Joy Greenwald, Townsquare Media
Joy Greenwald, Townsquare Media
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The Wyoming Department of Health is encouraging residents to sign up as designated organ donors.

Wyoming Cares/Wyoming Shares Program Manager Cherame Serrano says 182 Wyoming residents are waiting for organ transplants, most of which are kidney patients.

"Even though Wyoming has a high percentage of people who are designated organ donors, we still have only about 25% of our people who are on a waiting list who are going to actually get an organ this year," said Serrano. "So we're very interested in increasing the number of people who say 'yes' up front in hopes that more Wyoming residents will get those organs that they need to enjoy a better quality of life."

According to Donate Life America, Wyoming ranked in seventh place for donor designation rate with 59.5% in 2014.

"Wyoming has a tremendous record of being designated organ donors, but we're not at the top and I would like to see us there," said Serrano.

Serrano says anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race or medical history.

"One donor can help save up to eight lives through organ donation and help heal more than 100 others through tissue and eye donation," said Serrano.

Residents can check their driver’s license to see if they are already included in Wyoming’s donor registry. Wyoming licenses issued in recent years have a small double red heart symbol in the upper right hand area to indicate donor designation.

If you're not on the registry you can sign up when applying for or renewing a driver's license, register on-line at donatelifewyoming.org or request a mail-in registration form by calling 307-777-3527.

Serrano notes all major religions in the United States support organ, eye and tissue donation and an open casket funeral remains an option for donors. Those wishing to donate only certain organs and/or tissue may list restrictions in the donor registry.

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