Minnesotans Embrace New Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registration Option

In first year, 32,350 Minnesotans registered to be a donor on their hunting and fishing licenses

MINNEAPOLIS – LifeSource, the nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have completed the first year of successfully integrating organ, eye and tissue donor registration with the online hunting and fishing license purchase system. The new registration system is a collaborative effort between LifeSource and the Department of Natural Resources and went live on March 1, 2017. In that time, 32,350 Minnesotans embraced this new way to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor. The Minnesota Legislature passed the law during the 2016 session on a bipartisan vote, making Minnesota the first state in the country to offer its residents the opportunity to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor when purchasing their hunting and fishing licenses online.

“Minnesota continues to be a leader when it comes to donation, with 63% of adults registered as donors,” shared LifeSource CEO Susan Gunderson. “We are the first state in the country to allow anglers and hunters to register their decision to be a donor when purchasing their licenses online, illustrating the dedication of our leaders in embracing the mission of donation.”

The 32,350 people who registered as a donor is equal to 34% of Minnesotans who purchased their hunting and fishing licenses online in the last year. More than 2.5 million Minnesotans are registered as donors, most of whom did so when purchasing or renewing their driver’s license, which typically happens once every four years. However, people must purchase their hunting and fishing licenses annually, providing more opportunities for people to register as a donor. This new, annual, opportunity may thus lead to more lives being saved through the gifts of organ, eye and tissue donation.

“Seeing our community embrace this new way to register is incredibly moving,” continued Gunderson. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the dedicated team at the DNR and our legislative champions who are always looking for new ways to encourage Minnesotans to register to be a donor. We all hope that more people continue to check the box each year when purchasing their hunting and fishing licenses online.”

Even with the generosity of Minnesotans who say yes to donation, and the continued efforts of LifeSource and partner organizations, nearly 3,000 people in Minnesota continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant. For more information about donation or to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor, visit DonateLifeMN.org.