Dr. Oz featured in New York organ donation public service campaign VIDEO

In an effort to increase the number of  people enrolled in the New York State Donate Life Registry for organ donations, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the TV/Celebrity heart surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz will be featured in Public Service Announcements (PSA) to be run on TV and radio stations statewide, according to a press release from the Governor’s office today.

Dr. Oz
Image/Video Screen Shot

The  host of The Dr. Oz Show will be featured in the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) PSA,  “Go the Extra Mile, Become an Organ Donor” campaign.

“Traveling across the state, I know firsthand that New Yorkers are some of most compassionate and selfless people you can meet,” Governor Cuomo said. “As we kick off National Donate Life month, I encourage New Yorkers to join the New York State Donate Life Registry to become an organ donor and help save lives. I also thank Dr. Oz for giving his time to participate in our PSAs to help spread the word across the state.”

Dr. Oz said, “Throughout my years as a surgeon in New York, I’ve performed hundreds of life-saving heart transplants. But I’ve also seen countless lives lost because we couldn’t get the organs needed to perform these miraculous operations.” Dr. Oz asks New Yorkers to “Rally together and help make a difference in saving lives.”

One organ donor can save up to eight lives and improve the lives of up to 50 people by donating organs, tissues and corneas. Anyone over age 18 can sign up to be a potential organ donor, regardless of their medical history. Being an organ donor does not interfere with medical care or funeral preparations, and there is no cost to the donor or the donor’s family. New Yorkers can sign up to be organ donors quickly and conveniently online through MyDMV, in person at any DMV office, or by filling out and mailing a donor form to the Department of Health.

Nearly 10,000 New Yorkers are waiting for a life-saving transplant, and every 13 hours another New Yorker dies while waiting for a transplant. Yet, only 20 percent of New Yorkers age 18 and over have enrolled in the NYS Donate Life Registry compared to the nationwide average of 42 percent., according to the release.

The  two time Emmy Award-winning heart surgeon and Harvard Medical School graduate’s  production company produced the PSA. The PSAs were entirely funded by donations.