After Heart Transplant, Girl Pushes For New York State To Allow For Teen Organ Donors

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- People in need of new organs often have to wait a long time due to a lack of donors.

In fact, New York ranks last of all the states in the rate of organ donation. But as CBS2's Alex Denis reported, one teenager is on a mission to change that.

Lauren Shields, 16, is lucky to be alive. Eight years ago, she was gravely ill – a virus attacked her heart and she suffered heart failure.

"Coming that close to you know, death, and that's just such -- at a young age, was like crazy," Shields said.

Shields would only survive with a heart transplant. Her condition was so grave that she was put into an induced coma and was on life support.

"My body was shutting down," Shields said. "I couldn't wait any longer."

It was a long road back, but when fully recovered, Shields led the fight to increase organ donation.

Under Lauren's Law, drivers who apply for a license now must complete the section that would enroll them in the donor registry – checking either "yes" or "not at this time." Previously, it could be left blank.

"The numbers have really increased the percentage of people enrolling through the DMV," Shields said.

Now, Shields is on another mission. Currently, a driver must be 18 to be a donor, and she is pushing a bill that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds also to sign on.

"I think that the numbers will increase if their age is lowered," Shields said.

Under the proposed law, the teen's parents would ultimately have the final say over whether the donation does in fact take place.

"I know that New York can do better," said James Pardes of LiveOn NY.

Pardes said just being aware of the teens who wish to donate could be helpful at an agonizing time.

"To give them information that suggests your loved one wanted to do this helps to relieve them of that burden and allow them to move forward with that decision, and do so with peace of mind," he said.

Shields said she is driven by the second chance she has been given, and said she would like one day to give back to her donor's family.

"I hope that when I meet them, they'll be able to listen to their son's heartbeat and know that I'm living because of him," she said. "I just hope that they get some comfort that their child still lives on in me."

Forty-seven other states do allow 16- and 17-year-olds to register. The bill has passed the New York State Legislature, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo has until Aug. 20 to sign it.