Giannoulias Unveils Statewide Organ and Tissue Donation Campaign

SPRINGFIELD - Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has launched a public awareness campaign encouraging Illinoisans to spark a lifesaving “ripple effect” by becoming organ donors.

The ad, which is the first in a series building on the positive ripple effects of organ donation, will begin running this week on broadcast television, digital and social media platforms across the state.

“Some 4,000 Illinois residents are in need of a transplant, including many whose lives hang in the balance waiting for the availability of a suitable organ,” Giannoulias said. “By choosing to become an organ donor, Illinoisans can catalyze a cascade of positive action, empowering recipients to pay the gift forward by helping those around them.”

In the illustrative narrative, a firefighter who was granted the gift of life through organ donation saves a tutor at the scene of an accident, who in turn helps a young student earn admission into college. The story is rooted in real-world accounts of organ recipients starting a chain reaction of positive change with their second chance at life.

Illinois has one of the largest registries in the nation, averaging over 20,000 sign-ups per month across DMV facilities, with around 6.5 million total current registrants. A single donor can save or improve the lives of up to 25 people.

Approximately 4,000 people are on the transplant waiting list and tragically about 300 die waiting for a transplant every year.

To become a donor, Illinoisans can register with the Secretary of State’s Organ and Tissue Donor Registry by visiting LifeGoesOn.com, calling 800-210-2106 or signing up at the DMV.

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