State senator, volunteers celebrate Donor Day

State Sen. Kemp Hannon wants his constituents in East Meadow and beyond to know that Feb. 14 isn’t just Valentine’s Day in New York anymore. Thanks to his State Senate resolution, it’s also Donor Day.

“Donor Day is a time to focus on all types of organ donation — including organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelets and marrow — by participating in blood/marrow drives or donor registration events,” he said. “It’s also a day to recognize our loved ones who have given the gift of donation or have received a donation.”

Hannon and Mike Sosna, a volunteer and the director of Long Island Transplant Recipients International Organization, have worked together to educate the public about organ donation, correct donation misconceptions and create greater willingness to donate. “Long Island TRIO is committed to improving the quality of lives touched by the miracle of transplantation through support, advocacy, education and organ donation awareness,” Sosna noted.

The pair stressed the importance of choosing to be an organ donor in New York, saying that they want to remind everyone that donating an organ is saving a life. Nationally, an average of 22 people per day die waiting for transplants.

More than 10,000 New Yorkers are on waiting lists as the need for organ, tissue and blood donations far exceeds the supply, according to Hannon. He added that the state has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the nation.

“Every 13 hours, someone dies waiting for an organ transplant in New York,” he said. “More than 8,000 await kidneys, over 1,300 need livers, and hundreds more need hearts, pancreases and lungs. One person who donates their organs can save the lives of up to eight people.”

Hannon, who is the chairman of the New York State Senate Health Committees, is prioritizing organ donation reform in New York on the 2016 health care agenda. “The lack of a functioning registry for people willing to make organ donations serves as a total throttle on those who can make donations and cuts down on the donations,” he explained.

To find out about the many different ways to sign up to become an organ donor, Hannon said, community members should call the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry at (866) NYDONOR. He said they should also visit the Department of Health’s Web page or litrio.org.