News Release Template—Illinois
[HOSPITAL NAME] Community Encouraged to Offer the Gift of Hope
During National Donate Life Month
CITY/TOWN, Ill. (Insert Date, 2014) – [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE, HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope Organ &
Tissue Donor Network President/CEO Kevin Cmunt today called upon the [HOSPITAL NAME] community
to register this month to become organ and tissue donors.
April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time for hospitals, schools, businesses and communities
throughout Illinois to educate the public about organ and tissue donation and encourage people to
register as donors. Nearly 6 million people in Illinois have made the selfless decision to be organ and
tissue donors by registering their wishes in the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, but the number of
people waiting for donor organs continues to grow. More than 5,000 people in Illinois are waiting for
lifesaving organs, and thousands more Illinoisans will need life-enhancing tissue transplants at some
point in their lives.
NDLM is one of many initiatives that [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope collaborate on throughout the
year to address this situation. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, whose office manages the Illinois
Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, also plays a major role in NDLM. In conjunction with Gift of Hope,
Secretary White will host press conferences and donor drives throughout Illinois in April to encourage
people to sign up in the registry. Television and radio ads featuring Illinoisans waiting for lifesaving
transplants also will air in cities and towns across the state throughout the month.
[HOSPITAL NAME] will be doing its part to raise public awareness of organ and tissue donation and the
critical need for donors. Here are just a few of the NDLM activities planned for the month at [HOSPITAL
NAME]:
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
[INSERT ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE AT YOUR HOSPITAL]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
“One organ donor can save the lives of as many as nine people, and when tissue donation is involved
that single donor can enhance the lives of 25 or more people,” said [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE LAST NAME].
“One person who makes the selfless decision to be a donor can make a big difference in many lives.”
(MORE)
National Donate Life Month 2014 – Add One
Registering as an organ and tissue donor is an ordinary action that can produce an extraordinary
outcome, added Gift of Hope’s Cmunt. “We’re asking people in the [HOSPITAL NAME] community to
take the simple, yet critical, step to help save the lives of thousands of people whose survival depends
on a person’s selfless decision to be an organ and tissue donor,” he said. “By joining the Illinois
Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, you will make sure your desire to offer the gift of hope is fulfilled.”
People in the [HOSPITAL NAME] community and all other Illinoisans can register to become organ and
tissue donors by visiting GiftofHope.org or visiting any Illinois Driver Services Facility.
About [HOSPITAL NAME]
[INSERT BOILERPLATE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HOSPITAL.]
About Gift of Hope
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization
entrusted by the nation’s healthcare system with coordinating organ and tissue donation and providing
donor family services and public education in Illinois and northwest Indiana. It has coordinated
donations that have saved the lives of nearly 20,000 organ transplant recipients and improved the lives
of hundreds of thousands of tissue transplant recipients. As one of 58 organ procurement organizations
that make up the nation’s organ and tissue donation system, Gift of Hope works with 180 hospitals and
serves 12 million residents in its donation service area. It also is part of Donate Life Illinois, a coalition of
agencies responsible for organ, tissue, eye, blood and marrow donation, as well as donor education and
registration, in Illinois. For more information about Gift of Hope and organ and organ and tissue
donation, visit GiftofHope.org.
News Release Template—Indiana
[HOSPITAL NAME] Community Encouraged to Offer the Gift of Hope
During National Donate Life Month
CITY/TOWN, Ind. (Insert Date, 2014) – [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE, HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope Organ
& Tissue Donor Network President/CEO Kevin Cmunt today called upon the [HOSPITAL NAME]
community to register this month to become organ and tissue donors.
April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time for hospitals, schools, businesses and communities
throughout Indiana to educate the public about organ and tissue donation and encourage people to
register as donors. More than 3 million people in Indiana have made the selfless decision to be organ
and tissue donors by registering their wishes in the Indian Donor Registry, but the number of people
waiting for donor organs continues to grow. More than 500 people in Indiana are waiting for lifesaving
organs, and thousands more Indian residents will need life-enhancing tissue transplants at some point in
their lives.
