and Director of Athletics; and with many after the ceremony. The event was a huge success and very NIU President Dr. John Peters. throughout Illinois last fall. The contest inspirational to those who attended. included entries from four categories: K-2nd (Below) Members of the newly formed Employee Connection grade, 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade and Macon County Life Goes On Committee According to Brian Bush, an outreach met recently to plan April Donate Life 9th-12th grade. One winner was chosen NIU Media Services/Scott Walstrom Month activities in the Decatur area. coordinator for the Donor Program, his from each category and an overall grand- grandfather was an accomplished musi- prize winner was selected. The grand-prize cian, guitarist and vocalist with a local winner was Kieran Baurer, a kindergartner southern gospel group during much of his from Pleasant Valley Elementary School in lifetime. When he died last year at age 85, Peoria. Other winners included: Robert Phillips of Galatia in Southern 3rd-5th grade: Kamryn Rutledge, Illinois was a tissue donor, able to give Pleasant Valley Elementary School-Peoria numerous people bone donations. 6th-8th grade: Morgan Hall, “One of his greatest joys in life was his Vandalia Junior High School music,” said Brian, also of Galatia. “He 9th-12th grade: Samantha Palacios, played the guitar and sang for 65 years. Oak Lawn Community High School His musical ability was one of his biggest influences on me,” added Brian, who plays Secretary of State Jesse White will award Secretary of State Jesse White with the vocal group “Generation of Destiny” from Church of (Right) Donor Program coordinator Gail the piano.