Jan L. Weinstock, Esq.: Leader in Crafting Organ Donation Legislation

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, join us in recognizing Gift of Life Donor Program’s Jan L. Weinstock, Esq. for her decades of influential work crafting and improving organ and tissue donation-related legislation that has helped save countless lives. We’re not the only ones who know how impactful Jan has been – she was recently honored with the Knight of the Blind award by the Lions Eye Bank of Delaware Valley.

Jan has spent more than 30 years with Gift of Life and is currently chief administrative officer and general counsel for its donor program and its affiliates, Gift of Life Howie’s House and Transplant Foundation. 

One of Jan’s most significant achievements came through her key role in drafting and lobbying for Pennsylvania’s Act 102, which allowed people to register as organ and tissue donors when getting their driver’s license. The 1994 law also requires every patient death in a hospital to be referred for evaluation by professionals for organ, tissue and cornea donation – and that eliminated the waiting list for a cornea transplant. 

The law became a national model for donor registration. 

“Time and again, we see families help others through donation once they understand they have that ability and are given the opportunity,” Jan said. “We’ll continue working to provide a pathway for this incredible generosity until every patient waiting for any transplant is able to receive their gift and live a rich, full life.”

Among her extensive accomplishments and philanthropic efforts, she played a significant role in creating Gift of Life Howie’s House, which provides temporary lodging and a support system for transplant patients and their families. Before joining Gift of Life, Jan had an accomplished career in health care law as a partner in the firm Blank, Rome, Comisky & McCauley.

Jan’s work has made it easy for individuals to choose to be a donor and for families to support their loved one’s legacy to be a donor hero. Just one organ donor can save up to eight lives and one tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 100 others. Please consider giving hope to patients by registering as an organ donor.