NDLM is one of many initiatives that [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope collaborate on throughout the
year to address this situation. Here are just a few of the NDLM activities planned for the month at
[HOSPITAL NAME]:





[INSERT ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE AT YOUR HOSPITAL]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
“One organ donor can save the lives of as many as nine people, and when tissue donation is involved
that single donor can enhance the lives of 25 or more people,” said [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE LAST NAME].
“One person who makes the selfless decision to be a donor can make a big difference in many lives.”
Registering as an organ and tissue donor is an ordinary action that can produce an extraordinary
outcome, added Gift of Hope’s Cmunt. “We’re asking people in the [HOSPITAL NAME] community to
take the simple, yet critical, step to help save the lives of thousands of people whose survival depends
on a person’s selfless decision to be an organ and tissue donor,” he said. “By joining the Indiana Donor
Registry, you will make sure your desire to give the gift of hope is fulfilled.”
(MORE)
National Donate Life Month 2014 – Add One
People in the [HOSPITAL NAME] community and all other Indiana residents can register to become
organ and tissue donors by visiting DonateLifeIndiana.org or visiting any Indiana Bureau of Motor
Vehicle facility.
About [HOSPITAL NAME]
[INSERT BOILERPLATE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HOSPITAL.]
About Gift of Hope
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization
entrusted by the nation’s healthcare system with coordinating organ and tissue donation and providing
donor family services and public education in Illinois and northwest Indiana. It has coordinated
donations that have saved the lives of nearly 20,000 organ transplant recipients and improved the lives
of hundreds of thousands of tissue transplant recipients. As one of 58 organ procurement organizations
that make up the nation’s organ and tissue donation system, Gift of Hope works with 180 hospitals and
serves 12 million residents in its donation service area. It also is part of Donate Life Illinois, a coalition of
agencies responsible for organ, tissue, eye, blood and marrow donation, as well as donor education and
registration, in Illinois. For more information about Gift of Hope and organ and tissue donation, visit
GiftofHope.org.
Spanish News Release Template—Illinois
Se anima a la comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] a dar el
regalo de esperanza durante el Mes Nacional para Donar Vida
CITY/TOWN, Ill. (Insert Date, 2014) –[HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE] del [HOSPITAL NAME] y Kevin
Cmunt, Presidente Ejecutivo de Gift of Hope, Red de Donantes de Órganos y Tejidos, invitaron
hoy a la comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] a inscribirse como donantes de órganos y tejidos
este mes.
Abril es el Mes Nacional para Donar Vida, una época en la que los hospitales, escuelas,
negocios y comunidades a través de Illinois educan al público sobre la donación de órganos y
tejidos y los animan a inscribirse como donantes. Casi 6 millones de personas en Illinois han
tomado la generosa decisión de ser donantes de órganos y tejidos al registrar sus deseos en el
Registro de Órganos y Tejidos de Illinois, pero el número de personas que están a la espera de
un órgano donado sigue creciendo. Más de 5,000 personas en Illinois esperan órganos que les
salven la vida, y miles más de residentes de Illinois necesitarán trasplantes de tejidos que
mejoren su calidad de vida en algún momento u otro.
El Mes Nacional para Donar Vida es una de las muchas iniciativas en las que el [HOSPITAL
NAME] y Gift of Hope colaboran a través del año para abordar esta situación. El Secretario del
Estado de Illinois, Jesse White, cuya oficina administra el Registro de Donantes de Órganos y
Tejidos de Illinois, también desempeña un importante papel durante este evento. Junto con Gift
of Hope, el Secretario White celebrará ruedas de prensa y campañas de donación a través de
Illinois para motivar la inscripción. A lo largo del mes de abril se transmitirán en ciudades y
pueblos del estado anuncios de radio y televisión donde aparecerán residentes de Illinois que
están a la espera de un trasplante que les salve la vida.
El [HOSPITAL NAME] hará su aporte al elevar la conciencia pública sobre la donación de
órganos y tejidos y la necesidad crítica de donantes. He aquí algunas de las actividades
planeadas durante el Mes Nacional para Donar Vida en el [HOSPITAL NAME]:
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
“Un donante de órganos puede salvarle la vida hasta a nueve personas, y un donante de
tejidos puede mejorar la vida de 25 personas o más”, dijo [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE LAST
NAME]. “Una sola persona puede marcar una gran diferencia”.
