MIAMI, March 11, 2020, — Miami Dade College’s (MDC) will illuminate its historic Freedom Tower blue and green, at sunset, Friday, April 17, in observance of National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, an initiative to bring awareness to organ, eye, and tissue donation.
On National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, the public is encouraged to wear blue and green, hold events, and collaborate with local restaurants, stores, media and community organizations to bring attention to this cause. This event offers hope to the 113,000 men, women, and children across the country waiting for a lifesaving transplant. In Florida, there are more than 5,000 men, women, and children waiting for an organ transplant. On average, 22 people die each day due to lack of available organs – almost one person dying every hour. In addition, every 10 minutes a new name is added to the transplant waiting list.
Blue & Green Day is part of National Donate Life Month, an annual event to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation and to share the importance of registering one’s decision to be a donor, pay tribute to deceased and living donors, and celebrate the lifesaving and healing gift of transplantation.
Registering is fast and easy through the Medical ID tab within the iPhone Health app or at DonateLifeFlorida where those interested in becoming donors can make their wishes known. They will also find legal, first-person authorization for organs to be donated, which removes the burden of decision-making from families. Joining the registry can also be done when applying for a Florida state ID card or driver’s license. For more information or to register as a donor, visit www.donatelifeflorida.org.
About South Florida Donor Programs: The South Florida Donor Programs are a group of donation organizations that partner to promote the positive message of organ, eye, and tissue donation throughout the community. These organizations include Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, Legacy Donor Services Foundation, Florida Lions Eye Bank and the University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank. These organizations work together during the year, but especially in April to host community-wide events with the cohesive message “you have the power to save lives by registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.”
For more information please contact Nicole Lergier, Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, 786-300-5890, nlergier@med.miami.edu or Patricia Darrigan, Legacy Donor Services Foundation, 305-606-2677, pdarrigan@legacydsfoundation.com
WHAT: MDC to Illuminate Freedom Tower in Colors of National Donate Life Blue & Green Day
WHEN: Friday, April 17, at sunset
WHERE: MDC’s Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd.