You have to power to change someone's world by being an organ, eye, and tissue donor. It is about living. It is about LIFE!

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Organ, eye, and tissue transplants offer patients a new chance at healthy, productive, and normal lives and return them to their families, friends, and community.

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Transplantation I one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. It provides hope to thousands of people with organ failure. In addition, transplanted tissue offers hundreds of thousands of people active and renewed lives. But transplantation requires the commitment of organ, eye, and tissue donors. Unfortunately, the need for donors is much greater than the number of people who actually donate.

 

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Statistics:

 

• Last year, approximately 8,000 deceased donors made possible nearly 22,000 organ transplants. In addition, there were more than 6,000 transplants from living donors.

• Over 42,000 sight-restoring corneal transplants were performed in the U.S. last year.

• Each year, lifesaving and life-enhancing tissue is provided by approximately 30,000 tissue donors.

• The need for donated organs, corneas, and tissue continues to grow. More than110,000 men, women, and children currently await lifesaving organ transplants. Sadly, an average of 18 people die each day due to a lack of available organs.

YOU have to power to Donate Life!

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As a donor, you can save and enhance the lives of more than 50 people. Donated organs and tissues may include the following:

          Organs        Tissues

           Heart           Bones

        Intestines      Corneas

         Kidneys          Eyes

           Liver        Heart Valves

          Lungs            Skin

       Pancreas​       Tendons

                               Veins

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How does the donation process work?

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Your commitment to donation will not interfere with your medical care. Organ, eye, and tissue donation becomes an option only after ALL lifesaving efforts have been made. Consent for donation is confirmed, and your family is asked to participate in the process by providing your medical history.

Surgical procedures are used to recover donated organs, eyes, and tissue. The body is always treated with great care, respect, and dignity.

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Who receives donated organs and tissue?

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Organs are distributed based upon medical information like blood type, body size, and tissue type matching through a national computer network operated by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). It is illegal to distribute organs based on non-medical information such as wealth, citizenship, or celebrity status.

Tissue is distributed based upon patient need availability and medical criteria.