MVC Partners with Organ Donor Community to Share the Gift of Life

TRENTON — With more than 122,000 people across the country waiting to receive a life-saving organ transplant, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) has joined with the state’s organ procurement organizations during Donate Life Month to raise awareness and boost the donor rolls.
“Many are not aware that the MVC and other motor vehicle agencies are responsible for 97 percent of all organ donor registrations nationwide,” noted MVC Chairman and Chief Administrator Raymond Martinez. “While we are proud of these numbers, the nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents waiting for an organ transplant cannot afford for us to become complacent.”
Chairman and Chief Administrator Martinez will be participating in several events during April to promote the importance of this life-saving practice, including an appearance at the Liberty Science Center’s “Live from Surgery” Exhibit featuring a live-stream of a kidney transplant operation on April 25. Additionally, he will be traveling to a number of MVC agencies throughout the state to thank staff for their efforts to register new donors.
“Registering as an organ and tissue donor is an important way to give hope to those in need of this life-saving gift. It is also important that registered donors talk about this decision with family and friends,” said Joseph Roth, president and CEO of NJ Sharing Network. “We are grateful for the MVC’s continued partnership in our life-saving mission.”
The MVC has taken steps to make it easier for customers to register as an organ and tissue donor during driver license and non-driver ID transactions. In 2016, new customer-facing keypads were installed in all MVC agencies that allow for customers to personally indicate and confirm their desire to register as a donor. This helps to ensure that the customer’s wishes are accurately and efficiently recorded, and eliminates the need for an MVC employee to manually input this information. In addition to the several transactions that can be completed online already, MVC customers can register as an organ donor by visiting www.njmvc.gov. Customers can also request a paper registration form by calling (609) 292-6500.
“The impact of just one organ and tissue donor is far-reaching, potentially saving the lives of eight others through organ donation and numerous others through tissue donation,” said Howard M. Nathan, President and CEO, Gift of Life Donor Program. “Through our strong partnerships with the region’s MVC’s, we are able to educate the community about the life-saving power of donation, encourage individuals to register, and ultimately save more lives.