|
Giannoulias said the LEAD program enables high school students
to serve as ambassadors for the Illinois Organ and Tissue Donor
Program.
“Teen understanding and awareness of organ donation is vital to
tackling the shortage of organ donors. That’s why we are
encouraging high school students across the state to join the
program, to become ambassadors, and to help us in our ongoing
mission to save as many lives as possible though donation,”
Giannoulias said.
Gavin Dillon is an organ recipient who works as a regional
coordinator for the Secretary of State’s organ donation program.
“Every day I am grateful for my donor, who is my hero. And I’m
thankful for the opportunity through my work to educate others
on the issue and encourage everyone to register as an organ
donor,” Dillon said.
The LEAD program allows high school students the opportunity to
gain community service hours by participating.
Giannoulias said Illinois has experienced a 38% decrease in the
number of new organ donor registrants from age 16 to 21 during
the past 10 years.
“We don’t have the data to really inform us as to why it is.
We’ve looked at it. We’ve thought about it, and there are a
million contributing factors. I actually feel, with social media
and the ability for information to get out there, that the
numbers should be reversed,” Giannoulias said.
The decrease follows legislation passed in 2018 that allowed
16-and-17-year olds to register.
Giannoulias said his office is partnering with the Illinois
State Board of Education to give high school students the
opportunity to earn service hours by serving as ambassadors for
the Illinois Organ and Tissue Donor Program.
Giannoulias announced the program’s launch at Walter Payton
College Preparatory High School in Chicago. The school is named
for the late Pro Football Hall of Famer and Chicago Bears
running back, who advocated for organ donation before his death
from liver cancer in 1999.
|
|
