We all remember the little pink dot on our driver’s license.  Historically, that little sticker signifies your intent to donate your organs upon death; however, placing the dot on your license does not place you on any donor registry.  Through the efforts of a local donor recipient, Judy Regnier, the City of Jackson has proclaimed April “DMV/Donate Life California Month.”  According to the proclamation, over 98,000 individuals nationwide and over 20,000 Californians are waiting for organ transplants.  Tragically, one-third of those will die waiting for a donation.  The proclamation provides statistics on how many lives can be saved by one single donation of blood, tissue, or organs, and encourages all Californians to register. 

Gisele Cangelosi, one of Jackson’s City Clerks, recently provided her brother, who has Leukemia, with a PBSC donation, which is a process similar to plasma donation, where the donor’s blood is filtered through a machine for several hours, to separate blood-forming cells.  Cangelosi says she “highly recommends” donating, and she “would do it again.” Anyone can sign up to donate when renewing their driver’s licenses or ID cards at the DMV, or at any time by going to www.DonateLifeCA.org.  Signing up as an organ donor means that you are willing to donate your vital organs or tissue upon death to someone in need. The proclamation was accepted by employees of the Jackson DMV and will be placed on the wall for all citizens to view.