September 21, 2007

Thanks so much to Geoff Folsom for his story about Abel Marquez being an organ donor. The sensitivity with which he covered the story was evident and appreciated.

I would like to urge everyone in Odessa to take a moment to consider registering to become an organ donor in Texas. It’s a lot simpler than people may think.

Thanks to the new Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry, our state now has an official donor registry. By going to www.donatelifetexas.org, people can learn more about becoming a donor.

Signing up online or registering when you renew your driver license at the Department of Public Safety is easy. The registry is the only official and legal way to declare yourself a donor in the state of Texas. If your name is on the registry, your wish to be a donor cannot be overturned.

In Texas, there are more than 7,000 people waiting for an organ transplant. I hope everyone will take time today to register their wish to be a donor, and to let family members know that they want to be a lifesaver.

One person’s generosity can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance another 50 lives through tissue donation.

Pam Silvestri

Southwest Transplant Alliance