Stony Brook Medicine and Suffolk County officials are teaming up to get more people registered as organ donors in the second annual Donor Enrollment Day.
Julius Pellegrito, whose son Peter Pellegrito became a donor after passing away at age 29 last year, called for as many people as possible to follow in his son’s footsteps.
“Please know that despite our tragedy, good prevails, and we know that Peter lives on. We couldn’t be prouder of him. So once again please consider organ donation. You could be someone’s hero. Do it for Pete’s sake.”
According to organ donor group LiveOnNY, New York ranks last in the nation in the percentage of residents who are registered organ donors.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner, who is a living kidney donor, say they want to help turn this trend around.