Tufts Student Increasing Awareness for Organ and Tissue Donation

Zach Butzin-Dozier is pictured sitting (at right) at a recent donation drive at Tufts.

Zach Butzin-Dozier, a Tufts student, has organized a month long campaign to encourage his community to register as organ and tissue donors for April, National Donate Life Month. With some friends and fraternity brothers he has already registered over 30 people. Zach’s father passed away in the fall waiting for a lung transplant but in his death was able to donate his corneas. He is excited to help more people understand the importance of registering as an organ and tissue donor.

There are currently over 5,000 patients waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in New England, and over 120,000 across the United States. Sadly, an average of 18 patients dies every day while waiting, simply because the organ they needed did not become available in time.

This easiest way to register as a donor is to do so when they renew their driver’s license or to sign up online at www.DonateLifeNewEngland.org. Like the driver’s license designation, the Donate Life New England Donor Registry is a computer database of individuals who have made the decision to be a donor and can be accessed in timely way after an individual’s passing so that their wish to donate may be honored.

– Information and photo from New England Organ Bank