ORGAN & TISSUE DONATION

Get the Facts

Saving Lives at All Ages

The Need for Transplantation

More than 110,000 Americans are waiting for lifesaving organ donors. More than 3,400 in North Carolina Every 11 minutes, someone is added

to list (100+ people each day) An average of 18 people die daily

while waiting Many thousands more need life-

restoring tissue transplants 1 donor = 25+ recipients

What organs can be transplanted? Liver

Chronic hepatitis Liver tumors Cirrhosis

Lungs Chronic bronchitis Emphysema Cystic fibrosis

Intestines Short-bowel

syndrome

Heart Congenital Coronary Hypertensive

cardiomyopathy Pancreas

Type 1 diabete Kidneys

Hypertension Diabetes Polycystic kidney

disease

Tissues that Can be Donated Cornea/Eye—restores

sight for patients with corneal damage

Heart Valve—replaces heart valve for patients with heart defects, infection or damage

Bone-saves limbs or replaces joints for patients with bone cancer, bone fractures, or degenerative diseases

Soft tissue—repairs or restructures injured tendons and ligaments

Vein—replaces femoral or saphenous veins for patients with vascular disease or diseased/blocked arteries—limb saving measure

Skin—grafts skin for patients with severe burns or large wounds

Blood, Bone Marrow Donation Types of Living donation 3 lives can be saved by 1

pint of blood Every 3 seconds someone

needs blood 6,000 men, women, and

children are waiting for a lifesaving bone marrow transplant

The Organ Donation Process

Lifesaving Efforts

Referral & Evaluation

Recovery Staff Meets

Family

Testing & Matching with

possible recipients

Organ Recovery

Successful Transplantati

on

How Organs are Allocated

Potential recipients are ranked by: Medical Urgency Blood/Tissue Type Waiting Time Body Size Location of Recipient in Relation to Donor

How Long Are Organs Viable?

Heart

Lungs

Liver

Pancreas

Intestine

Kidneys

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00

4-6

4-6

12-18

12-18

12-18

36+

Series 1

Transplants are Successful

More than 28,000 lifesaving transplant surgeries every year

Nearly 1 million life-restoring tissue transplants every year

On average more than 25 people can benefit from a single donor

If you chose to Donate Life… Share your

decision with your family

When you turn 18: register with DMV (Driver’s

License) Donate Life Life Share of the

Carolinas