FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14th IS NATIONAL DONOR DAY ***ORGAN DONOR***

Organ donation saves lives

National Donor Day is dedicated to organ donors plus the patients and medical professionals needing their help. Advancements in medicine have made incredible progress in organ transplant success but this record of achievement cannot continue without more donors. While more transplant procedures are being conducted each year, many never happen because there were not enough donors.

Organ transplants are more common but still challenging 

Since each patient and donor is different, no two transplants are the same. With each transplant, medical professionals, clinical researchers and other transplant science stakeholders learn more. For each transplant, medical professionals conduct an intense and time sensitive assessment of the organ recipient and the organ donor to determine the best match that will help increase the chances of success and survival. 

Organ transplant patients require considerable care after the procedures are completed

Following the transplant procedure, transplant patients are still at risk for complications as a result of the transplant including organ rejection. Even with highly effective immunosuppressive drugs and other therapies plus the care and support of healthcare professionals, organ rejection can occur years after a transplant is performed. In some cases the person is added to the transplant waiting list again. Based on new patients and transplant patients needing a replacement for their transplanted organ, there is an ongoing demand for more organ donors.

Ten facts about organ donation and organ transplantation:

Over 120,000 persons in the United States are in need of an organ transplant; for many of them their very life depends on it

Almost 40,000 organ transplants were conducted in 2019

One organ donor can save the lives of or tremendously improve the quality of life for 8 people or even more

In the United States more than 700,000 organ transplants have been conducted since 1988

These are the most common organ transplants:

• Heart
• Intestine
• Kidney
• Liver
• Lung
• Pancreas

• Blood Vessels
• Bones
• Corneas
• Heart Valves
• Ligaments
• Skin Tendons

Survival rates vary depending upon the patient and post-transplant recovery challenges including organ rejection

A new person is added to the organ transplant list in the United States every ten minutes

In the United States it is estimated 20 persons die each day that were waiting for transplants

Organ donation is free and there are no costs to register as an organ donor

Sign up to be an organ donor or share this information with someone else so they can be an organ donor, too 

You can help over 120,000 persons currently waiting for an organ transplant!

Visit this resource to learn how to sign up; if you are already registered, please share it with those who would like to join yourself and others as life saving organ donors:

 OrganDonor.Gov - U.S. Government Information on Organ Donation and Transplantation

Spread the word: Friday February 14th is National Donor Day!