Today the Colorado legislature recognized Donor Alliance for its contributions to the promotion of organ and tissue donation in Colorado. Members of Donor Alliance’s leadership team, Governing Board of Directors and community partners accepted the resolution, sponsored by Senator Lucia Guzman (D-Denver), Senator Jean White (R-Hayden), Representative Dan Pabon (D-Denver) and Representative Carole Murray (R-Castle Rock). The recognition was timed in conjunction with National Donate Life Month, which honors the generosity of organ, eye and tissue donors and their families and commemorates all transplant recipients in the United States.

Donor Alliance, a community-based, non-profit organization, is the federally-mandated organ procurement organization serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. The organization coordinates with more than 100 hospitals, including four transplant centers, throughout the donation service area. Donor Alliance was recognized by the Colorado legislature for the important role it plays in supporting education and awareness building of donation. This dedication has led Colorado to have one of the highest donor designation rates in the country: 67 percent of eligible drivers license and ID holders in Colorado are registered donors.

Further, Donor Alliance was lauded for recovering a record number of organ donors in 2011, enabling 52 more people to receive lifesaving transplants than in 2010. Additionally, last year Donor Alliance worked with 966 tissue donors and their families to recover lifesaving and healing tissue, providing bone and skin grafts that will impact thousands.

“It is an incredible honor and a very moving tribute to everyone whose life has been touched by donation for Donor Alliance to receive this recognition from the Colorado Senate and House of Representatives, “ said Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. “ Currently, more than two thousand people in Colorado are waiting for a life-saving transplant and we will continue our work until anyone that needs a transplant receives one. We encourage everyone to take 5 minutes and sign up to be an organ and tissue donor at www.donatelifecolorado.org. This simple step could save or improve more than 100 lives.”

About Donor Alliance

Donor Alliance is the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement organization and an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. As a recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of transplantable organs and tissues, Donor Alliance’s mission is to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To achieve this mission, Donor Alliance employs an effective family approach and recovery programs in more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance also inspires the public to register as organ and tissue donors through community partnerships, public outreach and education campaigns throughout its donation service area. For more information visit the Donor Alliance website, or the Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming Facebook pages.