UNOS DonateLife

April 18, 2003

Organ and Tissue Donors Honored on National Donor Memorial Web Site

Richmond, Va. -- Organ and tissue donor families, transplant recipients and others who have been touched by donation may now honor their loved one or donor on the National Donor Memorial Web site, www.donormemorial.org.
 
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is building both a physical garden and a virtual component of the National Donor Memorial to honor organ and tissue donors in this country, highlight the impact of their gift of life on the lives of so many others and underscore the critical importance of increasing organ donation.

A new 'Tributes' section on the donor memorial Web site allows visitors to view existing tributes or create  new ones. After signing up, visitors who wish to honor an organ donor can create memorial pages that tell that person's "story."  Tributes can include words; scanned photos or other images that commemorate the organ donor's life; and his or her passions, favorite places or cherished events.  Tools to further customize a tribute include choosing the page layout style and background color. 

The site also offers a virtual tour and written description of the National Donor Memorial being built at the UNOS' headquarters in Richmond, Va., as well as a calendar of events and news about the memorial.

A private, nonprofit organization, UNOS manages the nation's organ transplant system and oversees the world's most comprehensive database of clinical transplant information under contract with the federal government.  UNOS operates the 24-hour computerized organ sharing system, matching donated organs to patients registered on the national organ transplant waiting list.  UNOS seeks to increase organ donation through education and improve transplant success rates through outcomes-based research and policymaking.  Transplant scientists and health officials recognize UNOS-developed technology applications as the international model for organ sharing.