Organ Donation Statistics

• According to studies by organdonor.gov
• As of August 2017, more than 116,000 men, women, and children are on the organ waiting list.
• In 2016, it is estimated that around 33,611 transplants were successfully performed.
• Every day at least 20 people die without getting donors.
• Although the majority of US citizens support organ donation, only 54% of them are registered donors.

What should be done to donate organs and save more lives?

Go to a nearby hospital or community health center and sign up for organ donation. Donor organs can save up to 8 lives. You can help people in your family and community sign up for organ donation to become a registered donor.

What organs can be donated?

• All eight vital organs including the heart, kidneys (2), pancreas, lungs (2), liver and intestines can be donated. Hands and faces will also be listed in the coming days.
• Tissue donation includes cornea, skin, heart valves, bones, blood vessels, and connective tissues.
• In addition to the organs and tissues listed above, bone marrow and stem cells, umbilical cord blood, and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) can also be donated.

Who can become an organ donor?

From newborns to seniors, anyone can be an organ donor. Although there are no age limitations to become a registered donor, in the US, individuals under the age of 18 must obtain authorization from their parents or guardians. Organ donation depends only on the state of your organs and your physical form.

You can still donate organs, even if you are not a US citizen. Organs will be given to patients based on medical necessity, not citizenship.

Even with any disease you can donate. But people with HIV, jaundice, cancer, or any other organ infection will not be able to donate their organs or tissues. If you want to donate your whole body, contact the nearest medical organization and learn about the possibilities.

Spread knowledge and raise awareness:

Talk to your family and friends about this, make them understand how serious this is. Making a documentary on this topic or organizing an event can help people learn about it and the ways they can help save a life.

Generate the discussion on social media, when organ donation related hashtags become popular obviously people may start searching and learning about them. #NationalDonorDay, #Imadonor are some samples.

Join the organdonor.gov community on Facebook or follow HRSA (@HRSAgov) on Twitter and share your experiences and learn about donation news and statistics. Also, you can download the social media graphics and share them on your own social media channels to raise awareness among people in your group.

Conclusion:

Many organizations and volunteers are willing to help. Now is the right time to step up and enroll yourself and your family members as registered donors.