(MÁS)
National Donate Life Month 2014 – Add One
El inscribirse como donante de órganos y tejidos es un acto ordinario que puede producir
resultados extraordinarios, añadió Cmunt, de Gift of Hope. “Estamos pidiéndole a la gente de la
comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] que tomen un paso sencillo y a la vez crítico para ayudar a
salvar las vidas de miles de personas cuya supervivencia depende de la generosa decisión de
una persona de ser donante de órganos y tejidos”, señaló. “Al vincularse al Registro de
Donantes de Órganos y Tejidos de Illinois, usted tendrá la seguridad de que se cumplirá su
deseo de dar el regalo de esperanza”.
Las personas de la comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] y otros residentes de Illinois pueden
inscribirse como donantes de órganos y tejidos en giftofhope.org o en cualquier oficina de
servicios para conductores de Illinois.
Acerca del [HOSPITAL NAME]
[INSERT BOILERPLATE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HOSPITAL.]
Acerca de Gift of Hope
Gift of Hope, Red de Donantes de Órganos y Tejidos, miembro de la coalición Donar Vida de
Indiana, es una organización sin fines de lucro de consecución de órganos encomendada por el
sistema de salud de la nación para coordinar la donación de órganos y tejidos y brindar
servicios a la familia donante y educación pública en Illinois y el noroeste de Indiana. Desde
sus inicios en 1986, Gift of Hope ha coordinado donaciones que han salvado la vida de más de
19,000 beneficiarios de trasplantes de órganos y ayudado a mejorar la calidad de vida de
cientos de miles de pacientes que recibieron trasplantes de tejidos. Como una de las 58
organizaciones de consecución de órganos que componen el sistema nacional de donación de
órganos, Gift of Hope trabaja con 180 hospitales y sirve a 12 millones de residentes en su área
de servicios de donación. Para obtener más información acerca de Gift of Hope y la donación
de órganos y tejidos, visite giftofhope.org/espanol.
Spanish News Release Template—Indiana
Se anima a la comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] a dar el
regalo de esperanza durante el Mes Nacional para Donar Vida
CITY/TOWN, Ind. (Insert Date, 2014) – [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE] del [HOSPITAL NAME] y
Kevin Cmunt, Presidente Ejecutivo de Gift of Hope, Red de Donantes de Órganos y Tejidos,
invitaron hoy a la comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] a inscribirse como donantes de órganos y
tejidos este mes.
Abril es el Mes Nacional para Donar Vida, una época en la que los hospitales, escuelas,
negocios y comunidades a través de Indiana educan al público sobre la donación de órganos y
tejidos y los animan a inscribirse como donantes. Más de 3 millones de personas en Indiana
han tomado la generosa decisión de ser donantes de órganos y tejidos al registrar sus deseos
en el Registro de Donantes de Indiana, pero el número de personas que están a la espera de
un órgano donado sigue creciendo. Más de 1,500 de personas en Indiana esperan órganos que
les salven la vida, y miles más de residentes de Indiana necesitarán trasplantes de tejidos que
mejoren su calidad de vida en algún momento u otro.
El Mes Nacional para Donar Vida es una de las muchas iniciativas en las que [HOSPITAL
NAME] y Gift of Hope colaboran a través del año para abordar esta situación. He aquí algunas
de las actividades planeadas durante el Mes Nacional para Donar Vida en el [HOSPITAL
NAME]:
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
 [INSERT ACTIVITY]
“Un donante de órganos puede salvarle la vida hasta a nueve personas, y un donante de
tejidos puede mejorar la vida de 25 personas o más”, dijo [HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE LAST
NAME]. “Una sola persona puede marcar una gran diferencia”.
El inscribirse como donante de órganos y tejidos es un acto ordinario que puede producir
resultados extraordinarios, añadió Cmunt, de Gift of Hope. “Estamos pidiéndole a la gente de la
comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] que tomen un paso sencillo y a la vez crítico para ayudar a
salvar las vidas de miles de personas cuya supervivencia depende de la generosa decisión de
una persona de ser donante de órganos y tejidos”, señaló. “Al vincularse al Registro de
Donantes de Indiana, usted tendrá la seguridad de que se cumplirá su deseo de dar el regalo
de esperanza”.
