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Facts
The success rates of transplant surgery have
improved remarkably, but growing shortages exist in
the supply of organs and tissues available for
transplantation. The result: thousands of people die
while waiting for the ultimate gift
LIFE!
These numbers tell a story. The IAOD encourages
everyone to find out more information about organ
and tissue donation, and make an informed decision
about this important issue. *
Know the Facts:
Each organ donor can save up to eight lives. Each
tissue donor can improve the lives of up to 50
people.
Nearly 10,000 Michigan patients have
received a life-saving organ transplant in the last
10 years.
Cornea transplants have been
successful for over 100 years and organ transplants
have worked for more than 50.
Donation doesn't
cost the donor or the donor's family anything.
Of the state's 10 million residents, about 1.7
million are registered organ donors.
On
average, 17 Michigan residents have organ
transplants every week.
The supply of organs
available doesn't come close to meeting the demand.
There are currently about 10,000 people on the
waiting list nationwide.
Organ donors can save
up to eight lives and tissue donors can
substantially improve life for up to 50 sick or
injured people.
Minorities overall have a
particularly high need for organ transplants because
some diseases of the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas,
and liver are found more frequently in racial and
ethnic minority populations than in the general
population. For example, African Americans, Asians
and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics are three times
more likely than Whites to suffer from end-stage
renal (kidney) disease, often as the result of high
blood pressure and other conditions that can damage
the kidneys. Native Americans are four times more
likely than Whites to suffer from diabetes. Some of
these conditions that can result in organ failure
are best treated through transplantation and others
can only be treated by this life-saving procedure.
In addition, similar blood type is essential in
matching donors to recipients. Because certain blood
types are more common in ethnic minority
populations, increasing the number of minority
donors can increase the frequency of minority
transplants.
Approximately 300 new transplant
candidates are added to the waiting list each month.
All individuals can indicate their intent to
donate (persons younger than 18 years of age must
have a parent's or guardian's consent). Medical
suitability for donation is determined at the time
of death.
You can donate your organs (heart,
kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines),
tissue (cornea, skin, heart valves, bone, blood
vessels, and connective tissue), and bone
marrow/stem cells, umbilical cord blood, peripheral
blood stem cells (PBSC)
Donation does not
interfere with having an open casket service.
Surgical techniques are used to retrieve organs and
tissues, and all incisions are closed.
Transplant professionals will evaluate the condition
of your organs at the time of your death and
determine if your organs are suitable for donation.
You should consider yourself a potential organ and
tissue donor, indicate your intent to donate on your
driver's license, donor card, or state donor
registry, and discuss your decision with family
members.
Total body donation generally is not
an option if you choose to be an organ and tissue
donor. Eye donors still may be accepted. Also, there
are a few medical schools and research organizations
that still may accept an organ donor for research.
If you wish to donate your entire body, you should
contact the medical organization of your choice
directly and make arrangements. Medical schools,
research facilities, and other agencies study bodies
to understand how disease affects human beings. This
research is vital to saving and improving lives.
*Information provided by the Organ Procurement and
Transplantation Network and HRSA
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