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Organ Donations
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One person who donates their organs and tissues can provide organ transplants for up to 8 people and tissue transplants for over 100 people. Think about that!  Organ donation can help 108 people!!

  Over 66,000 Americans are registered on the United Network for Organ Sharing waiting list for donated organs.

A new name is added to the waiting list every 18 minutes.

Every year, an estimated 3,000 people die while waiting for and organ transplant.  Thirteen people die each day due to the lack of a donated organ.

Transplantable organs: kidney, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas, and small bowel.

Transplantable tissues include bone, cartilage, skin, corneas, heart valves, saphenous veins, tendons, eyes/corneas, middle ear, tendons and ligaments.

Acceptable donors range from newborn to senior citizens.

An estimated 450,000 Americans are treated with transplanted bone, tendon and ligament tissue each year.

About 40,000 cornea transplants are performed annually, with 5,000 people waiting for donated corneas.

In 1999, approximately 20,000 successful organ transplants were performed.

By law, donation is the right of every American age 18 and older.  Hospitals are obligated by law, to identify potential donors and to inform families of their right to donate.

Individuals may indicate the wish to be a donor by signing a driver's license or donor card.  However, next of kin are still asked to give permission to donate.  Therefore, individuals should inform their next-of-kin about their decision so that their wishes may be honored.

All efforts are made to save a person's life regardless of whether he or she has signed a donor card.  Doctors involved in treating a patient cannot be involved in donation or transplantation.

There is no extra expense for the family donating organs or tissues.

The donor's body is not disfigured by organ or tissue removal.  An open casket funeral is possible.

All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation.