Lauren Shields received a lifesaving heart transplant in 2009, an extraordinary gift that transformed her life and helped inspire her years of advocacy for blood and organ donation.
Drawing from her own experience, Lauren became a passionate and powerful voice for donation. In New York, her advocacy helped lead to the passage of Lauren’s Law, which requires New Yorkers applying for or renewing a driver’s license to answer the organ and tissue donor registry question. She also worked alongside local government officials and LiveOnNY to encourage new citizens at naturalization ceremonies to register as organ donors, an effort that grew statewide.
Lauren was also a devoted advocate for blood donation and a cherished partner and friend of New York Blood Center. Through speaking engagements, blood drives, community events, and countless personal conversations, she shared her story to help others understand the lifesaving impact of giving blood. Her advocacy also extended to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign, and she additionally shared her story at prominent events and institutions throughout the region. Her powerful message reached audiences around the world through local, national, and international media.
Lauren passed away in June 2026, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of advocacy, generosity, compassion, and hope. She understood the power of donation in a deeply personal way as her own life was sustained by the generosity of blood donors and transformed by the gift of organ donation. She used the years that gift gave her to inspire others to give the same chance at life.
Lauren’s legacy lives on in the countless blood and organ donors she inspired to give the gift of life. It also lives on here at New York Blood Center, where her advocacy made a lasting impact on our work and on those of us who had the privilege of knowing her. We are deeply grateful for the years Lauren spent sharing her story, her voice, and her friendship with NYBC, and we will continue to carry her spirit forward in our lifesaving work.