Mark Zuckerberg says that his girlfriend and Steve Jobs were the inspiration behind the new Facebook feature that lets users share that they’re an organ donor via their Timeline. The hope is that the new feature will encourage as many people as possible to donate.
During a recent interview with ABC News, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the inspiration behind this new feature came from his girlfriend, Priscilla Chan, and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who underwent a liver transplant back in 2009 before losing a long battle with pancreatic cancer last October.
Zuckerberg said, “That definitely, I think, was something that we all had in mind as we were building this out… His story is just one of many, of people who both were able to have an organ transplant that made his life longer and he was extremely thankful for that.”
The Facebook explanation of how it all works: “With the addition of “organ donor” to the Life Events section of timeline, you can state your intention to become an organ donor, and share your story about when, where or why you decided to become a donor. If you are not officially registered as an organ donor, sign up with the appropriate registry.”
While the feature is currently only available in certain countries, Facebook is planning a wider rollout, while partnering with donation charities and organizations worldwide.
You can share your organ donor status on Facebook by clicking the ‘Life Event’ button at the top of your Timeline, then selecting ‘Health & Wellbeing’.