This April, in celebration of National Donate Life Month, Donor Alliance, the federally designated nonprofit that facilities organ and tissue donation in Colorado and most of Wyoming, invites Colorado and Wyoming residents to ‘show their hearts’ at a series of celebrations throughout the month of April. Activities will include meet-and-greet events with NASCAR driver Joey Gase, whose mother was an organ, eye and tissue donor, and a week of discounts from local businesses for residents who show the hearts on their licenses or wear blue and green in celebration of National Donate Life Month.

Meet Joey Gase at the Denver Auto Show on April 5.

Joey Gase—a professional race car driver for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series—lost his mother, Mary, to a sudden brain aneurysm when he was just 18 years old. Because of Joey’s courageous decision to donate her organs, Mary was able to save and heal the lives of 66 people through organ, eye and tissue donation. This experience inspired Joey and he has since become a passionate advocate for donation. Joey will be at the Cheyenne, WY Old Chicago (1734 Meadowland Dr.) on April 3 from 5-7 p.m. and at the Denver Auto Show on April 5. At both locations, visitors can show the hearts on their driver license for the chance to meet Joey and paint a heart on his official race car.

“National Donate Life Month is an opportunity for us to celebrate the lives of transplant recipients and the heroes who said yes to becoming organ, eye and tissue donors,” said Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. “It is also a time to remember the nearly 2,500 people in our community that are waiting on a livesaving transplant. With celebrations in both Colorado and Wyoming throughout the entire month of April, there are ample opportunities to join us in raising awareness and inspiring more Colorado and Wyoming residents to say yes to donation.”

There are many ways to show support for donation this April, including wearing blue and green on April 21.

National Donate Life Month will continue to be celebrated throughout Colorado and Wyoming with “Show Your Heart” week, April 15-21. The entire week leading up to National Blue and Green Day on April 21, local businesses will be offering special discounts to those showing the hearts on their licenses or wearing blue and green in celebration of National Donate Life Month. For information on participating establishments throughout Colorado and Wyoming, visit https://www.donoralliance.org/get-involved/events/.

On National Blue and Green Day, Colorado and Wyoming residents are encouraged to wear blue and green in an effort to promote the success of organ, eye and tissue transplantation and the need for registered donors. At noon, there will also be a banner-hanging event and National Donate Life Month celebration at the Mexican Consulate in Denver.

Businesses are also invited to take part in supporting the cause by displaying educational materials like fliers, posters, PSAs and more. Interested organizations can access a toolkit of ready-to-produce materials at https://www.donoralliance.org/ndlm/.

For more information about organ and tissue donation, please visit DonorAlliance.org. To register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org. For residents interested in learning more about living donation, please contact one of the local transplant centers listed on the Donor Alliance Living Donation resource page.