Louisiana's organ donor registry has received a national silver medal for achieving four of five goals set by Donate Life America.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana's organ donor registry has received a national silver medal for achieving four of five goals set by Donate Life America.
Donate Life Louisiana ended 2011 with 56 percent of all licensed drivers and 58 percent of all residents over the age of 17 registered as donors. And registered donors made up 52 percent of all people who died with organs or tissue acceptable for donation.
The national group wants registered donors to make up at least half of licensed drivers and ID card holders, and of residents who are at least 18 years old. Its other three goals are to have registered make up 40 percent of the people who die with viable organs, tissue or corneas.
Louisiana was among 12 states that received silver medals for meeting four of five goals, said Donate Life Louisiana spokeswoman Kirsten Heintz. Ten states got gold medals for reaching all five. Four got bronze medals for meeting three.
Awards were presented in October at Donate Life America's National State Team Leader Meeting in Grapevine, Texas.
Donate Life Louisiana is made up of the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency, the Louisiana Hospital Association, the Office of Motor Vehicles, the National Kidney Foundation, Legacy Donor Foundation, Baton Rouge Regional Eye Bank, Southern Eye Bank, Louisiana Lion's Eye Bank and Ochsner Medical Center.