(MÁS)
National Donate Life Month 2014 – Add One
Las personas de la comunidad de [HOSPITAL NAME] y otros residentes de Indiana pueden
inscribirse como donantes de órganos y tejidos en donatelifeindiana.org o en cualquier oficina
de vehículos automotores de Indiana.
Acerca del [HOSPITAL NAME]
[INSERT BOILERPLATE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HOSPITAL.]
Acerca de Gift of Hope
Gift of Hope, Red de Donantes de Órganos y Tejidos, miembro de la coalición Donar Vida de
Indiana, es una organización sin fines de lucro de consecución de órganos encomendada por el
sistema de salud de la nación para coordinar la donación de órganos y tejidos y brindar
servicios a la familia donante y educación pública en Illinois y el noroeste de Indiana. Desde
sus inicios en 1986, Gift of Hope ha coordinado donaciones que han salvado la vida de más de
19,000 beneficiarios de trasplantes de órganos y ayudado a mejorar la calidad de vida de
cientos de miles de pacientes que recibieron trasplantes de tejidos. Como una de las 58
organizaciones de consecución de órganos que componen el sistema nacional de donación de
órganos, Gift of Hope trabaja con 180 hospitales y sirve a 12 millones de residentes en su área
de servicios de donación. Para obtener más información acerca de Gift of Hope y la donación
de órganos y tejidos, visite giftofhope.org/espanol.
Organ/Tissue Donation Fact Sheet
By the Numbers
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1 donor can save or enhance 25 lives.
More than 5,000 people in Illinois are waiting for an organ transplant.
121,000 people are on the national organ transplant waiting list.
29,000 lifesaving organ transplants are performed each year.
1 in 20 people will need some type of medical transplant during a lifetime.
1 million tissue transplants are performed each year.
18 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant.
300 people in Illinois die each year waiting for an organ transplant.
7,000 people across the United States die each year waiting.
Every 10 minutes a new name is added to the national transplant waiting list.

The amount of time organs/tissue remain viable outside the body:
o Heart and lungs: 4 hours
o Liver, small intestine and pancreas: 12-18 hours
o Kidneys: 36-72 hours
o Tissue: 5 years
o Corneas: 14 days (but they typically are transplanted within 3-4 days)
Frequently Asked Questions
What organs and tissue are needed most?
Corneas and kidneys are needed most in terms of the number of people waiting. In
terms of lifesaving ability, hearts, lungs and livers are needed the most.
Can you buy or sell organs and tissue in the United States?
It is illegal to buy or sell organs and tissue in the U.S. Federal law mandates that neither
donors nor their heirs may receive payment for donating organs and tissue.
Is there a Black Market in the U.S. for organ/tissue donation?
There are many stories about a Black Market for organ/tissue donation. While the
possibility exists, it is illegal to buy or sell organs and tissue in the United States, and
federal law mandates that neither donors nor their heirs may receive payment for
donating organs and tissue.
Because I have some health issues, I cannot be an organ donor, so why should I sign
up?
Organ and tissue donors typically are healthy people who have suffered a life-ending
trauma and are declared dead. But virtually anyone—regardless of age, race, gender
and even many health conditions—can become an organ and/or tissue donor.
Does my religion support organ and tissue donation?
All major religions support donation as a charitable act of giving. Most religious groups
support donation as the highest gesture of humanitarianism.
I signed the back of my license. That makes me an organ and tissue donor, right?
No. Signing the back of your license or state identification card is no longer a way to
indicate your wish to be an organ/tissue donor. If you registered before January 1, 2006,
you must re-register at GiftofHope.org or at your local Driver Services Facility to ensure
your decision to be a donor is honored.
Can I have an open-casket wake if I am a donor?
Organs and tissues are recovered in a dignified surgical procedure, and the body is
carefully restored. Donation does not interfere with customary funeral arrangements.
Will my family have to pay if I am an organ donor?
There is no cost to the donor’s family or estate for the donation of organs or tissue.
Costs associated with the recovery of organs and tissue, laboratory testing and other
donation services are covered by the recipients and/or their medical insurance
companies.
Does the donor family ever meet the recipient?
