April is National Donate Life Month

National Donate Life Month

Every April, we celebrate National Donate Life Month to honor those who have saved lives through the gifts of organ, eye, and tissue donation. It's a fantastic time to raise awareness about the importance of donation and transplantation. This year's national theme is Leave a Legacy!  Just as trees grow and support each other in a forest, donation connects people - donors, recipients, and their families. Like a tree that grows and stands for generations, a donor's gift leaves a lasting legacy of hope and life.

For 2026, we have multiple ways you can celebrate donation! Find out how you can get involved below! If you have any questions, as always, you can email us at info@donatelifenw.org. 

Events

Tree Planting: April 4
Together with our partners at Solvita, VisionGift, and Cascade Life Alliance, we will plant trees in Beaverton with Friends of Trees. Join us for this special opportunity to dig in the dirt and raise awareness. Space is limited, so register here. 

Klamath Falls 5k: April 4
Payton Idrogo, DLNW volunteer, is coordinating a 5k at Moore Park in Klamath Falls with proceeds going to Donate Life Northwest. Find out more information and register here.

Thank Your Healthcare Heroes- Thank You Card Writing Party: April 12
Join us at our office in Portland between 12:30 and 3:30 to write a heartfelt thank-you card to your transplant teams. Cards will be delivered to our local Transplant Centers along with treats for Donate Life Month. Register for the event here.
Not able to make this event? Feel free to request your own notecards and write your own thank you notes to the healthcare heroes in your community.

Trivia Bingo: April 15
We're swapping standard numbers for life-saving facts about organ, eye, and tissue donation at the Lucky Lab in Multnomah Village! Find more information and register here.

Rock Painting Kit Packing: April 18
We will be packing up rock painting kits from 1-4pm with our friends at Hayden Rocks Kindness and Northwest Kidney Kids. Kits will be packed and delivered to local kids and families. Find out more information and RSVP here.

Volunteer Appreciation Coffee Chat: April 23
Whether you're new to the organization or a long-time volunteer, our volunteer coordinator, Jenny, would love to buy you a coffee (or your favorite beverage) at Insomnia Coffee in Tanasbourne in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week. Find out more information and RSVP here.

Medford Happy Hour: April 28
DLNW is on the road again! Join us for a community mixer at Gold Rush Brewing and enjoy some appetizers and quality time with other members of the donation and transplant community. Find more information and RSVP here.

Medford Coffee Chat: April 29
Drop by Forage Coffee Company between 10am and noon and meet up with Jenny, our volunteer coordinator, to learn about Donate Life Northwest and volunteer opportunities. Find out more information and RSVP here.

 

Observances

Living Donor Day: April 1
We will celebrate living donor stories on our Facebook page. In the meantime, you can read more living donor stories here or submit your living donation story here.

Blue & Green Spirit Week: April 4-11
April 4: Dress Up Your Pets
April 5: Make Blue & Green Treats
April 6: Thank Your Healthcare Team
April 7: Write a Message of Hope
April 8: Donate Life Flag Raising Day
April 9: Create Donate Life Art
April 10: Blue & Green Day
April 11: Share Your Decision Day

Blue and Green Day: Friday, April 10

Lighting of the Morrison Bridge: April 6-9
During Blue & Green Spirit Week, the Morrison Bridge will be lit up blue and green from April 6-9. Special thanks to our partners at Cascade Life Alliance.

Organ, Eye, Tissue Donor Appreciation Week: April 6-10
In the State of Oregon, the second week of April is designated as Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donor Appreciation Week! We will highlight donor stories on our social media, and if you are the family or friend of an organ, eye, and/or tissue donor, we'd love to have you share their story here.

DMV Appreciation Day: April 15
Join us in thanking our DMV partners for saving lives every day by asking the question, "Do you want to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor?" hundreds of times a day.

Pediatric Transplant Week: April 19-25
Check out Northwest Kidney Kids to see their work with our local pediatric community.
Follow us on social media as we share pediatric transplant stories.

Volunteer Appreciation Week: April 20-24
We couldn't do it without our volunteers!  In 2025, more than 160 volunteers gave nearly 1,500 hours of time to help educate and inspire people about organ, eye, and tissue donation. 

 

All Month Long

Register to be a Donor
There's no better way to show your support for donation than to sign up to be a lifesaver today.

Request Materials to Distribute
Want to set up a table, put together goodie bags, or have another creative idea to spread the word? Request brochures and SWAG from us by filling out this form. 

Fly a Donate Life Flag
Order a flag to show your support-- ranging in size from ones to attach to your car, ones to hang at your house or in your garden, or flags for standard-size flag poles! For our hospital partners, please contact us as we do have a very limited supply of 3'x5' flags available.

Watch a Documentary
Get together with your friends, family, coworkers, classmates, or community group and watch the documentary, A Donation Conversation. Request a viewing link and self-led discussion questions by filling out the form here.

Share Donation Facts
Share this infographic (or this one, in Spanish) about donation with your community. For hospitals or places of business with video screens, download our Facts About Donation Slide Set. 

Show Your Artistic Side
Print off a Donate Life Month coloring page in English or Spanish and show off your coloring skills! 

Use a Donate Life Month Zoom Background
Show your spirit in all your Zoom, Meet, and Teams Meetings by changing your background to this one for National Donate Life Month.

With Donate Life Month, the sky is the limit! Have a creative idea to promote donation? We'd love to hear about it and help if we can! Reach out to us for supplies and guidance at info@donatelifenw.org.