SAN ANTONIO, TX
�� August 14, 2017 — Drawing inspiration from Rosie the Riveter, Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), the agency providing organ donation and recovery services for families in Central and South Texas, is reaching out to women to increase the percentage of registrants with Donate Life Texas, the official registry for organ, eye and tissue donors.
"Women make 80 percent of major healthcare decisions according to the U.S. Department of Labor, so we know it's important to seek out women and talk with them directly about the power we each have to save and impact lives as organ and tissue donors," said TOSA Communications Director Michelle Segovia. "We want the women in our area to feel empowered by the potential they have to save lives and we want them to exercise their influence by registering and sharing their decision with others."
Rosie the Riveter was a cultural icon that represented female factory workers in World War II. The symbol that was part of a women's power movement is widely known for its bright yellow background with the line "We Can Do It!" and was created by Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller in 1942.
TOSA enlisted the help of its volunteers to help create the message. The volunteers come from different ethnic backgrounds and feature a donor mom, a recipient and a living donor.
"I am forever grateful to my organ donor and I have the power to save lives by educating others on the importance of donation," said kidney recipient Leticia Kappel.
As TOSA's mission is to save lives through the power of organ donation, the
We Have the Power campaign will use the images of women who have been impacted by organ, eye and tissue donation to spread the Donate Life message in Central and South Texas.
In Texas, currently 11,000 children, women and men area awaiting a life-saving organ transplant while thousands more await a tissue transplant. There is such a critical need for organ donors that today 20 people will die 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 over 75 others through eye and tissue donation.
Texans are encouraged to register online at TOSA1.org or at Texas Department of Public Safety or the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. For more information on organ donation and community initiatives, contact TOSA at 866-685-0277 or visit TOSA's website.