Donor families are given some general information (age, sex, geographic location) about
of the recipient of their loved one’s organs. If both the donor family and the recipient
agree, they may exchange names, correspond and even meet. This process is
coordinated through the organ procurement organization.
Can organs be given to people in different racial and ethnic groups?
Yes. Compatible blood types and organ size are critical to matching donor organs and
recipients.
Letter to Editor Template—Illinois
Dear Editor:
April is National Donate Life Month, a time for hosting events in schools, businesses, hospitals
and communities throughout Illinois to educate the public about organ and tissue donation and
encourage people to become organ and tissue donors by joining the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor
Registry.
More than 5,000 people in Illinois are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, and one in every
20 Americans will need some sort of tissue transplant in their lifetime. As an Advocates for Hope
volunteer for Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network and a strong advocate of organ and
tissue donation, I call on you to urge your readers to help us meet this great need.
During April, Gift of Hope, members of the statewide Donate Life Illinois coalition and all other
organ and tissue donation advocates in Illinois are speaking with a unified voice to encourage
everyone to take 30 seconds to register online as organ and tissue donors and give the gift of
hope to people waiting for a second chance at life. Just one organ donor can save the lives of
as many as nine people, and one tissue donor can enhance the lives of as many as 25 people.
Clearly, one person can make a big difference. And one simple action can produce an
extraordinary result.
Please encourage the people in our community to go to GiftofHope.org to learn more about
organ, tissue, eye and blood donation and to register their decisions to be donors. Residents in
our community also can register at any events planned at local hospitals to celebrate and
promote National Donate Life Month or at any Illinois Driver Services Facility.
The need for donors is great, and each of us has the power to change the lives of those who are
desperately waiting for lifesaving or life-enhancing gifts of hope. So please encourage your
readers to take 30 seconds out of one day in April to register to be a donor and to share their
decision with their families and friends in the community.
Yours in Donation, [your name, address and phone number]
Letter to Editor Template—Indiana
Dear Editor:
April is National Donate Life Month, a time for hosting events in schools, businesses, hospitals
and communities throughout Illinois to educate the public about organ and tissue donation and
encourage people to become organ and tissue donors by joining the Indiana Donor Registry.
More than 1,500 people in Indiana are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, and one in every
20 Americans will need some sort of tissue transplant in their lifetime. As an Advocates for Hope
volunteer for Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network and a strong advocate of organ and
tissue donation, I call on you to urge your readers to help us meet this great need.
During April, Gift of Hope, members of the statewide Donate Life Indiana coalition and all other
organ and tissue donation advocates in the state are speaking with a unified voice to encourage
everyone to take 30 seconds to register online as organ and tissue donors and give the gift of
hope to people waiting for a second chance at life. Just one organ donor can save the lives of
as many as nine people, and one tissue donor can enhance the lives of as many as 25 people.
Clearly, one person can make a big difference. And one simple action can produce an
extraordinary result.
Please encourage the people in our community to go to GiftofHope.org to learn more about
organ, tissue, eye and blood donation and to register their decisions to be donors. Residents in
our community also can register at any events planned at local hospitals to celebrate and
promote National Donate Life Month or at any Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility.
The need for donors is great, and each of us has the power to change the lives of those who are
desperately waiting for lifesaving or life-enhancing gifts of hope. So please encourage your
readers to take 30 seconds out of one day in April to register to be a donor and to share their
decision with their families and friends in the community.
Yours in Donation, [your name, address and phone number]
Template for Hospital Community Newsletter, Website or Blog
April is National Donate Life Month
Have you registered your decision to help save and enhance lives?
April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time to call attention to the more than 5,000
Illinois residents and 121,000 people nationwide waiting for lifesaving organ transplants and
the thousands more who will need life-enhancing tissue transplants at some point in their lives.
Throughout April, [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, the
organ procurement organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation at [HOSPITAL
NAME], are on a mission. Through donor registration stations, signage, and stories like the one
you’re reading now, we are working hard to educate our community about the importance of
organ and tissue donation and encourage people to register as organ and tissue donors.
