DMV in Orleans promotes organ and tissue donations during Donate Life Month

Posted 18 April 2022 at 10:09 am

Provided photo: The Donate Life is flying at Orleans County Office Building in Albion.

Press Release, County Clerk Nadine Hanlon

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Motor Vehicles is teaming up with Donate Life NYS in observance of National Donate Life Month, celebrating the lifesaving impact made by organ, eye and tissue donors.

Donate Life NYS is the statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State through collaborative advocacy, education, research and promotion. The theme of 2022’s Donate Life Month, “Bee a Donor,” was inspired by the vital role bees play in sustaining life.

“The Orleans County DMV is proud to provide visitors with the opportunity to ‘bee’ a donor by enrolling in the New York State Donate Life Registry when conducting a license, permit or non-driver ID transaction. Our office will continue to raise awareness of the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State,” said Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon.

While more than 3,000 lifesaving organ transplants were performed in state last year, nearly 8,500 New Yorkers remain on the national organ transplant waitlist. In 2021, 465 patients awaiting an organ transplant in New York State died because the organ needed to save their lives was not donated in time.

“DMVs throughout the state have already helped nearly six million New Yorkers enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry. By providing the opportunity for the public to enroll in the NYS Donate Life Registry, they are the key to saving and healing the lives of the thousands of New Yorkers in need of a transplant,” explained Aisha Tator, Executive Director of Donate Life NYS.

Donate Life NYS operates the New York State Donate Life Registry, an electronic database that documents a person’s consent to be an organ, eye and tissue donor upon their death, under contract with the State of New York. New Yorkers age 16 or older who haven’t already enrolled have several opportunities to do so:

  1. Check “yes” in the “New York State Organ and Tissue Donation” section when applying for or renewing your driver license, learner permit, or non-driver ID. The DMV will transmit your enrollment to the Registry and print a heart icon and the words “Organ Donor” on your photo document.
  2. Sign up through the MyDMV website located at dmv.ny.gov/mydmv/mydmv-0 using your NY.gov login credentials. The DMV will transmit your enrollment to the Registry, but a heart icon and the words “Organ Donor” will not be printed on your photo document.
  3. Enroll online in just minutes by visiting the Registry’s website located at donatelife.ny.gov.
  4. Complete the optional “Register to donate your organs and tissues” section on the back of your NYS voter registration form. Your county Board of Elections will forward that page of the form to the New York State Donate Life Registry.
  5. Check “yes” to the organ and tissue donation question when applying for health insurance through the New York State of Health Online Insurance Marketplace (nystateofhealth.ny.gov).

Additionally, New Yorkers can show their support for organ and tissue donation by purchasing a “Life-Pass It On” custom license plate from the DMV or making a voluntary $1 contribution to organ transplant research, education and donation promotion projects by checking off the box when applying for or renewing their driver license, learner permit, or non-driver ID.