The Secretary of State is recognizing the National Donor Sabbath this weekend.
National Donor Sabbath, held from Nov. 12-14 is an interfaith campaign, aimed at educating religious communities about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, in recognition of National Donor Sabbath, unveiled a new radio Public Service Announcement this week featuring a Joliet father who received five organs through donation.
Spokesperson Beth Kaufman says the annual event is meant to reach faith-based communities, emphasizing the importance of organ donation and dispelling any misconceptions.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, the majority of major religions support organ and tissue donation, including Catholicism, Protestantism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
Currently, almost 107,000 people are waiting for organs nationally. In Illinois, despite a registry of more than 7.2 million, approximately 4,000 people are on the waiting list.
To learn more about organ/tissue donation or to register to become a donor, visit www.LifeGoesOn.com or call the Secretary of State’s Organ/Tissue Donor Program at 800-210- 2106.
The virtual event commemorating National Donor Sabbath may be viewed at www.LifeGoesOn.com.