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About Donation
Your Decision will Enhance and Save Lives
The decision to donate your eyes and tissue after your death may not seem necessary to you now, but for the nearly 10,000 people in New York State and 100,000-plus people nationwide waiting for the Gift of Life, your choice will truly make a difference.
Facts About Donation
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- A donor’s family does not incur any costs associated with eye and tissue recovery
- All major religions approve of donation and consider it an act of charity
- The quality of medical and nursing care will not change if you decide to be a donor
- Recovery of eye and tissue for transplant is done using standard surgical procedures. The donation process in most cases neither delays funeral arrangements nor prevents families from having an open casket viewing
- Eyes and tissue should be recovered as soon as possible, with eyes being the most time-sensitive
- Eye and tissue donation should not be included in a Will, as eyes and tissue must be recovered long before a Will can be probated
- Organizations such as the Donor Family Network and the CNY Chapter of the Transplant Awareness Group (TAG) provide innumerable services including invaluable support systems to donor families and donation recipients
Donor Family Support
Support for donor families is available throughout the donation process. Our Family Services Department’s Family Support Staff is in contact with families throughout the process of obtaining consent to donate. The department offers bereavement support services, including referral to local counseling, and personalized services to families that consent to donation. Upon request, the department informs donor families of the use of donated tissue and facilitates communication between donor families and recipients. Our service also invites participation in “Quilted Memories,” our donor appreciation quilt, and honors donor families each year with a recognition ceremony and related events. Support can continue for a year after donation (or longer, as needed). In addition, our donor families serve as advisers to our Family Services Department.
Becoming a Donor
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Discuss your wish to donate, and make clear your intentions, with your family. Then, enroll in the NY State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. In order for your Donate Life Organ and Tissue Donor Registry Enrollment Form to be filed as a legal document with the New York State Department of Health, we ask that you please print out the form, fill out all the required information, and sign at the bottom. Please mail your completed enrollment form directly to the address provided on the form.
Donate Life Organ and Tissue Donor Registry:
Download the PDF file
For more information about CNYETB’s tissue recovery, call 315-476-0199, ext 3975