BANGOR, Maine — State and local leaders in Bangor are urging Mainers to embrace the season of giving by registering as organ donors.
At the Bangor Bureau of Motor Vehicles on Tuesday, New England Donor Services leaders, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Bangor City Council Chair Cara Pelletier, and more expressed gratitude to those who have died and helped to save lives with the donation of their organs.
In New England, nearly 6,000 people are currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
Advocates in Maine are working to meet this need by encouraging residents to add a red heart to their driver’s licenses or state IDs, signifying their commitment as organ donors.
"I received the gift of life on Nov. 15, 2012," Don Mitchell, who underwent a heart and kidney transplant after spending almost a year in the hospital, said.
Mitchell, now an ambassador for New England Donor Services at the Bangor BMV, said organ donation gave him a second chance at life, and the chance to pay this gift forward.
"I volunteer my time wherever possible, when I think there's a need that I can do some good," Mitchell said. "It's not about me. It's about receiving the organ, and it allows people like myself to be able to volunteer their time."
Mitchell spoke at the BMV, honoring those who have donated their organs and encouraging others to do the same, and help save a life.
"Getting your heart on your license means that you're a registered donor and you're providing hope and life for those personally touched by transplantation," Matt Boger, director of government relations for New England Donor Services, said.
According to New England Donor Services, donations from 549 deceased individuals last year saved 1,401 lives across the region.
In Maine, about 55 percent of residents are registered organ donors, but leaders hope to boost that number through education.
"We want everyone to know, it doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what your age is, or background—you can be an organ donor," Bellows said.
Leaders said they hope their efforts will help meet the need for organ transplants and save more lives like Don Mitchell's.
"It’s all about what somebody else needs and what you can do as a person to help them," Mitchell said.
Mainers can register as an organ donor when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state ID. Registration is also available online at registerme.org.