Ridgewood High School
Sophomore Donor Awareness Committee
Ridgewood, Bergen County
In New Jersey, 1,200 people are in need of a heart, liver,
or kidney. They are among the 60,000 people nationwide awaiting donation
of a human organ. Without this ultimate gift of life, most often made possible
by a death, these people, too, shall die.
The best way for more organs to become available is for more people to donate them upon death. After two local youth died tragically, ten Ridgewood High School sophomores wanted to promote life. They decided to advocate the need for people to self-select themselves as potential donors, thus increasing the potential number of future recipients. Mentored by Janet Cangemi, they launched a donor awareness campaign on behalf of The New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network, based in Scotch Plains.
The 1997 campaign ran from September 9 to October 25, national "Make A Difference Day." After ten teams were formed and 200 friends and family recruited to assist, they split the town into ten quadrants. Walking door-to-door, reaching as many of Ridgewood's 25,000 residents as possible, the students urged neighbors to review packets containing literature, a donor card, and a pledge commitment to discuss the issue with family members. Over 7,000 donor cards and over 11,000 pledge forms were collected.
Reducing the misconceptions that prevent people from donating was a primary campaign goal. The number of cards and forms signed is testimony to Ridgewood's concern and open-mindedness on this issue, brought to light thanks to the efforts of the Ridgewood High School Sophomore Donor Awareness Committee:
Kacey Burde, Georgette Mitchell, Tara O'Neill, Krista
Pouliot, Jessica Rhoten, Morgen Wiss, Alyson Cangemi, Jennifer Dlugasch,
Meredith Grasso, Katie Henderson
The Sharing Network is a non-profit, federally certified organ procurement organization responsible for the recovery of organs and tissues for New Jersey residents currently awaiting transplantation. Formed in 1987 through the merger of three organizations, The Network has tripled the number of organs recovered in New Jersey. The Network is part of a national recovery system in place to serve the needs of all people on waiting lists across the country.