Michigan needs more registered organ donors, group says
Here's a look at some of the top health news being talked about around the U.S. and the world today:
• Michigan needs more organ donors and the state should ask individuals renewing their driver's licenses whether they would like to be on that registry, a state donor group is saying. According to Gift of Life Michigan, 23 percent of eligible Michigan residents are registered organ donors, the Detroit Free Press reported.
• As states across the country, including Michigan, wade into the pool of allowing use of medical marijuana, they are also still working out the murky waters of exactly how the new industry will be regulated. In Colorado, those dispensing medical marijuana say emerging regulations and a big learning curve among buyers and sellers make the medical marijuana business a lot more work than many might expect.
• Efforts to lower intake of fatty foods, add fruits and vegetables to the diet, and improve physical education in schools can help curb diabetes among at-risk middle school students, a government funded study found, it was reported in USA Today.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
Jennifer
Thu, Jul 8, 2010 : 1:22 p.m.
Nearly 1.9 million Michigan residents have joined the Michigan Organ Donor Registry to indicate their decision to become organ, tissue and eye donors. The Michigan Organ Donor Registry is a confidential database accessible 24/7 by Gift of Life Michigan and the Michigan Eye-Bank. There are no age limits to join people in their 90s have donated! People of all medical histories (including diabetes, cancer, hepatitis, etc.) can sign up on the Donor Registry. There is no cost to the family or estate. Sign up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry today at http://www.giftoflifemichigan.org, or call 800-482-4881 or visit any Secretary of State branch office. Michigan residents who join the Donor Registry will receive a red heart donor emblem for the front of their drivers license or state ID card, indicating that you have joined the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. Non-residents can also sign up, but will not receive a red heart emblem. Jennifer Tislerics Corporate Communications Gift of Life Michigan
David J Undis
Tue, Jun 29, 2010 : 3:45 p.m.
Your story about Organ Donation highlighted the tragic shortage of human organs for transplant operations. There are now over 108,000 people on the National Transplant Waiting List, with over 50% of these people dying before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year. There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage give donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die. Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs. Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. LifeSharers has over 13,900 members at this writing, including 409 members in Michigan. Please contact me - Dave Undis, Executive Director of LifeSharers - if your readers would like to learn more about our innovative approach to increasing the number of organ donors. I can arrange interviews with some of our local members if you're interested. My email address is daveundis@lifesharers.org. My phone number is 615-351-8622.