The impact of a single action, decision or person can be felt by many

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is proud to again join with the dedicated team at Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) to celebrate National Donate Life Month. Last year 865 people received the gift of life because other individuals understood the impact registering as a donor could have for recipients and their families.

Recently, the team from the South Mountain MVD office helped raise the Donate Life flag in celebration of this month. “What we're really here to celebrate is the incredible capacity for human kindness and generosity,” said Julia Young with DNA.

During the ceremony, MVD employees heard about both sides of donation to understand the importance and value that giving or receiving of an organ can have for the donor recipient as well as their family and friends. “We are focused on efficiency, it would be really easy to say, ‘Can we take this question off because I don’t want to have to explain it and it would speed up my transaction time by a little bit?’” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “So hearing these stories helps us keep in mind the important reason that we take a couple seconds to ask this question.”

Geriece Hightower received new lungs because of the actions and responses of many people, one decision at a time. Her husband did not accept the advice from the medical team that his wife needed to get her affairs in order; instead, he talked with another medical professional who listened and was able to help. That person led to another individual decision and so on until she was placed on the organ transplant waiting list and a single phone call later delivered the life saving news that a donor matched her perfectly allowing for her lifesaving surgery. 

“One conversation can make the difference; in not just numbers but stories,” said Geriece Hightower. “Your one individual act, one MVD office, is the difference between a bunch of statistics versus a story.”

The decision to become a donor is a personal one, and that single decision by one person can impact up to 75 people. One such decision had to be made by Evan’s mother, Melinda Hershkowitz after her son fell ill and passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. 

“I had a phone call while I was laying in the (hospital) bed with him and they asked if I was willing to have him be a donor because he could save countless lives,” said Melinda Hershkowitz. “Without hesitation, I said yes ‘cause I couldn’t let his tragedy end that way. I am beyond blessed that Donate Life stepped into our lives and he was capable of saving so many others and it's not just the recipient that is being saved, it is their families and their loved ones.”

For nearly two decades, ADOT MVD and DNA have partnered to educate people about organ and tissue donation and make it easy to register. Today, more than 4.5 million Arizonans are registered donors and about 95% of donor registrations occur when a person applies for or renews their Arizona driver license or state ID card.

“All important things are a balance of joy and pain,” said Eric Jorgensen. “And I can’t be more proud of the work we do to make it possible to turn pain into joy.”

“So thank you Donate Life so much, you have no idea what this has brought to us,” said Melinda Hershkowitz. “We lost someone we loved dearly, but I know those families when they saw somebody walk in and actually give them good news and let them know their loved one is going to live changed their lives forever. To think of all the lives he saved is just, there’s no words for it, and Donate Life has been truly amazing.”

Visit DonateLifeAZ.org to learn more about organ and tissue donation and register as a donor.