Organ Donation: You're Never Too Old To Sign Up!

Think you're "too old" to sign up to be an organ donor? Think again. That's the message of a new campaign by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), in partnership with the Administration on Aging and the National Institutes of Health which encourages post 50s to register for organ, eye and tissue donation. .

Nearly a quarter of people 65 and older thought they were too old to donate an organ, according to a Gallup survey, but age does not make you ineligible to sign up. The campaign will consist of brochures (in English and Spanish), an article, radio and print public service announcements and web banners. Organdonor.gov currently features testimonials to the success and importance of organ donation from older Americans, as well as facts and information about donation and becoming a donor specifically for people over 50.

Eighteen people die each day in the U.S. waiting for an organ -- and more than 114,000 are on the waiting list, according to Organdonor.gov. Facebook recently highlighted the donor shortage, allowing users to post their decision to donate on their profiles.