SAN ANTONIO, TX — Using vibrant colors from acrylic paints to pay homage to a favorite pastime in Hispanic families, Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), has unveiled a new campaign celebrating life and promoting the need for organ donors in Central and South Texas.
TOSA is the organ procurement organization that provides organ recovery services for individuals and families who want to save lives through the power of organ donation. Drawing inspiration from
lotería, also commonly known as Mexican bingo, TOSA has collaborated with a San Antonio-based artist to re-create a card of pictograms based on the topic of organ donation. The campaign encourages players to be courageous like the popular character
El Valiente and sign up with Donate Life Texas, the state's official registry for organ, eye and tissue donors.
In Texas, 11,000 children, women and men await a life-saving organ transplant. There is such a critical need for organ donors that 22 people die each day because an organ wasn't available in time to save their lives. However, a single donor can save eight lives and impact the lives of more than 75 others through eye and tissue donation.
"Individuals who make the decision to be life-saving donors and the families who make the choice on behalf of their loved one show tremendous courage when giving others a second chance at life through organ donation," said TOSA CEO Dr. Joseph Nespral. "Re-creating the
lotería card celebrates the power we all have to save lives."
Other featured pictograms include
La Mariposa, or the butterfly, which illustrates the renewal of life via donation,
El Niño, or the child, which symbolizes the 2,000 pediatric patients on the U.S. transplant waiting list and
La Mano, the hand, which represents the need for the community to support those waiting for a life saving organ transplant by joining the Donate Life Texas registry.
Art from
¡Sea Valiente y Done Vida! was created by Janie Villarreal McClinchie who has a special connection to organ donation. In 2013, her relative Krizia Keiser of Laredo saved three lives as a registered organ donor.
"I love sharing my art to share a special message," McClinchie said. "Krizia was probably the first family member to be a registered donor and her gift has given life to others. That inspired me to sign up. I am doing this in her honor to continue what she felt was important and share this message with the Latino community."
TOSA will host
lotería games throughout Central and South Texas, giving participants a chance to take home art from the campaign and also sign up as life-saving organ, eye and tissue donors.
Texans are encouraged to register at the Texas Department of Public Safety or the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. For information on organ donation, community initiatives or to register online, visit TOSA1.org.