Sarnia's Organ Donor Awareness Group has almost reached its community challenge goal of 50% for registration rates.
Chair Sue Morrison-Weir says organ and tissue donor registration rates have hit 47% in Sarnia and 48% in Lambton County.
"There are eight communities in northern Ontario that have reached a registration rate of over 50%," says Morrison-Weir. "For a couple of years now we've had a community challenge going on where we would like to be the first community in southwestern Ontario to get to a 50% registration rate."
"I happened to noticed that there's a couple of other communities that are sneaking up on us, so if we're going to do this we need to get to it."
Morrison-Weir says 30% of Ontario residents are registered to be organ and tissue donors.
She says there are currently 1,525 people in Ontario waiting for an organ transplant.
Morrison-Weir says many people still carry organ donor cards in their wallets which are no longer valid.
She says you can register or check to see if you are registered online at www.beadonor.ca/SODA or at a Service Ontario office.
If you are already registered your Ontario health card should say DONOR on the back.
SODA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation through education, awareness and exposure in the community.
