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Local Organ Donation Program Recorded Highest Level Of Donations In 2016

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The tri-state region has helped a local non-profit reach a milestone in the history of organ donation. The Gift of Life recorded more than 5-hundred organ donations in 2016.

Gift of Life President and CEO Howard Nathan said the people in this region are very aware of the benefits of organ donation, and that may be one reason for the record setting number.

Nathan explains how one body can benefit many.

"One organ donor can benefit eight people, and save their life literally. And one tissue donor can change the lives of up to 70-people."

He said tissues involve skin, bone, corneas and heart valves and they can be harvested up to 24-hours after death. Anyone who is interested in becoming a donor can do it online.

"You can actually link right to your driver's license in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware and become an organ donor in less than 30-seconds."

That site is Donors1.org.

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