Community Corner

Los Gatos Observes DMV/Donate Life California Month

Los Gatos couple accepts a proclamation from Mayor Joe Pirzynski for the month of April.

Sean O'Rourke knew that without a kidney he was going to die.

So his wife, Virginia, performed a great sacrifice. On June 30, 2009, she allowed doctors at UCSF Medical Center to remove one of her kidneys to save his life.

On Monday evening, the Los Gatos couple accepted a proclamation from Mayor Joe Pirzynski proclaiming April as DMV/Donate Life California Month and encouraged residents to check "yes" when applying or renewing their driver's licenses and identification cards or sign up on the state registry—donateLIFEcalifornia.org, or doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The O'Rourkes have been the Donate Life Ambassadors for the since 2010. 

Sean O'Rourke expressed appreciation to his wife for being willing to donate and save his life, and reminded the audience that others aren't so lucky.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The has supported the organ donation program that allows drivers to declare their intention to be organ donors by placing a pink dot on their driver's licenses. 

The agency has recently joined hands with Donate Life California to create a registry where Californians can make their pink dot official.

Though about 8 million people are on the registry, more people need help, said Anthony Borders, a spokesman for the California Transplant Donor Network. More than 20,000 people in Northern California are on a waiting list for an organ, and nationally, 18 people on waiting lists die each day without having received a life-saving organ, Borders said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here