You Have the Power to Donate Life - Sign up to become a donor
How to Become a Donor
Sign up TODAY to be a registered organ and tissue donor. When you apply for or renew your driver license or identification card, simply check the box…
By becoming an organ and tissue donor, you truly give life and hope to others. When you add your name to the Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry you consent to having your organs and tissues made available for transplantation upon death. A pink “DONOR” dot will be printed on your DL/ID card.Your name, mailing address, birth date, driver license or identification card number and gender will be transmitted to the Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry.
Which Organs and Tissues May Be Donated?
Your organ donation could save the lives of eight people and your tissue donation can enhance the lives of another 50 people. Organs for life-saving transplants include heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and small intestine.
Examples of tissues that could save or enhance someone’s life include eyes and corneas, heart valves, bones, and skin grafts.
Why Register to Be a Donor?
Historically, while signing a donor card and placing the pink “DONOR” sticker on your license served as an important symbol of your intent, it did not place you on any list or registry. Now, through the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Donate Life California Registry guarantees that your wish to be an organ and tissue donor will be honored after you die.
Prior to the registry, the responsibility for giving consent for donation fell solely to the donor’s family. Unfortunately, family members are not always aware of their loved one’s wish to donate. Registering with Donate Life California eliminates any doubt about your wish to be a donor. Your family will be provided proof of your registration at the hospital so that your life-saving wishes can be fulfilled.
With the Donate Life California Registry, your desire to donate is stored in a secure, confidential database. The information is accessible only to authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel.
Your Consent to Be an Organ & Tissue Donor
Your registration will serve as a Document of Gift as outlined in the California Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. A Document of Gift, not revoked by the donor before death, is irreversible and does not require the consent of any other person. Parental or guardian consent is required for persons under 18.
Should your death result in the opportunity for you to be a donor, an official record of your consent will be readily available and cannot be overturned by your family. (Parental or guardian consent is required for persons under 18.) Thus, should you be medically eligible to donate, your wishes will be respected and your family will be relieved of making a decision on your behalf.
Are You Already Registered?
If you are currently registered with Donate Life California and wish to have the pink “DONOR” dot printed on the front of your license, you must check the box “YES! I want to be an organ and tissue donor” on the Driver License and Identification Card application form. If you have previously registered with Donate Life California and wish to remove your name from the donor registry, please contact Donate Life California (see back).
Limiting Your Donation
A donation limitation states you do NOT give your legal consent for particular organs and/ or tissues to be recovered.
If you wish to limit your donation to specific organs and tissues, simply go to the registry website to update your profile or contact Donate Life California.
It’s Your Life – Make It Count!
The Donate Life California Registry allows you to express your commitment to become an organ and tissue donor. The registry guarantees your plan to donate will be carried out when you die.
Did You Know:
- Thousands of Californians wait for a second chance at life. You can give them that chance today.
- About 20% of those nationwide waiting for an organ transplant are Californians.
- Of those waiting, one out of three will die due to a lack of life-saving donors.
- Organs and tissues are distributed fairly and equitably based on medical criteria only.
- Your medical care and/or funeral arrangements will not be affected by your decision to donate.
- Donation costs you and your family nothing.
- People of all ages and medical histories can sign up to be potential donors.
- All major religions support or permit donation.
Donate Life California
Donate Life California is the nonprofit, state authorized organ and tissue donor registry dedicated to saving the lives of thousands of Californians awaiting life-saving transplants. Donate Life California is managed by the state’s four federally designated, nonprofit organ recovery agencies. We are committed to giving every person waiting for a transplant a second chance at life and every eligible donor the opportunity to give life.
For more information, contact us at:
www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org
www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org
Donate Life California
1760 Creekside Oaks Dr., Suite 220
Sacramento, CA 95833
1-866-PWR 2 DON8
1-866-797-2366
Local Resources
Greater Los Angeles Area
OneLegacy
(800) 786-4077
Greater Sacramento Area
Golden State Donor Services
(916) 567-1600
San Diego Area
Lifesharing
(619) 521-1983
San Francisco Bay Area
California Transplant Donor Network
(888) 570-9400
FFDL 34 (NEW 7/2006)