The national organ donation advocacy group Donate Life America has awarded Secretary of State Ruth Johnson its DMV Innovation Award for her and her office’s efforts to promote organ donation and encourage people to join the state’s donor registry.
Johnson praised and thanked Secretary of State staff today during the announcement at the Flint Area SUPER!Center for their tireless efforts that resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of people on the donor registry. The secretary was joined by Gift of Life Michigan CEO Dorrie Dils; John Gleason, the Genesee County clerk and a donation recipient; and representatives from Eversight, the state’s cornea and eye tissue recovery program.
“I’m so proud of our team and grateful for this honor,” Johnson said. “We’re seeing miracles happen every day with organ, tissue and cornea donation thanks to these great people. It’s been a privilege working with them.”
Johnson made huge changes in the way the Secretary of State’s Office approached organ donation when she took office in 2011. Working with her partners, she created an advisory task force, put organ donor reminders on widely-used forms, enlisted social media and directed employees to ask customers if they wanted to sign up, doubling the percentage of names on the list. About 85 percent of people who sign up do so through the Secretary of State’s Office.
Since that time, the registry has grown from 27 percent of Michigan adults in 2011 to more than 64 percent to date, with the registry now topping 5 million names.
Anyone can join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry by visiting www.Michigan.gov/organdonation or any Secretary of State office. Those who sign up receive a heart emblem for their drivers license that indicates their decision to be an organ donor. People will receive a heart-logo sticker when people join the registry at a Secretary of State office or online. A new card with a permanent heart emblem is issued at renewal time. One person can transform the lives of up to 75 people through organ, tissue and eye donation.
