The Iowa Donor Network (IDN) joins colleagues across the nation in observing April as National Donate Life Month (NDLM).
The nationwide initiative highlighting the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation, according to a release.
NDLM serves as a platform to honor donors and their families who have transformed lives through organ donation, while also raising awareness about the importance of registering as a donor.
This year’s National Donate Life Month will emphasize the impact of donation by showcasing the stories of over 100,000 patients awaiting transplants across the nation, along with the legacies of more than one million recipients and their families.
It also acknowledges the selfless act of donor families who choose organ donation even while grieving their loss, and recognizes the over 170 million individuals who have registered their decision to be donors.
As the designated organ procurement agency for the state of Iowa, the Iowa Donor Network remains committed to its mission of transforming lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation. Throughout National Donate Life Month, the IDN hopes to inspire Iowans to register as donors, educate health care professionals on the donation process, coordinate recovery efforts, and provide ongoing support to donor families.
“We are dedicated to fostering a culture of donation within Iowa,” said Heather Butterfield, director of strategic communications at the Iowa Donor Network. “National Donate Life Month serves as a poignant reminder of the life-saving impact of donation and encourages individuals to register as donors, ultimately providing hope to those awaiting transplants.”
Individuals can register as organ, eye, and tissue donors at IowaDonorNetwork.org
Certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Iowa Donor Network collaborates with health care professionals and organizations statewide to facilitate donation, educate communities, and support donor families.