Organ Donation
Organ Donation: The Gift of Life
Donating a lifesaving organ is the most selfless gift you could ever give. More than 100,000 Americans are on organ donor waiting lists, and many of their lives depend on finding a suitable organ or tissue donor.
Learn more about organ donation:
- Living organ donation
- Organ transplant waiting list
- FAQs about organ donation
- Online organ donation websites and resources
Why donate?
Organ donation can make a world of difference. On average, 110 people are added to the organ transplant waiting list every day — one every 13 minutes. An average of 19 Americans die each day because the organ they needed didn’t come in time. Every person who participates in organ donation can change these numbers for the better.
How can you become a donor?
Living organ donations usually happen when a family member or loved one needs an organ. Living donations include giving a kidney, lung, segments of a liver, or bone marrow. You can also give bone marrow through the National Marrow Donor Program Registry to save the life of a stranger.
Donation at the time of death is called deceased donor organ donation.
This allows you to donate many organs, including your heart, kidneys,
pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines. You may also give tissues such
as eyes, skin, bone, heart valves, and tendons.
If you’d like to become an organ donor, document your decision by filling out and carrying an organ donor card. You can register to become a donor through the Donate Life site, which is also a good resource for more information on organ donation. It’s also important to talk with your family, as they will be asked about your wishes after your death.
Find more information and websites with information about organ transplant surgery and organ donation.
If you or someone you know would like to be an organ donor, contact The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas to discuss this option.