(January 8, 2024 – Piscataway, NJ) – Donate Life America presented its prestigious 2023 Excellence in Youth Education Award to Piscataway High School’s (PHS) Donate life Club (DLC) for its outstanding efforts in raising awareness about the importance of saving and enhancing lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The DLC student members worked throughout the year to educate their fellow classmates and community residents about organ and tissue donation, plan volunteer events to support NJ Sharing Network, and inspire people to register as organ and tissue donors. Divakaran Manimaran, a senior at PHS and president and founder of the PHS DLC, led the club’s efforts in organizing various events and activities on-campus and in the local community. The impact of these efforts was multiplied by the creative development of social media pages, printed flyers, advertisements, and a local news media editorial. Other efforts mobilized students to share ‘real talk’ discussions with family members and community residents to help dispel many myths and misconceptions about organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
Currently, there are over 100,000 Americans – nearly 4,000 of whom live in New Jersey – waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, according to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Just one organ and tissue donor can save 8 lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others. To learn more, get involved, and join the National Donate Life Registry as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
