Message from Councilwoman Elizabeth Stamler | June 16, 2023

Organ donation is very personal to me. Many don’t know my father and brother received life-saving heart transplants and my other brother, Stephen, passed away and became a tissue donor, helping more than 30 people.

It is why I remain a staunch volunteer of NJ Sharing Network for the past 13 years and captain of “Donation Nation,” one of the teams participating annually in the 5K Celebration of Life in New Providence.

Every year, the event brings together thousands of walkers, runners and volunteers to honor those who gave the gift of organ or tissue, pay tribute to those who have a received a transplant, offer hope to those waiting for a transplant and remember those who passed away while waiting for the gift of life. 

This year, a 5K was held in New Providence on June 11; another event was held May 20 in Ocean Grove. I was proud to lead a team of 14 participants, who donated to support this critical mission.

The 5K is an amazing gathering of families, friends and volunteers who have been touched by organ and tissue donation. To me, the outpouring of support for each other and dedication to our shared life-saving mission is palpable and inspiring.

The first 5K Celebration of Life was held in 2011 in New Providence, where NJ Sharing Network is based. Since that time, nearly $12 million has been raised to support the life-saving mission. There have been 90,000 participants, more than 1,300 teams and more than 21,000 volunteer hours.

I am honored to be part of this unified mission to save lives and give hope to those waiting for a second chance at life through the miracle of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

There were 283 organ donors last year in New Jersey, with 670 organs transplanted in a single year. These are all-time highs and the fourth consecutive year NJ Sharing Network has reported new records in the number of organ donors. There is a clear trend of increased support for organ donation in the Garden State.

Yet I must also note there are nearly 4,000 people in New Jersey on the organ transplant waiting list, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, waiting for this gift. We need to continue to educate fellow residents about the importance of organ donation, as well as key fundraisers such as the 5K Celebration of Life.

Together, we are unstoppable, motivated to take on all challenges in our efforts to save lives in New Jersey and beyond.

To learn more about organ donation, or to register, visit NJSharingNetwork.org