Donating Your Organs

Have you updated your organ donor registration? If you have not since January 1, 2006, it may be out-of-date.

Go to www.DonateLifeIllinois.org for a quick, 30-second re-registration. Thanks to Scott, who posted this valuable update requirement on the Advance Directive article.

The first thing I did was check the dog-eared, worn-out organ donation card I've carried around in my wallet for - how long? What? 1990? And then I checked the back of my driver's license, and right there was my signature and a 2005 date.

I had to search around on the website to find the line indicating that the Illinois Secretary of State is one of the participating sponsors of the site, but it's there.

OK, now you don't have to hurry to be an organ donor, but you should hurry to that website and register to be one! This thought reminded me of a license plate I saw a while back on a motorcycle in Hoffman Estates: ORG DNR. In some circles that's supposed to be a joke about motorcycle riders. Not this one, though.

So if you really want to be an organ donor (when the time comes), get right on over to that website and register. It's quick and easy. Just have your driver's license number handy.