VCHS To Participate in New Donor Drive Initiative

April 21, 2011

Valley County Health System is taking part in a massive statewide campaign to save lives by working to help add one million names to the Donor Registry of Nebraska.

Donor Drive 2011 is a statewide collaborative with Nebraska Organ Recovery System (NORS) to add 80,000 names to the Donor Registry of Nebraska. Efforts to sign up new donors in 2011 are aimed to help bolster the pool of potential organ and tissue donors in Nebraska.

"This initiative was created to help improve and extend the lives of Nebraskans by increasing public and professional participation in organ and tissue donation for transplantation," stated Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association.

Statewide, the NHA and NORS have set a goal of 80,000 new registrants from the collective efforts of Nebraska hospitals. VCHS has set a goal to add 500 new registrants in 2011. VCHS will support this effort by having a special registration booth at the VCHS Health Fair on June 23, posting information on the VCHS website and Facebook page, as well as other promotion of the drive throughout the remainder of the year.

"There is a critical need for life-saving organs in our state, and the more residents who can commit to helping others through joining the registry, the better," said Bill Luke, Interim CEO of VCHS.  "The staff of Valley County Health System realizes the power of organ and tissue donation. And through our staff's efforts to join and encourage their friends and family to join the registry we are hoping to inspire our fellow community members to follow suit."

There's no age limit for signing up, and all major religions support this act of charity and love. The NHA encourages individuals to help the 927 residents of Nebraska waiting for a transplant by adding their name to the Donor Registry of Nebraska.

Visit www.NEdonordrive.com to learn more about this initiative or to join the Donor Registry of Nebraska.