February 14th is "National Donor Day"

National Donor Day was implemented in 1998 and is supported by the US Department of Health and Human Services. In Mississippi, most people on the transplant wait list are in need of a kidney. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, 1033 on the wait list needed a kidney specifically last year.

Donor Day, is also intended to recognize the need for tissue donations. Belinda Lane is the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency. She says that just one donor can save multiple people.

"We have over 1300 people that are currently on the waiting list," she says." One organ donor can save up to eight lives and one tissue donor can save over 75 people."

On its website, MORA has volunteer opportunities and a link to sign up for the organ donation registry. Lane says a lot of her outreach happens at local high schools, educating young adults on the importance of organ donation.

The largest percent of our registration for donors come through the driver's license stations," she says. "So we usually share this information with those particular age groups on a regular basis, especially when school is in because we're trying to educate students about the importance of organ eye and tissue donation."

Residents must 18 years old to register as an organ donor in Mississippi. Younger residents need a parent or guardian's consent.