More than 100,000 Americans are awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant, and every 11 minutes a new name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list. 19 people die each day while on the list, according to the American Marketing Association Saves Lives Web site.
The AMASL site asserts that each of these numbers can be curbed with one person – a single organ donor can save up to eight lives. The UW-Eau Claire chapter of AMA is determined to reach out to students to make this need known through the AMA Saves Lives project.
“(With this project), we are able to speak about the importance of organ donation and dedicate our time to making sure people know the registration process, what it means to be a donor and the overall benefits you can gain from this positive experience,” junior Rebecca Roberts, the vice president of AMA, said.
The UW-Eau Claire AMA chapter is taking part in the national AMA Saves Lives project, which according to the project’s Web site, is designed to increase knowledge and awareness of the need for organ donation among students, faculty and staff.
“As one of the largest organizations on campus, we hope to get the word out and that the number of registered organ donors increases,” senior Kelli Renstrom, public relations director of AMA, said.
In an effort to spread the word, the chapter is creating short online videos that contain facts, statistics and personal stories about organ donation as well as where to go to become an organ donor.
The videos will be posted on Facebook and YouTube and broadcasted at select AMA general meetings.
“The videos contain important information and heartbreaking statistics that we hope will warm the hearts of our viewers and make them want to become an organ donor,” Roberts said.
The first meeting that the UW-Eau Claire AMA chapter is hosting as a part of the AMA Saves Lives project will be held today in Hibbard 103 at 5 p.m.
In an effort to increase the number of donors on the Eau Claire campus, laptops will be accessible for students, staff and faculty to register to become an official donor.
Becoming an organ donor is about committing to the renewal of life, Renstrom said.
The chapter is also hoping to make it known that just because an orange dot on your license reads “Donor” doesn’t mean that you are officially registered to be an organ donor.
“Seven out of 10 people who think that they are organ donors actually are not,” Renstrom said. Roberts added, “you must register online to become an official organ donor.”
The annual AMA Fun Run event is the next scheduled event to raise awareness for the need for organ donation.
At the April 24 event, the chapter will have a booth set up so that any willing attendees can register on location.
