(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Illinois’ leadership in organ and tissue donation continues, but more must be done.

“When i was six years old, my stepmother passed away from kidney failure,” said Morgan Lietz, a senior at Alan B. Shepard High School in Palos Heights. “I was too young to understand what they meant, but my dad explained sometimes people get sick, and they need new organs. He also explained that there are not enough organs available, and not everyone finds a match. I wanted to help. My dad would take me to events, and we would talk about the importance of organ donor registration.”

Lietz joined Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias at Walter Payton College Prep High School for the announcement of Lifesaving Education and Awareness on Donation – LEAD.

The idea is to get high school student leaders to recruit donors.