WYOMING — Feb. 14 is National Donor Day, and Wyoming has joined 30 states that offer license plates that advocate for organ and tissue donation.
In September 2023, the State of Wyoming proclaimed itself a “Donate Life Community” state, PR/Communications Manager for Donor Alliance Heather Burke said in a recent press release about the state’s newest license plate. Donor Alliance works with Wyoming and Colorado facilitating grassroots efforts and positivity around organ, eye and tissue donation.
“Wyoming is one of the most generous states when it comes to organ and tissue donation and is consistently top five in the country for donor registration,” Burke told Buckrail via email.
“One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation, she said. About 60% of Wyomingites have said “yes” to registering as organ, eye and tissue donors.
Cowboy state residents can register when they obtain or renew their driver’s license/state ID at Driver Services or online at DonateLifeWyoming.org.
The new license plate campaign was pioneered by a donor-recipient from Uinta County. Bryson Quinney, a young heart recipient, and his father Eric Quinney championed the Donate Life specialty license plate with the aid of state lawmakers to embrace the power of donation.
Donor Alliance announced the new specialty Wyoming plate in January. The press release said that the new plate will serve as a “rolling” billboard to inspire more Wyomingites to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor.
“Each Wyomingite who installs the Donate Life Wyoming license plate on their vehicle is literally saving and healing lives,” Jennifer Prinz, President and CEO of Donor Alliance said in the press release.
“There are nearly 1,300 people in our community currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant,” the release said. “Donor Alliance is so appreciative of Bryson and his father Eric for rolling up their sleeves and working alongside Wyoming state lawmakers to make this license plate a reality to help us raise awareness and connect Wyomingites to our mission.”
Born with multiple congenital heart defects, Bryson Quinney endured three open-heart surgeries by age 3. In 2019, Quinney’s heart defects damaged his liver, and he was soon added to the transplant waiting list.
While waiting in the hospital for his new heart, Quinney met another patient waiting for a heart transplant who was the same age. The two children became quick friends. At age 13, Quinney finally got the phone call that he would be discharged to return home with his new heart. But the same good fortune did not extend to Quinney’s friend. She passed away while waiting in the hospital.
“From that moment, Bryson was determined to do more to raise awareness about the lifesaving and healing gifts of organ and tissue donation,” Eric Quinney, Bryson’s father, said in Donor Alliance’s statement.
“We were excited to work with Senator Wendy Schuler to develop legislation to authorize the production of a Donate Life license plate here in Wyoming,” he said. “Our son is alive today because of someone’s selfless sacrifice. We hope others will register to become organ, eye and tissue donors to save and heal many more lives.”
Quinney’s heart transplant helped to pivot legislation for the new license plate. Introduced in 2022, the bill went to the Wyoming Legislative Session where Quinney provided testimony to the Transportation Committee. The bill was then passed in 2023.
“It has been my utmost honor to work with Bryson and Eric Quinney in the passage of Wyoming’s Donate Life License Plate legislation,” said Wyoming State Senator Wendy Schuler in the press release.
“With their good work and ‘never give up’ attitude, this project was able to move forward.,” she said. “My hope is with this increased awareness, we can hopefully save many lives for those who are desperately waiting for transplants.”
Burke said that nearly 1,300 people in Colorado and Wyoming are still waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant.
“About 100,000 people are on the wait list nationally,” she said. “Donor Alliance’s vision is to maximize all donation opportunities to save and heal as many lives as possible,” adding that in 2023, “the generosity of 307 heroic donors across Colorado and Wyoming resulted in 918 lifesaving organ transplants.”
She said that 1,703 tissue donors provided more than 100,000 tissue grafts last year.
“Each year, tissue transplants provide hope to tens of thousands of people suffering from injury, disease,or trauma,” she said.
For this year’s National Donor Day, Donor Alliance is also working with Donate Life Wyoming’s team for a free pre-screening of “Ordinary Angels” in Casper. The film is based on the true story of a widowed father trying to save his daughter’s life. The film stars Hilary Swank and will be released in theaters on Feb. 23.
Visit the Wyoming Donor Registration at https://www.donatelifewyoming.org or call (888)868-4747 for more information.
