TAMPA, Fla – (April 13, 2016) – The USF chapter (Zeta Xi) of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is excited to celebrate national Donate Life Month, an annual observance that occurs in April to highlight the importance of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. In partnership with LifeLink® of Florida, the non-profit organization responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue for transplant throughout southwest Florida, the fraternity is encouraging students, staff and faculty to learn more about donation and register on Florida’s organ and tissue donor registry at www.DonateLifeFlorida.org during Bull Market every week throughout this month.

Zeta Xi has led a statewide charge by vowing to work throughout the month of April to educate students about the benefits of signing up to be an organ and tissue donor. “Through this partnership I hope students learn about the importance of becoming an organ donor and how it can save someone’s life,” said Daniel Smith, State Director for Collegiate Affairs for Phi Beta Sigma.

“LifeLink’s mission falls in line with our Living Well Brother to Brother Initiative that requires us to educate the community about various health disparities. Organ donation is a topic that the community has been misinformed about for years and I feel it is time to make sure people are properly educated and informed on the topic.” LifeLink has partnered with several of the fraternity’s graduate chapters for several years and is thrilled to begin partnering with collegiate chapters as more than 50 percent of patients listed for an organ transplant are of multicultural descent – Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American. Several of these are groups that Phi Beta Sigma works with on a regular basis to educate about health and wellness.

Last year 30,969 lives were saved because someone said “yes” to organ donation, yet 22 people die every day awaiting a much needed organ transplant, and hundreds of thousands more could benefit annually from tissue donation. Now is a perfect time to make the decision to save lives through organ and tissue donation. Visit www.LifeLinkFouAnalyticsndation.org today to learn more and sign up to be an organ donor.

LifeLink is grateful for all the ways Phi Beta Sigma has helped promote the donation message and is always looking to partner with other organizations in the Tampa Bay community. If your organization would like to help, please contact Brandi Ahonsi at [email protected].