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On average, a single tissue donor can save or enhance the lives of up to 50 people. -Utah Organ Registry
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Quest for the Gift of Life Foundation is attempting to set a world record Tuesday by signing up the most organ donors in a single day.
Gov. Gary Herbert, key Senate leaders and student leaders from 10 state colleges and universities want to raise awareness for organ donations and the lives that can be saved through donors.
- More than 103,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant in the U.S. More than 600 of them are 5 years old or younger.
- There are almost 400 people in the Intermountain Donor Services area on the national waiting list and 25 of those are under 17 years old.
- On average, 133 people are added to the nation's organ transplant waiting list each day—one every 11 minutes.
- Approximately 78 organ transplants take place every day in the U.S.
- An average of 18 patients die every day while waiting for an organ transplant.
Utah Sen. Margaret Dayton invited family members to speak personally about their organ donation experiences.
"We're all surrounded by people who are sad and dying and who have these diseases that are killing them that we can cure by donating some part of our body," said organ donor Cindy Dayton.
Sen. Dayton stated the need not just for organ donor cards but also for living organ donations. Those hoping to register to become an organ donor can go to college campuses, charter schools and select businesses across the state.
