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Aiming To Save Lives, Facebook Lets Users Show 'Organ Donor Status'

By Melony Roy

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Facebook reveals its new "life saving" feature.

The social networking site is allowing its 900 million users to share their organ donor status in an effort to spread awareness.

Locally, there are more than 6,500 people waiting for an organ donation.  John Green, director of community relations at the Gift of Life donor program, is excited about this new campaign.

"To really have people talk about organ donation, to have them put it on their timeline and to tell their stories... that's what motivates people to register as organ donors," he tells KYW Newsradio.

To add your organ donor status to your Facebook timeline, add a new "Life Event."  From there, scroll down to the "Health & Wellness" section and choose "Organ Donor."

If you're not an organ donor and would like to be one, Facebook also has a link that will let you sign up to become one in your state through Donate Life America, a nonprofit organization partnering with Facebook.

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