CARRINGTON, N.D. (CHI) – April is National Donate Life Month and throughout the month, CHI St. Alexius Health will create awareness about the importance of organ, tissue and eye donation.

Currently more than 3,000 people in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and the national waiting list holds the names of more than 108,000 men, women and children. Each day, 22 people die waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and a new name is added to the transplant waiting list every 10 minutes.

There are more people waiting for a life-saving transplant than there are donors, making it incredibly important for everyone who supports donation to register. One person can help heal up to 75 lives through organ and tissue donation. Organs that can be donated include heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestine. Tissues that can be donated to save and heal lives include skin, bone, veins, heart valves, connective tissue and eyes.

To kick-off the month long celebration, CHI St. Alexius will raise the Donate Life Month Flag in honor of donors, recipients, and their families on Thursday, April 1, 2021. The month will include employee registration drives, an employee blood drive, National Blue & Green Day on April 16, and participate in LifeSource’s 30-Day Donate Life Challenge, among other activities.

It is important to note that there are simple and easy ways for people in our community to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor. North Dakotans can register online through the ND Department of Transportation CLICK HERE. Residents can also register as a donor by checking the box on your driver’s license or state ID card application.

Please join CHI St. Alexius Health in honoring donors and their families by celebrating National Donate Life Month. To learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation, visit Life-Source.