Students participate in state-wide organ donor registration competition

Katie Olson (left), a masters student in higher education and a member of the Special Populations Student Health Concerns Committee, talks to Sergeant Brad Shock (right) of the University of Illinois Police as he fills out a form to become an organ donor on Wednesday afternoon. Olson and other members of her organization set up a table near the entrance of the Activities and Recreation Center to register organ donors because "Not everyone realizes the importance of registering."
Trevor Greene The Daily Illini

For the first time ever, the Special Populations unit of the McKinley Health Center is sponsoring an organ donor registration drive at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. until Nov. 11. The drive is part of Donate for Life Illinois' 2009 Campus Campaign.

Sixteen Illinois colleges are participating in the 2009 Campus Campaign, which challenges campuses to have as many people register to become organ donors as possible. The two schools that have the largest number of overall registrations and the largest percentage of student body registrations will be announced at the end of the competition, according to the Donate for Life Web site.

Although the Campus Campaign is a competition, no official prizes will be awarded. Every college's primary goal is to get as many people registered as possible, said Katie Olson, graduate assistant of the Special Populations Health Concerns Committee.

Although 87 percent of Illinois residents support organ donation, only 60 percent are registered organ donors, according to a poll conducted by Donate for Life Illinois.

"I think many people just don't think about it," Olson said. "They're not against it, but they overlook it or don't realize how important donating is. We just want to get the word out there because there are a lot of people who die because there aren't enough organ donors."

Alex Menter, freshman in Business, said she thinks the difference in numbers is due to other reasons.

"There are myths about organ donation, which is why some people might not be registered, but I don't believe they're true," she said.

In addition to getting new registered organ donors, Special Populations members also said they want to inform people that if they registered before 2007, they will need to reregister. Olson said the state of Illinois changed its databases and will not legally allow that information to transfer.

Another difference is that prior to 2007, when a person checked the box on the back of their license, his or her family could override that decision. Now, once a person checks the box, that decision cannot be reversed by anyone except the individual.

"I didn't realize that there was a change," said Bob Kelly, sophomore in FAA, who reregistered Wednesday. "It's a good thing that the registration drive will inform more people about it."

On Wednesday, students visiting the registration table said they were in favor of the cause.

"I think a lot of people feel like they don't know enough about organ donation or they don't know how to actually go about it," Menter said. "This is a good opportunity for students to register if they already haven't."

Kelly said he believes the benefits of being a donor are obvious.

"If I'm in a state where I can't use my organs, I don't see why someone else can't," Kelly said. "If it can save someone else's life, then it's worth it in my mind."