Organ Donors
Get Paid Leave

August 10, 2002

Following last month's decision by the Town of Huntington, the Suffolk County Legislature voted on August 6^th to grant paid sick leave to county employees who donate organs or bone marrow, under a bill introduced by Legislator Jon Cooper (D-Huntington).

Organ donors are always in short supply, and patients in need of transplants must often wait months or even years for an operation that could save their lives. In New York alone, close to 8,000 people have to delay necessary surgery. For many, it comes too late; patients who could have lived active, full lives if only there had there been enough organs available.

In surveys, one in four potential donors indicated that financial reasons kept them from donating. Federal law prohibits them from receiving money or gifts, and they must take time away from work in order to travel to the transplant center and recover after the operation. Under Cooper’s resolution, bone marrow donors will be given up to seven days paid leave, while organ, organ part or tissue donors can have up to thirty days. This will keep donors from having to sacrifice their financial well-being in order to help those in need.

The growing demand for living donors makes this incentive all the more vital. In the last six years, living kidney transplants at the University Hospital of Stony Brook have soared from 7 to 29. In contrast, cadaveric donations fell from 28 in 1996 to 19 in 2001. Living donors are fast becoming the mainstay of the transplant program, but their numbers still fall short of the demand; the number of patients on the Stony Brook transplant list has increased from 110 in 1996 to 320 this year.

“There is nothing more important than saving lives, and it should never be impeded by financial concerns,” said Legislator Cooper. “Our county owes these brave men and women a debt of gratitude. Giving them time to recover is the least we can do.”

Because of collective bargaining constraints, Cooper’s legislation applies only to non-union county employees. However, it is hoped that similar paid leave will be granted to union employees during the next round of contract negotiations.

LI DUCKS/VYTRA HEALTH PLANS SANDLOT STARS CHAMPIONSHIP

Long Island Baseball Winners

Far right: Tom McAteer, President/CEO Vytra Health Plans, Sandlot Stars corporate sponsor (click on picture for full size view).

The Long Island Ducks and Vytra Health Plans Sandlot Stars Program developed to test the different skills of youth baseball players in the 11, 12 and 13-year age groups culminated at Citibank park with everyone being a champion. The top winners in each group were 11 year old Jeff Behouner of Bohemia, 12 year old Edwin Suarez of Jamaica and 13 year old Alfie Breuning of Oyster Bay Cove. 1,800 players from the Long Island Federation of Amateur Baseball Leagues (FABL) and the National Junior Baseball League (NJBL) participated and were tested in three skill areas essential to baseball, hitting, accuracy throwing and base running.