DONATE LIFE ORGAN DONATION- VISUAL JOURNALISM FOR A CAUSE: THE WAITING LIST

Source: The Visual Student

David Y. Lee is the Creative Director for The Waiting List, an online multimedia storytelling project introducing the stories of people waiting for an organ transplant. Lee covered the 2004 Presidential campaign for Time and Newsweek. In October 2007, the U.S. Department of State contracted Lee as Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s official photographer to document her international legacy during her final fifteen months in office.

The Waiting List was inspired by the March 22, 2008 Washington Post article by staff writer Rob Stein, ‘A Third of Patients on the Transplant List are not Eligible.’ The reason: because of a shortage of organs, a third of patients on the transplant list are not eligible for an organ if one becomes available because the patient is too sick, not sick enough, or for some other circumstance.

Upon doing some research online, I primarily only found stories about organ donors and recipients. Where were the stories about the over 100,000 people who are currently waiting for an organ transplant, where were the stories about the people who needed our help right now.

When I discovered that only 35% of licensed drivers and ID card holders in America are registered as organ donors, I recognized a tremendous opportunity to use storytelling as a conduit for social change. I realized that if I could make people care by sharing the real stories of real people really waiting for the gift of life, I could inspire individuals to become registered as an organ donor. I could help end this wait, and ultimately save lives.

Please visit The Waiting List.org

To read the whole story please visit The Visual Student

To register to be a donor in your state please visit organdonor.gov