April is National Donate Life Month

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association was founded in April 1986 when residents of Bloomington, Indiana, rallied around a toddler who needed a liver transplant. In less than eight weeks, the community raised more than $100,000 to place the boy on the organ waiting list. Sadly, he died before an organ was found. Those community volunteers and his parents turned tragedy into triumph by using the funds to help other transplant families. That was the beginning, and those volunteers were COTA’s first Miracle Makers.

For nearly 40 years, thanks to the commitment of the men and women of The American Legion Family, COTA has assisted thousands of children and young adults by helping to raise funds for a lifetime of transplant-related expenses. Extensive volunteer networks across the nation are working to ensure that no child or young adult needing an organ or tissue transplant is excluded from a transplant waiting list due to lack of funds.

Last year, more than 46,000 organ transplants from both living and deceased donors were performed in the United States. However, 17 people die each day in the United States waiting for an organ transplant. Another person is added to the nation’s organ transplant waiting list every eight minutes. One organ donor can save eight lives and enhance over 75 more.

April is National Donate Life Month, and COTA is asking everyone within The American Legion Family to go to www.RegisterMe.org and register to be a designated organ and/or tissue donor.