Nevada Commits to Bring Organ and Tissue Donation Education to High Schools
Reno, Nevada (PRWEB) May 25, 2017 -- Donor Network West, the organ procurement organization that heals lives through organ and tissue donation in northern California and Nevada, in partnership with Sierra Donor Services announced the passage of SB112 (Ratti/Kieckhefer). Signed into law by Governor Brian Sandoval, the bill requires Nevada high schools to provide organ and tissue donation information in educational programming for high school health and science classes.
Sponsored by Nevada Senators Julia Ratti and Ben Kieckhefer and supported by all four Organ and Tissue Recovery organizations serving Nevada including Donor Network West, Sierra Donor Services, Intermountain Donor Services and Nevada Donor Network, the passage of the SB112 will result in youth understanding the life-giving benefits of organ and tissue donation, and will encourage conversations within families and communities, ultimately saving and healing more lives.
Over 900,000 Nevadans have already registered as organ and tissue donors but the need is still great; 600 people await a life-saving organ transplant in the state and of licensed drivers and ID holders, only 40% have signed up as donors on the state’s registry.
Educators are in a unique position to present students with facts and truths about donation and transplantation, thereby equipping youth with knowledge about the subject in advance of their first visit to the DMV, where they are asked to register as a donor, usually with little or no information. By including organ and tissue donation education in health and science curriculum, Nevada joins several other states that have committed to provide youth information to make a thoughtful donation decision before their visit to the DMV.
“Culture shifts in the classroom translate to culture shifts elsewhere. Armed with new knowledge, youth can make educated decisions and have an impact on conversations within their homes and communities. Donor Network West applauds the state of Nevada for adopting programming dedicated to educating students about the powerful gift of organ and tissue donation that can save and heal a life of someone in need,” says Cindy Siljestrom, CEO of Donor Network West.
22 people in the U.S. die every day waiting for an organ transplant that never came. One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and a tissue donor can heal 75 others. Anyone can register as a donor, regardless of age or medical condition, at the DMV or DonorNetworkWest.org. It is very important to share that decision with loved ones.
About Donor Network West
Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation. The organization was established in 1987, and is an official Donate Life organization accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). Federally designated to serve 40 counties in northern California and Nevada, Donor Network West partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries. For information, visit DonorNetworkWest.org and find us on social media: @mydnwest
Tiffany Trueman, Donor Network West, http://www.donornetworkwest.org, +1 925-480-3400, [email protected]
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