Social Media Sensation Causes Spike in GA Organ Donors

WGBF News 6 | Kait Rayner

It has become an over night sensation. Organ donation has gone from taboo topic, to trending discussion on social media-- ever since Facebook and Donate Life America teamed up to make organ donation part of the facebook profile.

"I'm not sure how it benefits anybody to share their organ donation status with them, but if it results in more people sharing their organs when they no longer have a use for them, then why not?" said local organ donor, Pat Casey.

In the last 24 hours the number of organ donors has skyrocketed. Tracy Ide works for LifeLink--the company that handles organ donations for the state of Georgia and also Aiken and Edgefield Counties.

She says since Facebook started the campain almost 200 people in the State of Georgia have signed up to be organ donor, and the number is quickly growing. She says normally, Georgia only has about two or three people who sign up on an average day.

"People, they're posting everything. So this is another way to post something, but potentially save someone elses life," Ide said.

Here's how it works: on your facebook profile, click life event, and then on the “Health and Wellness” tab. Select the “Organ Donation” tab, enter the date, share why youre making the choice, and it's out there for your friends and family to see and know.

Read more: http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2012/may/01/social-media-sensation-causes-spike-ga-organ-donor-ar-3712836/

{Register to be an organ,eye and tissue donor. To learn how, www.donatelife.net or www.organdonor.gov}