NDLM is one of many initiatives that [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope collaborate on
throughout the year to address the critical need for organ and tissue donors. [HOSPITAL NAME}
has a wide range of activities planned to celebrate NDLM 2014, raise public awareness of organ
and tissue donation and encourage people in our community to register as donors. Here are
just a few:
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
Thanks to activities like these held at [HOSPITAL NAME] and elsewhere throughout the year,
Nearly 6 million people in Illinois have made the decision to be organ and tissue donors by
registering their wishes in the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. Are you one of them? If not,
consider being a part of this noble group. It takes only 30 seconds to register your legally
binding decision at GiftofHope.org.
“Registering is an ordinary action that can produce an extraordinary outcome,” said [HOSPITAL
EXECUTIVE NAME], [TITLE] of [HOSPITAL NAME]. “So we encourage all residents of the
[HOSPITAL NAME] community to take the simple, yet critical, step to help save the lives of
thousands of people whose survival depends on a person’s selfless decision to be an organ and
tissue donor. And we urge you to encourage your family members and friends to do the same.
By joining the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, you will make sure that your desire to give
the gift of hope is fulfilled.”
Template for Hospital Staff Newsletter or Intranet
April is National Donate Life Month
Have you registered your decision to help save and enhance lives?
April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time to call attention to the more than 5,000
Illinois residents and 121,000 people nationwide waiting for lifesaving organ transplants and
the thousands more who will need life-enhancing tissue transplants at some point in their lives.
Throughout April, [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, the
organ procurement organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation at [HOSPITAL
NAME], are on a mission. Through donor registration stations, signage, and stories like the one
you’re reading now, we are working hard to educate our staff and visitors about the
importance of organ and tissue donation and encourage people to register as organ and tissue
donors.
NDLM is one of many initiatives that [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope collaborate on
throughout the year to address the critical need for organ and tissue donors. [HOSPITAL NAME}
has a wide range of activities planned to celebrate NDLM 2014, raise public awareness of organ
and tissue donation and encourage people in our community to register as donors. Here are
just a few:
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
Thanks to activities like these held at [HOSPITAL NAME] and elsewhere throughout the year,
Nearly 6 million people in Illinois have made the decision to be organ and tissue donors by
registering their wishes in the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. Are you one of them? If not,
consider being a part of this noble group. It takes only 30 seconds to register your legally
binding decision at GiftofHope.org.
“Registering is an ordinary action that can produce an extraordinary outcome,” said [HOSPITAL
EXECUTIVE NAME[, [TITLE} of [HOSPITAL NAME]. “So we encourage all of our staff members
and volunteers here at [HOSPITAL NAME] to take the simple, yet critical, step to help save the
lives of thousands of people whose survival depends on a person’s selfless decision to be an
organ and tissue donor. And we urge you to encourage your family members and friends to do
the same. By joining the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, you will make sure that your
desire to give the gift of hope is fulfilled.”
Template for Hospital Volunteer Newsletter
April is National Donate Life Month
Have you registered your decision to help save and enhance lives?
As a hospital volunteer, you know all about donation. You donate time, energy and ideas. Willingly.
Graciously. Selflessly.
This month we ask you to focus your attention on another kind of donation—organ and tissue donation.
And the many good things that can happen when someone chooses to be an organ and tissue donor.
April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time to call attention to the more than 5,000 Illinois
residents and 121,000 people nationwide waiting for lifesaving organ transplants and the thousands
more who will need life-enhancing tissue transplants at some point in their lives. Throughout April,
[HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, the organ procurement organization
that coordinates organ and tissue donation at [HOSPITAL NAME], are on a mission. Through donor
registration stations, signage, and stories like the one you’re reading now, we are working hard to
educate our volunteers, staff and visitors about the importance of organ and tissue donation and
encourage people to register as organ and tissue donors.
NDLM is one of many initiatives that [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope collaborate on throughout the
year to address the critical need for organ and tissue donors. [HOSPITAL NAME} has a wide range of
activities planned to celebrate NDLM 2014, raise public awareness of organ and tissue donation and
encourage people in our community to register as donors. Many of them involve the volunteer corps
here at [HOSPITAL NAME]. Here are just a few:
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
Thanks to activities like these held at [HOSPITAL NAME] and elsewhere throughout the year, Nearly 6
million people in Illinois have made the decision to be organ and tissue donors by registering their
wishes in the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. Are you one of them? If not, consider being a part of
this noble group. It takes only 30 seconds to register your legally binding decision at GiftofHope.org.
