Sharon Aron Baron
David and Janet Weinstein, both kidney recipients, love to travel and share the lifesaving message of organ, tissue, and eye donation wherever they go.
Their cars proudly display decals promoting the donation cause, and thanks to 2020 legislation granting the opportunity, they hope to add a Donate Life Florida specialty license plate to their vehicles soon, so they can save lives while they drive.
Legislation allowing for a specialty plate representing Donate Life Florida, which oversees the state’s organ, tissue, and eye donor registry, requires the presale of 3,000 license plate vouchers within a 24-month timeframe before production can begin.
“We purchased two plate vouchers online,” said David, “There is such a need for organ donation. Unless someone in your family needs an organ transplant, you may not really be conscious of the need. Getting the license plate will be a way for more people to be aware of donation.”
David and Janet understand the need firsthand, as both of them suffered from Polycystic Kidney Disease before receiving a second chance at life, which so far has provided them with a combined 32 additional years of renewed health.
“We are so thankful for our organ donors and their families. Having the opportunity to display this plate would be a way for us to honor them. It’s our way of saying thank you and sharing with others that organs are needed, ” said David.
From each Donate Life Florida license plate purchased, $25 will support donation education across the state and help manage the donor registry, said Ashley Moore, chairwoman of Donate Life Florida.
The Donate Life Florida specialty plate voucher is $33. It can be conveniently purchased from anywhere in the state, online at Donate Life Florida, thanks to the support of the St. Lucie County Tax Collector office or in person during a scheduled appointment at a local tax collector or driver’s license office.
There are more than 107,000 patients awaiting organ transplants across the nation, and of those, more than 5,000 are listed at transplant centers in Florida. For more information on how you can purchase the Donate Life Florida specialty plate voucher or how to register to become a donor, visit www.DonateLifeFlorida.org.
Donate Life Florida specialty plate
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