MISSISSIPPI ORGAN RECOVERY AGENCY IS SET TO KICK OFF 3RD ANNUAL DONOR CHALLENGE
The donor awareness campaign will be on a record seven college campuses this year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Dateline and City) – The (University and student group/groups) are participating in the Mississippi Organ
Recovery Agency’s (MORA) Donor Challenge, an annual statewide outreach effort to increase awareness of
the need for organ and tissue donation on college campuses while securing donor designations. This year, the
campaign will expand to a record seven college campuses in 2014.
Since the inaugural 2012 Donor Challenge, schools and student participation has continued to build from only
two rival universities the very first year. This year, Alcorn State, Delta State, Jackson State, University of
Mississippi, Mississippi College, Mississippi State and the University of Southern Mississippi will all participate
in the competition. Mississippi State is returning after a one year absence. Mississippi College and Delta State
will be participating for the first year.
“Last year, when we expanded the Donor Challenge to four schools, we saw an incredible 300% increase in
donor designations,” said Charlotte Mullinnix, Director of MORA Outreach Services. “We are thrilled about the
expansion of participating schools in the 2014 Donor Challenge and once again, we’re expecting another
tremendous spike in people registering to be organ, eye and tissue donors. It’s an exciting way to increase
awareness, designations and bring hope to those in need of lifesaving transplants.” (Insert quote from group
spokesperson regarding involvement in the 2014 Donor Challenge)
The 2014 Donor Challenge will be actually be three separate challenges between school “rivals”.
Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss- Monday, September 15th-Friday, October 17th
Delta State-Mississippi College- Monday, October 13th- Friday, November 7th
Alcorn State-Jackson State- Monday, October 20th- Friday, November 14th
In 2012, Southern Miss won the inaugural Donor Challenge over Mississippi State. Last year, Ole Miss took the
victory away from Southern Miss and Alcorn State beat Jackson State. Students, fans, alumni, faculty and staff
of each university can register to be organ donors at any Donor Challenge registration event or they can sign
up on-line at www.msora.org under the Donor Challenge banner. This year, the school’s overall totals will also
reflect students and fans already registered as organ and tissue donors if they show the donor designation on
their license or donor card at any registration event. Existing donor registrations will account for 25% of the
total.
Additionally, MORA will donate $500 to each school for distribution among the student organizations hosting
the Donor Challenge as long as the school meets the set criteria including a minimum of one volunteer training
session, four registration events and a secured minimum of 150 new donor designations.
Currently over 1,400 Mississippians and 123,000+ Americans are in need of a lifesaving transplant. A new
patient is added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes and an average of 18 people die each
day awaiting a lifesaving transplant that never comes. To register as an organ and tissue donor go to
www.donatelifems.org.
Organ Donation Facts:
*More than 1,400 Mississippians are part of the 123,000+ Americans in need of a lifesaving organ transplant.
*An average of 18 Americans die each day awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant.
*A new person is added to a national transplant list every 10 minutes.
*One organ donor can save 8 lives.
*One tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 50 people.
For more information contact: (Also insert local contact for more information)
Chuck Stinson
Director of Marketing & Media Relations
Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency
cstinson@msora.org
601. 936.8610 (work)
601.383.1221(cell)
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