LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Michigan Department of State is marking April as Donate Life Month, urging residents to join the state’s organ donor registry and potentially save lives with a single decision.

A simple choice, a lifesaving impact.

State officials say joining the registry only takes minutes – but the impact can last a lifetime. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, while a tissue donor can help as many as 75 people.

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Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie called the decision “extraordinary,” noting that thousands of patients are still waiting for transplants across Michigan and the country.

The need is urgent.

According to Gift of Life Michigan, more than 2,700 people in Michigan are currently waiting for a transplant. Nationally, about 13 people die each day waiting for an organ. In 2025 alone, more than 214,000 Michiganders joined the registry. That same year, 478 people became organ donors, leading to over 1,200 transplants statewide.

How to sign up.

The Michigan Organ Donor Registry is a confidential database documenting a person’s decision to donate. Residents can sign up online, at a Secretary of State branch office, on self-service kiosks, or even when filing state taxes.

Officials also encourage people to discuss their decision with family members – so when the time comes, there’s no question about their wishes.