POLKTON — It’s a simple question asked within a series of others: “Do you want to be an organ donor?” DMV examiners across the state ask this on a daily basis to North Carolinians receiving or renewing their driver’s licenses or ID cards. However, this one question has the potential to save the lives of up to eight people through the gift of organ donation.
On May 15, Donate Life North Carolina awarded a plaque to the Polkton Driver License Office of the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (N.C. DMV) for achieving the most improved donor designation rate in its district for 2011. The Polkton office signed up 50.5 percent of its customers as organ and eye donors in 2011, which is a 2.5-percent increase from 2010. Its designation rate for 2011 was also just below the state average for 2011, which was 52.8 percent.
Donate Life N.C. recognizes the driver license offices in each of the 14 DMV districts in North Carolina for achieving the highest and the most improved donor designation rates in their respective geographic regions. This is the first year Donate Life N.C. is awarding the offices with the most improved donor designation rates. The purpose is to share appreciation for the examiners, whose job has a direct impact on the more than 114,000 people across the country waiting for a much needed organ.
“We developed this program in 2010 to acknowledge and honor the efforts of DMV personnel who serve as integral members of our donation and transplantation teams,” said Sharon Hirsch, executive director of Donate Life N.C. “Each day, DMV personnel help facilitate donation wishes as people receive or renew a driver’s license or ID card in North Carolina. These decisions have life-saving implications for not only the over 3500 North Carolinians on the waiting list but the tens of thousands across the country awaiting organ transplants. We hope the awards program highlights their efforts and creates more opportunities for people to make the decision to donate.”
Donate Life North Carolina (Donate Life N.C.) is a collaborative group of organizations that promote organ, eye and tissue donation including Carolina Donor Services, LifeShare Of The Carolinas and the N.C. Eye Bank. Working together, the member organizations are directly involved in supporting donor families and facilitating organ, eye and tissue transplants across the state. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, our work includes school education, Division of Motor Vehicles outreach and donor registry supervision. Our mission is to inspire all North Carolina residents to save and enhance lives by registering as organ, eye and tissue donors. People here in North Carolina can register by visiting their local DMV office or register online at DonateLifeNC.org.
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