A NEW STATE LAW TAKING EFFECT IN 2018 WILL LET 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS SIGN UP TO BECOME ORGAN DONORS.
LOWERING THE AGE FROM 18 WILL LET THOUSANDS OF TEENS JOIN THE STATE’S ALREADY LARGE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONOR REGISTRY SAYS SECRETARY OF STATE JESSE WHITE.
SECRETARY WHITE SAYS 47-HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE ON THE WAITING LIST IN ILLINOIS AND ABOUT 300 DIE EACH YEAR BECAUSE A TRANSPLANT DIDN’T COME IN TIME. HE EXPLAINS HOW THE LAW WILL WORK.
WHITE’S OFFICE ESTIMATES THIS CHANGE COULD POTENTIALLY ADD 350 THOUSAND MORE NAMES TO THE STATE’S ORGAN DONOR REGISTRY.