“Registering is an ordinary action that can produce an extraordinary outcome,” said [HOSPITAL
EXECUTIVE NAME[, [TITLE} of [HOSPITAL NAME]. “So we encourage all of our staff members and
volunteers here at [HOSPITAL NAME] to take the simple, yet critical, step to help save the lives of
thousands of people whose survival depends on a person’s selfless decision to be an organ and tissue
donor. And we urge you to encourage your family members and friends to do the same. By joining the
Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, you will make sure your desire to give the gift of hope is fulfilled.”
Template for Hospital for Hope Campaign E-mail
Subject Line: Give the Gift of Hope: Become an Organ and Tissue Donor
Throughout April, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network and thousands of donor
advocacy organizations across the country will be celebrating National Donate Life Month
(NDLM), a time to call attention to the more than 121,000 people nationwide waiting for
lifesaving organ transplants and the thousands more who will need life-enhancing tissue
transplants at some point in their lives.
[HOSPITAL NAME] is supporting Gift of Hope during NDLM to help meet the needs of the 5,000
Illinois residents on the national transplant waiting list by taking part in Gift of Hope’s annual
Hospitals for Hope Campaign. The Campaign is a collaborative venture that teams Gift of Hope
and hospitals across Illinois and northwest Indiana in an effort to save lives through organ and
tissue donation. It asks hospitals to view themselves as workplaces and do what other Illinois
and Indiana businesses are doing to support organ and tissue donation—address the critical
need for donors by encouraging staff members to register as organ and tissue donors.
Visit the [INSERT HOSPITAL NAME] Campaign website [MAKE THE HOSPITAL NAME CAMPAIGN
WEB SITE TEXT A HYPERLINK TO YOUR HOSPITAL’S HOSPITALS FOR HOPE WEB SITE] where you
can designate your decision to join the nearly 6 million Illinoisans who have made the selfless
decision to be donors. It takes only 30 seconds to make this simple, yet critical, step to help
save and enhance lives.
Even if you're already a registered donor, we need your help. Please take a moment to
reaffirm your decision to give hope and life through organ and tissue donation by visiting our
Hospitals for Hope Campaign site [MAKE HOSPITALS FOR HOPE CAMPAIGN A HYPERLINK TO
YOUR HOSPITAL’S HOSPITALS FOR HOPE WEB SITE]. It takes just a moment to show that you are
a part of the [INSERT HOSPITAL NAME] community of registered organ and tissue donors. It's an
ordinary action that can produce extraordinary results.
[MAKE THESE ICONS LINKS TO YOUR HOSPITALS FOR HOPE CAMPAIGN WEB SITE.]
Template for Hospital Staff E-mail
Subject Line: Celebrate National Donate Life Month
Throughout April, [HOSPITAL NAME] and Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network will be
celebrating and promoting National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time to call attention to the
more than 5,000 Illinois residents and 121,000 people nationwide waiting for lifesaving organ
transplants and the thousands more who will need life-enhancing tissue transplants at some
point in their lives.
We’re on a mission this month, and we need your help and commitment to help spread the
word about the importance of organ and tissue and encourage people here at [HOSPITAL
NAME] and in our community to register as organ and tissue donors. We have a wide range of
activities planned to celebrate NDLM 2014 here at [HOSPITAL NAME]. Here are just a few:
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
•
[INSERT ACTIVITY]
Thanks to activities like these held at [HOSPITAL NAME] and elsewhere throughout the year,
Nearly 6 million people in Illinois have made the decision to be organ and tissue donors by
registering their wishes in the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. But we need more to meet
the ever-growing need for donor organs and tissue.
A simple step to address that need can start with you. Are you a registered donor? If not, we
encourage you to consider being a part of this noble group. It takes only 30 seconds to register
your decision at GiftofHope.org. It’s an ordinary action that can produce an extraordinary
outcome.
So consider taking this simple, yet critical, step during National Donate Life Month to help save
the lives of thousands of people whose survival depends on a person’s selfless decision to be a
donor. And urge your family members and friends to do the same. By joining the Illinois
Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, you will make sure that your desire to give the gift of hope is
fulfilled.