Organ & Tissue Donor Foundation
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University of Wisconsin Chapter
Press Releases
University of Wisconsin-Madison
April 23, 2008
21,000 Organ Transplants at All Campus Party:
3500 organ donors
This event was in conjunction with National Donate Life Month during the All Campus Party week at the University of Wisconsin. The Organ & Tissue Donor Foundation - UW-Madison Chapter, networked with Fraternities, Sororities, Residence Halls and other student organizations to promote organ and tissue donation.
3500 small plastic bags containing seven green ribbons were distributed across campus. Students were instructed to tie one ribbon around their wrist and not take it off until they talked with their families about donation. The other ribbons were to represent their kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestine, heart and lungs (technically, you can donate two lungs and two kidneys) and should be “donated” to someone with the same instructions.
Despite continuing advances in medicine and technology, the need for organs and tissue is vastly greater than the number available for transplantation. In 2007, there were 14,395 donors nation wide. Today, there are just under 100,000 people on waiting lists and every day, 18 won’t survive that wait.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
April 23, 2008
21,000 Organ Transplants at All Campus Party:
3500 organ donors
This event was in conjunction with National Donate Life Month during the All Campus Party week at the University of Wisconsin. The Organ & Tissue Donor Foundation - UW-Madison Chapter, networked with Fraternities, Sororities, Residence Halls and other student organizations to promote organ and tissue donation.
3500 small plastic bags containing seven green ribbons were distributed across campus. Students were instructed to tie one ribbon around their wrist and not take it off until they talked with their families about donation. The other ribbons were to represent their kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestine, heart and lungs (technically, you can donate two lungs and two kidneys) and should be “donated” to someone with the same instructions.
Despite continuing advances in medicine and technology, the need for organs and tissue is vastly greater than the number available for transplantation. In 2007, there were 14,395 donors nation wide. Today, there are just under 100,000 people on waiting lists and every day, 18 won’t survive that wait.
Madison, WI
04/03/08
PROGRAM EXPANDS STATEWIDE TO PROMOTE ORGAN DONATION
Newspaper and Funeral Directors across Wisconsin collaborate to increase organ donation numbers
In March of 2000, Scott Statz, Executive Director of the Organ & Tissue Donor Foundation (OTDF) met with Madison Newspapers and Gunderson Funeral Home to establish a donor recognition program. The program includes a logo in the obituary, adjacent to the individual’s photo recognizing the person as an organ donor or recipient. With close to 100,000 Americans currently on waiting lists, awareness programs like the OTDF’s obituary campaign brings an element of reality to the public as well as a gesture of solace to the donor families.
April is National Donate Life Month, therefore, the OTDF is appropriately expanding this program statewide. Wisconsin newspaper publishers who include an obituary section in their papers are being invited to join in the campaign. A listing of the newspapers can be found on the Foundation web site www.otdf.org/newspaper . Funeral Directors across the state will also play an integral role by helping donor families enroll in the program while assisting with obituary preparation.
In June of 2007, Scott Statz attended a National Funeral Directors Assn. convention in Lake Geneva, WI. Funeral Directors from around the nation were surveyed and all unanimously agreed to participate in what should prove to be a very effective program. After a successful statewide expansion in Wisconsin, the campaign will be promoted nationwide.
The Organ & Tissue Donor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that promotes the philosophy and practice of organ and tissue donation. The Foundation also provides practical experience for College and High School students participating in the organization by empowering them to conceptualize, implement and administer the Foundation’s work through various campaigns which in turn fosters life-long values toward charity among it’s young volunteers.
The Organ & Tissue Donor Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization.
21,000 students and one Badger receive organ transplants at All Campus Party.
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