After increasing registration for organ, eye and tissue donors by 33%, staff at the Lockport Department of Motor Vehicles were recognized with the Rising Star Award Monday afternoon.
The award was presented to Jennifer Podgorny, supervisor of the Lockport DMV, after the location increased its numbers from April 2023 to this past April, which is National Donate Life Month.
“The fact is that one organ, eye and tissue donor can save eight lives and enhance 75 more,” County Clerk Joe Jazstremski said.
Todd O’Bryan, supervisor of Niagara County’s DMVs, said he was proud that Niagara County currently has more than 114,000 registered donors, about 67% of the eligible population.
However, while celebrating the county’s success, O’Bryan also noted that New York state is currently the second lowest donor state with only 46% of the eligible population registered. He said that the 33% increase in Lockport added up to between 175 to 200 new donors.
Podgorny said that it’s the community that deserves the credit for the surge in registration.
“It’s just amazing how much the community wants to help out,” she said. “We just talked to them and explained what they can do and how it would help and the community just reached out and grabbed a hold of it.”
Currently there are more than 10,000 individuals in New York who need a new organ. Tim Synor was one of them. Eleven years ago, Synor received a new heart after a virus attacked his original organ. For months, Synor waited in Strong Memorial Hospital of Rochester wondering if each visit with his family would be his last.
Synor attended the award ceremony and said a few words.
“Thank you very much for the team here for assembling all these people to sign up and you did a great job,” he said to applause.