Sonoma woman’s ‘got the dot’ campaign finally in the pink

Marcie Waldron organ donor drive hits 1,000, and counting|

Marcie Waldron put on pink polka dots and made it her mission to encourage 1,000 Valley residents to become registered organ donors during 2015. She announced her creative “Got the Dot?” campaign in January when she was named this year’s Sonoma Alcaldesa.

Her Dot campaign has met the mark – 1,017 residents of the 95476 zip code decided to have the pink donor dot put on their driver’s license, and there’s no doubt Waldron’s championing of the cause is what caused the spike.

“I want to keep going,” Waldron says, not intending to rest now that her initial goal has been met. “I still have more ideas in the works. I would love to add another 500.”

When she learned she was selected by the city council as the Alcaldesa, which means honorary mayor, she felt she wanted to take on a project to reflect the significance of the honor. Chosen because of her longtime dedication to community service, Waldron wanted to keep on serving. Since she received a life-saving kidney transplant 18 years ago, she’s especially passionate about organ donation.

Waldron has a “Got the Dot?” website and Facebook page, pink dot business cards and a constant promotion agenda.

She has spoken at the Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma Valley Hospital and La Luz, and sat at a sign-up booth at soccer games, the Red Cross Bloodmobile, the Sonoma Community Center and Sonoma Raceway. She also sponsored a pink dot entry in Trashion Fashion. Next up are sign-up speeches at Sonoma Valley High School and the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center and faith communities.

Waldron wears pink polka dot clothes every day, many found on eBay. “I search pink dot blouse, medium, and there they are,” she explains, adding that she has quite the stash of pink dot earrings and scarves. She even made a pink dot costume that makes her look like an M&M with arms.

“It’s an awareness campaign,” she says, “Organ donation is about life and death and it’s an intense topic so I try to liven it up a little with the pink dots.”

Waldron has been a Type 1 diabetic since she was 3 years old. And, despite her diligence and healthy habits, the disease has taken its toll on her body. She received her kidney from a 16-year-old in Fresno who had committed suicide. She recently met his family and says, “They were so thrilled that something good had come from the tragedy.”

“Most people who haven’t done it just haven’t given it much thought,” Waldron says. “It’s like doing a will, some people just don’t like to think about death.”

Eighty percent of people on the organ donor waiting list are waiting for a kidney, according to Waldron. Diabetes, both Type 1 and 2, and high blood pressure are the reasons kidney disease is so prevalent, she says.

“One person can donate to up to 60 people. It’s miracle stuff,” she says. “You need the medical ability, but you can’t do it without the human gift.” Many parts of the body can be transplanted, including tissue, corneas, bone, lungs and the pancreas.

Waldron points out that it’s important to remember that everyone can sign up, regardless of age or health. “Don’t rule yourself out. If you believe in the cause sign up and the doctors will decide later if you are an appropriate donor. ”

You can sign up to be an organ donor at the Department of Motor Vehicles when you get your license, or it only takes a few minutes to register online. Registered organ donors have a pink dot on their driver’s license, but are entered into the database immediately upon registration, so medical professionals can find the donor information even before a new license has been issued showing the dot.

When her year as Alcaldesa is up, and Waldron has perhaps reached her new goal of 500 more who’ve got the dot, her passion for registering organ donors will not wane. She has been working about 25 hours a week on the campaign all year.

“I will continue but not as intently. And I won’t wear pink dots anymore!”

For more information or o register to be an organ donor go to Waldron’s site, gotthedot.org, or donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

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