Mayor Sarno, state officials, New England Donor Services, and local heart recipient Hal Etkin join to celebrate National Organ Donor Day at City Hall: City of Springfield, Massachusetts

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno speaks at City Hall on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, with Matt Boger of New England Donor Services, state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, motor vehicle registration officials, and locals touched by organ donation. We reunited with our people to celebrate National Donor Day. and the tremendous impact donors have on our community. Representatives from state Rep. Orlando Ramos’ office and state Sen. Jake Olivera’s office also attended.

Mayor Sarno himself is registered as an organ donor. He said: “You can make someone or a family member feel better or you can save someone’s life. You can’t put a price tag on that. Share your inspiring story and talk about organ donation and what it means to you. Thank you to everyone who told us about this. I am a registered organ donor and am proud to have a heart symbol on my driver’s license. I know that my chances of needing an organ transplant are greater than my chances of donating one. Registering is a small act and costs nothing, but it costs me a lot to get on a waiting list. It means so much to the individual who is living with the disease and their family, who know that every moment they spend together is precious. We encourage you to learn more about organ donation and to register. Spread the love!”

National Donor Day is recognized as the same as Valentine’s Day and is marked as a day to care for others and share your heart. It’s time to honor organ donors and recognize the incredible impact of their lifesaving gifts. At today’s ceremony, local individual Hal Etkin joined the donor’s father to share how important organ donation is to both of them. Richard Teehan traveled from Plymouth, Massachusetts today to talk about how his son’s heart lives on in Hull and how much his decision to become an organ donor means to so many people. Shared what it is. Many people gathered at City Hall today to speak about the importance of organ donation, including organ donors, donor families, and people on waiting lists.

The majority of individuals who register as organ and tissue donors in Massachusetts do so with the state Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). Once you enroll in MA, a heart symbol will appear on your driver’s license/ID/REAL ID to indicate you are an organ donor. Click here to learn more about organ donation and how to register. Mass.gov/Organ Donor

In New England in 2023, 549 deceased donors donated organs, resulting in 1,401 lifesaving transplants. This record level of clinical activity ranks New England Donor Services among the top four organ procurement organizations in the country in donor volume.

New England Donor Services is the parent organization of the New England Organ Bank, the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) responsible for coordinating organ and tissue donations in six New England states. Learn the facts about organ donation registration.