ROCK ISLAND--April is National Donate Life Month.
During the month Unity Point Health Trinity is raising awareness about the need for organ donors.
The hospital is partnering with organ donor network, "Gift of Hope" to encourage people in the quad cities to register as organ donors.
According to the network more than six-million people in Illinois are on the organ and tissue donor registry.
But even with millions on the registry, the number of people waiting for organ donations continues to grow.
Unity Point Health Trinity hosted a seminar with three keynote speakers who shared their story about going through the donation process as donors and recipients.
One of the speakers Kelvin Martin shared his experience as a heart transplant recipient after having heart problems at the young age of 25.
After hearing the news he says he was still skeptical since he felt fine. But later had three heart attacks after he was diagnosed and was put on an ventricular assistant device.
Eventually he received a heart transplant and now he is a speaker for Gift of Hope to raise much needed awareness for others.
"It's something that is needed because you never know, you don't think about it until you or a family member would need one. We're just trying to get the message and the word out to educate the community."
More than 5,000 people in Illinois are waiting for a donation that could save their life.
For more information on organ and tissue donation click HERE.
