Our BMV Partners on the Front Lines of Donation
Our Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV) partners are crucial to saving lives. In fact, 95 percent of registered organ, eye and tissue donors in Ohio signed up at the BMV. It is my responsibility to make sure these agencies have all the information and support they need while on the front lines of donation.
I try to visit all 61 agencies in our service area a few times a year and, most recently, facilitated a ‘Season of Giving’ initiative to connect with the Deputy Registrar locations.
The campaign’s goal was to recognize agencies for registering the most new organ, eye and tissue donors across the state. Each visit allowed me the opportunity to thank our Deputy Registrar partner and to answer questions for the staff. Then each employee got to meet someone who has a personal connection to donation to reinforce the importance of asking every customer if they would like to register as a donor. Volunteers from all over our service area joined me-whether they were a donor family member, a recipient, a living donor or a family member of someone who has been touched by donation.
I’m grateful that the BMV in the state of Ohio is so supportive of organ and tissue donation. We’re also lucky that so many of the Deputy Registrar clerks are outspoken supporters of donation.
Many of them have shared with me what an impact meeting local people touched by donation has made on their lives, both personally and professionally.
The BMV makes a big impact on Ohioans by registering organ and tissue donors. I encourage you to take a moment when you are at your local Deputy Registrar agency to thank the clerk behind the counter for registering donors. They appreciate your time and gratitude. Let’s make 2011 an entire “Season of Giving” when it comes to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles! They are an integral part of the donation process and many lives have been saved due to them asking one simple question to their customer: “Do you want to be an organ and tissue donor?”
– Lauren Fitting, community outreach coordinator