PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano proclaimed April Donate Life Month in Parsippany while standing on the front steps of Town Hall flanked by Parsippany members of the Morris County Organ Transplant/Donate Life Group, Boy Scout Troop 72, Venture Crew 890, NJ Sharing Network staff, Team Liberty members and Council Members Paul Carifi, Jr., Janice McCarthy, Emily Peterson, Michael dePierro and Loretta Gragnani.
Immediately following the proclamation presentation, the Boy Scouts and Venture Crew went to work putting green ribbons up on trees on the grounds. They were supported by the Mayor and Council and Transplant Group members. Their next stop was North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha and the town library branches. This is the 22nd year Parsippany Boy Scouts have participated in the green ribbon campaign to bring awareness to the lifesaving gift of organ and tissue donation.
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany participate in the project as well with four of their members who are recipients and one who is a living donor.
There are currently 25 Parsippany residents waitlisted for transplant, 188 in Morris County and 4,000 in New Jersey according to the NJ Sharing Network. One organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can restore health to over 75 people. Over 115,000 men and women across the country are on the organ donor wait list according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
Click here to register to be an organ donor
The proclamation is on display at the Main Branch of the Parsippany Library on Halsey Rd, along with NJ Sharing Network and Donate Life Month materials and green ribbons.
The Morris County Transplant/Donate Life Group meets monthly in Parsippany. Members have had kidney, heart, liver, lung, pancreas, cornea and tissue/bone transplants, are on the wait list, living donors, donor families, health care professionals as well as family and friends. New members always welcome.
The group next meets on April 3 with a Donate Life Month celebration. The May meeting is on May 1 and the topic for discussion is the 2020 Transplant Games. For more information on the group call (973) 984-6966 or e-mail mcorgantransplantgroup@gmail.com. Meetings are at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Parsippany Police Complex. All meetings, as well as other NJ Sharing Network activities, can be found by clicking here.
NJ Sharing Network is the non-profit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organ and tissue for those in need of a life-saving transplant. For more information on the NJ Sharing Network, including upcoming events click here or call (908) 516-5400.
