Donor Information

"Donate Life. Pass it on."

That's the slogan for the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry, which helps match deceased organ and tissue donors with living recipients. According to the organization, the organs from one donor can save up to eight lives, while the tissue can improve 12 more by restoring eyesight, helping burn patients, and preventing disability.

Each year in New York alone, 1,500 kidneys, livers, and hearts are transplanted from hundreds of donors. However, there are 8,000 recipients on waiting lists here, so more donors are always needed.

The Organ and Tissue Donor Registry makes it easy to specify through the Department of Motor Vehicles that in the event of your death, you would like to donate your organs (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines) or tissues (corneas, bone, skin, heart valves, tendons, veins, and more) to a needy transplant recipient.

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) manages the registry, which works with the DMV and other organizations to document your wishes. Organ and tissue donations are considered gifts and cost the donor family nothing.

In addition to signing the back of your license, you have the option to check a box on your application form for a new or renewed driver license authorizing the DMV to forward your information to the donor registry, which will then send you more information about the program.

You can also find a printable version of the form or, even easier, register online.

Registering is more effective than signing your driver license alone. One benefit to having your donation preferences recorded is that in the event of your death, the health department will have the documentation necessary to initiate donation proceedings. Your family won't need to make the difficult decision about whether to donate your organs; you've already taken care of it.

The Department of Health points out that your medical treatment will not be affected by your registration as a donor, and you may remove your name from the registry at any time. Furthermore, donating tissue or organs won't interfere with having an open-casket viewing at your funeral.

Although the DMV doesn't want to be contacted for information about the registry, its Web site does include phone numbers for the organizations that can give you more information. You may also find out more directly from the Department of Health, which posts answer to many donation-related FAQs.