WSU’s Gift of Life Campus Challenge goes for its seventh straight win
Wayne State University is trying for its seventh straight year as the winner of the Gift of Life Michigan Campus Challenge against 13 other colleges and universities. The challenge encourages people to sign up for the Michigan Donor Registry, giving hope to those in need of lifesaving organ or life-healing tissue transplants.
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Wayne State has won the competition the past six years, and is looking to do it again by adding the most names to the donor registry. WSU has registered 4,500 people to Michigan’s donor registry over the past six years.
Since 2012, WSU’s Gift of Life campaign has been spearheaded by Beverly and Tim Butler, an associate business professor, who lost their daughter, Rebecca Joy Butler, in May 2011 while waiting for a lung transplant. Rebecca was a marketing student at WSU and a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority.
Alpha Gamma Delta, with the help of other student organizations, has led WSU’s efforts in the Campus Challenge through emails, social media, posters and at donor registry stations across campus.
Alyssa Krieger, a marketing major and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, is in her fourth year as a volunteer with Gift of Life Michigan. Krieger became involved with Gift of Life Michigan after her father, an organ donor, passed away when she was 16.
“Each recipient and member of the organ and tissue donation community that I have met in the past four years have been some of the most grateful people I have ever encountered,” Krieger said. “They continue to inspire me daily to advocate for this cause.”
“By registering and receiving a little heart on your driver’s license, you have the potential to save up to eight lives with an organ donation and improve the lives of up to 75 people.”
Last year, WSU partnered with police departments in the community in honor of fallen Sgt. Collin Rose, who in his final act of service saved or improved the lives of up to 70 people through organ and tissue donation. Police officers are encouraged to register at www.giftoflifemichigan.org/go/fallenheroes.
To sign up for the donor registry and support Wayne State in the Campus Challenge, visit www.giftoflifemichigan.org/go/wayne. The competition ends at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 20.
