Facts: DID YOU KNOW?

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• Almost 114,000 people in the United States are currently on the waiting list for a life saving organ transplant. 

• Another name is added to the national transplant list every 10 minutes.

• On average, 20 people die every day from the lack of available organs for transplant. 

• One deceased donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, and can save and enhance more than 100 lives through life saving and healing tissue donation. 

• Organ recipients are selected based primarily on medical need, location, and compatibility. 

• Over 700,000 transplants have occurred in the United States since 1988.

• Organs that can be donated after death are the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, and small intestines. 

• Tissue donations can include corneas, skin, veins, heart valves, tendons, ligaments and bones. 

• The cornea is the most commonly transplanted tissue. More than 40,000 corneal transplants take place each year in the United States. 

• A healthy person can be a "Living Donor" by donating a kidney, or a part of their liver, lung, intestine, blood or bone marrow. 

• About 6,000 living donations take place each year. 

• Kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organ—and the most in need. While waiting for a kidney transplant, many patients can undergo daily dialysis treatments to clean toxins out of blood.

• Living donors potentially can donate:

  • One of two kidneys. A kidney is the most frequently donated organ from a living donor.

  • One of two lobes of their liver. 

  • A lung or part of a lung, part of the pancreas, or part of the intestines.

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Myths: ABOUT DECEASED DONATION!

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Myth: there are certain things that can keep me from being a donor such as age, illness, or physical defects.

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Truth: Each person's medical condition is evaluated at the time of their death to determine what organs and tissues are viable for donation. People living with chronic diseases or those who have a history of cancer or other serious diseases are still encouraged to join the donor registry.

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Myth: If doctors know I am a registered donor, they will not work as hard to save my life.

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Truth: The first priority of any medical professional is to save lives when sick or injured people arrive. Organ and tissue donation is not even considered or discussed until after death is declared. 

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Myth: After donating an organ or tissue, a closed casket funeral is the only option.

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Truth: Organ procurement organizations treat each donor with the utmost respect and dignity, allowing the donors body to be viewed in an open casket funeral. Cameron had an open casket funeral. 

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Myth: My family will be charged for donating my organs.

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Truth: Costs associated with recovering and processing organs and tissues for transplant are never passed on to the family. The family may be expected to pay for medical expenses incurred before death is declared and for expenses involving funeral arrangements. 

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