Illinois officials urge organ donations to help bridge minority donor gap

August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month and Illinois officials are making a plea for organ donations.

CHICAGO - August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month and Illinois officials are making an urgent plea for organ donations.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias spoke at an event Tuesday morning to encourage Illinois residents to register to be organ and tissue donors.

Giannoulias said 60% of people on an organ wait list are racial and ethnic minorities.

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"Getting folks to donate their organs and tissue literally saves lives," Giannoulias said.

"Whether you realize it or not, it's likely that someone you know has received a transplant for a heart, a liver, a lung, a kidney or even a cornea. It's also possible that someone you know has been a donor themselves."

Illinois has one of the largest organ and tissue donor registries in the United States.

If you would like to join the state's organ and tissue donor registry and help save lives, visit LifeGoesOn.com.