FOR RELEASE MONDAY, 4-24-06
Contact:
Jennifer Bailey 303-329-4747, Donor Alliance contact
Erich Kirshner 303-320-7790, Media contact
Heidi Heltzel 303-475-0127, American Transplant Foundation contact
SENATOR SALAZAR PROMOTES ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AT REGISTRY DRIVE
Donor Alliance and American Transplant Foundation celebrate National Donate Life Month
Denver—April 24, 2006—With close to 600 minority citizens in Colorado and Wyoming
currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, Senator Ken Salazar spoke out today about
the need for people to sign-up to be organ and tissue donors.
The Senator’s address came during an organ and tissue donor registry drive at Blair
Caldwell Library in Denver. The event was sponsored by Donor Alliance and the American
Transplant Foundation.
“More than 1,600 people in Colorado and Wyoming are currently waiting for a lifesaving
organ transplant and of those, 33% are from minority communities in our state,” Salazar said.
“We are here today to educate everyone about this tremendous need for donors. In addition, we
want to dispel myths associated with organ transplantation.”
Today’s registry drive with Senator Salazar marks the end of three organ and tissue
donor registry drives across the city that have been conducted in observance of National Donate
Life Month. Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Mayor John Hickenlooper, and Governor Bill Owens
participated in the earlier drives. In addition to registering to be a donor, the public was invited to
attend the drives to learn more about organ and tissue donation, blood donation, bone marrow
donation, and living donation.
“We appreciate the Senator speaking out today in support of Colorado’s organ and tissue
donor registry,” said Sue Dunn, Donor Alliance president and CEO. “With close to 700 people
added to the waiting list last year in Colorado and Wyoming, it is our duty to educate the public
about this need and take action by encouraging people to sign-up to be donors.”
Heidi Heltzel, executive director of the American Transplant Foundation said, “There is
nothing more heroic than saving someone’s life, and all you need to do is sign-up. It’s that simple.
We’re eager for the public to join our state’s political leaders to give the gift of life and, at the
same time, learn more about organ and tissue donation.”
The public can sign-up to be an organ and tissue donor by visiting
www.ColoradoDonorRegistry.org.
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About Donor Alliance
Donor Alliance is the federally designated non-profit organ procurement organization serving Colorado and
Wyoming. As a recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of transplantable organs and
tissues, Donor Alliance’s primary objectives are to save and enhance the lives of others. To achieve these
objectives, Donor Alliance employs an effective family approach and recovery programs in over 100
hospitals, and increases the awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation through public awareness
and education campaigns in its service area. For more information, please visit www.DonorAlliance.org.
About American Transplant Foundation
The American Transplant Foundation is a national 501©3 non-profit organization that strives to eliminate our
country’s shortage of human transplant organs. Based in Denver, Colorado, the American Transplant
Foundation is participating in coordinated collaborative efforts to promote the advancement of organ
transplants. By promoting awareness, developing better publicly supported legislation and increasing
funding for research and science, the Foundation’s efforts will facilitate elimination of the gap between the
critical demand for organs and their supply, thus saving lives every day. For more information please visit
www.AmericanTransplantFoundation.org.