There are currently over , people on the national transplant waiting list. Like America, the list is diverse — it includes people of every age, ethnicity, and gender. You can learn more about the numbers and see specific statistical breakdowns with Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network National Data.
Shared ethnicity is NOT a requirement for matching organ donors and recipients. Matches between donors and recipients of different ethnicities are very common. Still, a more diverse donor registry gives ethnic minorities on the transplant waiting list a better chance to find a good donor match. Because the immune system markers used to match organ donors and recipients are inherited, people with rare markers are more likely to match someone from a similar ethnic background.
Learn more about matching. According to a sample of the U. One U. According to Donate Life America , while 95 percent of U. Below are five answers to frequently asked questions about organ donation that shed some light on why it's so important to register to be a donor and to encourage others. One deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives! Two people can be freed from dialysis treatments with the donation of two kidneys. A donated liver can be split so that two people receive the gift.
In addition, two lungs can give the gift of life to two people and the pancreas and heart can also be donated. One tissue donor — someone who can donate donate bone, tendons, cartilage, connective tissue, skin, corneas, sclera, heart valves and vessels — can impact the lives of as many as 75 people.
Discuss your wish to become an organ donor with your family, and ask for their consent. Keep in mind that children, too, are in need of organ transplants, and they usually need organs smaller than those an adult can provide. Myth: An open-casket funeral isn't an option for people who have donated organs or tissues. Fact: Organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with having an open-casket funeral.
The donor's body is clothed for burial and treated with care and respect, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation. Fact: There's no defined cutoff age for donating organs. The decision to use your organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age. Don't prematurely disqualify yourself. Let the doctors decide at the time of your death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.
Fact: Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria.
It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation. Myth: I'd like to donate one of my kidneys now, but I wouldn't be allowed to do that unless one of my family members is in need.
Fact: While that used to be the case, it isn't any longer. Whether it's a distant family member, friend or complete stranger you want to help, you can donate a kidney through certain transplant centers. If you decide to become a living donor, you will undergo extensive questioning to ensure that you are aware of the risks and that your decision to donate isn't based on financial gain.
You will also undergo testing to determine if your kidneys are in good shape and whether you can live a healthy life with just one kidney. Myth: Rich and famous people go to the top of the list when they need a donor organ.
Fact: The rich and famous aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when a celebrity receives a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else.
The reality is that celebrity and financial status are not considered in organ allocation. Fact: The organ donor's family is never charged for donation. The family is charged for the costs of all final efforts to save your life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation. Costs for organ removal go to the transplant recipient. Now that you have the facts, you can see that being an organ donor can make a big difference, and not just to one person.
By donating your organs and tissue after you die, you can save or improve as many as 75 lives. Many families say that knowing their loved one helped save or improve other lives helped them cope with their loss. It's especially important to consider becoming an organ donor if you belong to an ethnic minority. Minorities including African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and Hispanics are more likely than whites to have certain chronic conditions that affect the kidneys, heart, lung, pancreas and liver.
Certain blood types are more prevalent in ethnic minority populations. Because matching blood type is usually necessary for transplants, the need for minority donor organs is especially high. Becoming an organ donor is easy. You can indicate that you want to be a donor in the following ways:. The best way to ensure that your wishes are carried out is to register with your state's organ donation registry and include donor designation on your driver's license or state ID.
Taking these steps legally authorizes your organ donation upon death. If you have designated someone to make health care decisions for you if you become unable to do so, make sure that person knows that you want to be an organ donor.
You may also include your wishes in your living will if you have one, but that might not be immediately available at the time of your death. It's also very important to tell your family that you want to be a donor.
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