Town Board Honors National Donate Life Month In Brookhaven

Press release from the Town of Brookhaven:

May 1, 2023

At the April 20 Town Board Meeting, Councilwoman Jane Bonner announced that April is National Donate Life Month in the Town of Brookhaven. During the presentation, Councilwoman Bonner spoke of her own experience as a living organ donor and the need for people to step up and register. This year marks the 7th anniversary of Councilwoman Bonner’s donation of one of her kidneys to Tom D’Antonio, her friend of more than 40 years.

Councilwoman Bonner said, “As a living organ donor myself, I can honestly say that it is a gift to know that what I did helped Tom live a better life with a new kidney. I urge everyone to get tested to see it they qualify as a living organ donor and register. Every 18 hours a New Yorker dies waiting for an organ transplant, and although 83% of New Yorkers support organ donation, only 27% are enrolled on the New York State Registry, which is well below the national average of 50%.”

Councilwoman Bonner also introduced Town Historian Barbara Russell, who spoke of being a living organ donor herself.

Pictured above and left to right are Councilman Neil Foley; Town Historian, Barbara Russell, Tom D’Antonio; heart transplant recipient, Ed Schafer from LiveOnNY; Councilwoman Jane Bonner, Supervisor Ed Romaine; Deputy Supervisor Dan Panico; Councilman Michael Loguercio and Town Clerk Kevin LaValle.

For information about organ, eye and tissue donation, and to enroll online in the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry, visit www.donatelifeny.org.

This press release was produced by the Town of Brookhaven. The views expressed here are the author's own.