May 22, 2013

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Reporter: Brian Mastre, The Associated Press contributed to this report Email

Facebook & Organ Donation

The biggest tool in the social media tool box is Facebook and now it's aligned with the social issue of organ donation.

Daisy Friedman is living proof of organ donation.

Reporter: "So next year, 4th grade?"
Daisy: "4th grade."

We met her years ago -- as a toddler -- after she received a liver, small bowel and pancreas transplant.

Reporter: "Do you think you can wait until you're 13 to be on Facebook?"
Daisy: "Depends on my mom and dad. My dad might let me. My mom won't let me get my ears pierced."

That's the pressing need when you are nine.

"I have chills about such a simple idea," said Joey Hoffman, Daisy's mother, who still can't get over Facebook wrapping its arms around organ donation.

For those with the timeline version of Facebook, you click the Life Event icon, followed by Health and Wellness and the Organ Donor link takes you to the organ donor registry for your state.

"There are a 114,000 people in the country waiting for a transplant, so having Facebook take on this issue is fantastic," said Doug Bremers, manager of Donate Life Services at Nebraska Medical.

With demand up and supply low now, industry experts hope the "like" button gets others to join in.

In Nebraska alone, 50-to-60 people die every year waiting for an organ transplant because one wasn't available.

Remember, Facebook is not legally binding so you can't just have a status that says you are an organ donor. You actually have to sign up with the official registry.

Facebook has 900-million users.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg says his friendship with Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who had received a liver transplant before he died last year, helped spur the idea.

Facebook Inc., based in Menlo Park, Calif., is busy readying an initial public stock offering said to be pegged at $5 billion.

Facebook's IPO could place the company's value at $100 billion.


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