TOMORROW BEGINS NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH - WHAT AM I DOING TO PROMOTE ORGAN, EYE AND TISSUE DONATION

Tomorrow begins 30 days of promoting organ, eye and tissue donation. As a heart transplant recipient I am passionate about remembering the over 106,000 American on the transplant wait list and to do everything in my power to educate and encourage people to register as an organ donor. My mission is to eliminate deaths on the wait-list and eventually eliminate the need for a wait-list because everyone is a registered donor.

So what am I doing? I hope this gives you some idea of what you can do to make a difference.

1. Fly the Donate Life Flag at my residence
2. Ask my neighbors to fly the Donate Life Flag or Donate Life Garden Banner
3. Make sure the Donate Life Bumper magnet is on my car and ask my neighbors to put one on their car.
4. During the work week, I wear the green Donate Life Bracelet and Donate Life pin
5. During the weekend, I wear the Donate Life California T-shirt every where. You would be surprised how many people come up to me who are recipients, donor family members, on the wait list or know someone on the wait list or are curious about donation.
6. I will be speaking at several neighborhood churches about organ donation.
7. April 16th is National Healthcare Decision day were people are encouraged to talked to their family about healthcare decisions including organ donation. I am working with local (Long Beach area) medical groups and dialysis centers to place information about National Healthcare Decision day and National Donate Life Month in their offices. I will be speaking to their patients about donation.
8. I am working with my local city government. We have already received the City of Long Beach Proclamation declaring April as National Donate Life Month; On April 6th the City of Long Beach will be raising the Donate Life Flag for National Donate Life Month in a ceremony at City Hall.
9. I am working with the City of Long Beach, city TV channel who will air the Donate Life California Public Service announcement for the entire month of April.
10. I am working with the Downtown Business Association to place Donate Life information in their members businesses.
11. During the weekends I have several Donate Life Information and donor drive tables at my local malls.
12. I will be participating in the Donate Life Run/Walk on May 1, 2010 in Fullerton California.
13. My Facebook page features daily information and inspiring stories on donation, encouraging my friends and groups to participate and to remind them to sign up as an organ donor by visiting their Donate LIfe organization.
14. I twitter everyday about what organ donation means to me and what I am doing to make an impact
15. I do work at OneLegacy, a donate life organization and will have all my assigned hospitals participate with Donate Life Information and donor drive tables throughout the month of April.
16. Several of my assigned hospitals will be airing the Donate Life California Public Service Announcements on their television system - one has created a special channel that will continuously air the spots.

Donate Life will be my personal life during the month of April; this is a passion, this is important, people lives are at stake as the wait list continues to grow. The month of April and all the activities gives me a great personal satisfaction.

Please join me and participate in National Donate Life month and do what you can. Please let me know if I can help in anyway.

You can help the Donate LIfe Organ & Tissue Donation Blog by documenting your activities by video or pictures and send it to us so we may share with the donation and transplant community. Send by clicking HERE.