PORTLAND, Ore. – Jerome Kersey, a former Portland Trail Blazer who gave so much to the franchise, fans and community, continued giving after his death in 2015.
He was an eye and tissue donor.
Kersey gave the gift of life to eight children at a burn center in Texas whose lives were saved by his tissue donation, and his cornea donation enhanced the lives of four people who received a groundbreaking eye surgery, according to Donate Life Northwest.
Kersey died after a blood clot traveled from his leg to his lung. He was 52 years old.
Donate Life Northwest honored and celebrated Kersey’s gifts Tuesday night when the Trail Blazers hosted the Milwaukee Bucks. The organization helped raise awareness of the need for organ, eye and tissue donations at “Donate Life Northwest Family Blazer Night.”
“In the U.S., we have 120,000 sons, daughters, moms and dads waiting for a lifesaving transplant,” said Leslie Brock, Executive Director of Donate Life Northwest. “3,000 of them live in the Pacific Northwest and are waiting to hear a match has been found.”
Fans could visit the Donate Life Northwest booth on the 100 level concourse to register to become organ donors. They also purchased raffle tickets to support Donate Life Northwest and the Trail Blazers Foundation.
More ways to register
Here are some easy ways to become a registered donor in Oregon:
Add the “D” code on your Oregon driver’s license application when you are up for renewal or when you are getting your license, permit or ID card for the first time.
Go online anytime at www.donatelifenw.org to register.
Request a paper form by calling 1-800-452-1369.
iPhone users can sign up right from the Health app with the release of iOS 10.
Learn more about organ, tissue and eye donations