United Network for Organ Sharing honored at RIR

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- In the United States, more than 100,000 men, women and children are waiting for organ transplants. Their struggle to live depends on a complex and technologically-advanced organ allocation system that links patients with organs donated by strangers. That's where the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) comes into the picture.

Subjected to intense scrutiny by the federal government, the public, and the medical profession, no other aspect of modern medicine is more analyzed and debated. Such scrutiny is essential.

America's Incredible Pizza Co. and CJM Racing are honoring Incredible Heroes throughout the 2009 Nationwide Series season. If you know of an Incredible Hero, let us know.

• E-mail a nomination
• Official Web site

In 1984, the National Organ Transplant Act established the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN), a national organ sharing system to guarantee, among other things, fairness in the allocation of organs for transplant. Since 1984, the nonprofit United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) located in Richmond, Va., has operated the OPTN, under a contract with the Division of Transplantation in the Department of Health and Human Services. UNOS maintains a central computer network containing the names of all patients waiting for kidney, heart, liver, lung, intestine, pancreas and multiple-organ transplants. The UNOS "Organ Center" is staffed 24 hours a day to respond to requests to list patients, change status of patients, and help coordinate the placement of organs.

Transplant data shows that more and more people receive transplants every year and that many people with transplants are living longer after receiving their organ(s) than ever before. Approximately 80 people receive an organ transplant every day in the U.S. and in 2008, more than 30,000 patients began new lives thanks to an organ transplant.

Despite continuing advances in medicine and technology, the need for organs and tissue is vastly greater than the number available for transplantation. Everyone can make a difference by inspiring others and spreading the word about organ donation. For more information please visit www.unos.org.

Representatives from UNOS will be honored this week for their initiative to create a system to save people's lives. They are invited to attend the upcoming race at Richmond International Raceway as a guest of CJM Racing and America's Incredible Pizza Company. 'Incredible Heroes' experience a VIP evening at the Nationwide Series race which will include a behind the scenes look in the garage and pit area. Each hero meets the driver of the No. 11 CJM Racing entry, sits atop the pit box during the race and receives a plaque in recognition of their selfless act.