According to organdonor.gov, currently 114,651 people are waiting for an organ, 18 people die each day waiting for an organ, and one organ donor can save up to eight lives. In order to solve this crisis, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook want to make it easier for Facebook users to become organ donors. Facebook has created a new feature that allows its users to announce that they are organ donors on their Facebook pages. In addition, Facebook provides its users with a link to Donate Life America to officially register as donors in their states of residence.

To set this up on your Facebook page, go to the health and wellness section under “Life Event” on your timeline. You may then enter that you have decided to be an organ donor and the state and country where you reside. There is also a place where you can add a story to tell why you have decided to become an organ donor. All of this information will be shared with your Facebook friends.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, California’s organ donation registry received an 800% boost in registrations after this new feature was added to Facebook. Although most donors in California are registered through their Department of Motor Vehicles driver’s license application (proof of which is a little pink “donor” dot on the driver’s license), the Facebook feature is making more people aware of the importance of organ donation and increasing the size of California’s donor population.

If you are a California resident and would like to register as an organ donor, you may register with Donate Life California or at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. Also, don’t forget to include your organ donation information in your Advance Health Care Directive.

Reference, Los Angeles Times, California gets boost in organ donors after Facebook update.

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