Spreading the word on organ donorship

BY DAVID QUICK | The Post and Courier

Last year, 317 life-saving organ transplants were performed in South Carolina, but nearly 1,000 people still remain on state's transplant waiting list.

That number hovers around 110,000 nationally, and generally, another name is added to the national waiting list every 11 minutes.

To help reduce those numbers, South Carolina joined the majority of states by establishing the S.C. Organ and Tissue Donor Registry in December 2008.

Last summer, efforts by LifePoint, the official organ procurement organization for all but two counties in South Carolina, helped the state reach a major milestone: a half-million people registered their legal consent to be organ and tissue donors.

LifePoint's outreach continues this weekend. At 9 a.m. Saturday, LifePoint will hold its sixth annual Gift of Life 5K run and 2K run and walk at James Island County Park. The event raises awareness for the need for more organ and tissue donors, as well as to help celebrate the lives of those who have received a transplant.

Participating in this year's race will be numerous recipients and donor families from across South Carolina along with veteran race participants from throughout the Southeast.

The fee to participate is $30, is tax deductible and includes a long sleeve T-shirt and the park entrance fee. More at www.lifepoint-sc.org.

And for those who don't want to participate but want to register (a "Y" on your drivers license does not mean you are on the new registry), go to www.Every11Minutes.org.