Gift of Life Encourages Individuals to Generate Hope, Advocacy and Passion by Registering to Become an Organ, Tissue and Cornea Donor
Released: April 5, 2016
Each day, 21 people in the United States die while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Chester County Hospital is pleased to join the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) and Gift of Life Donor Program and organ procurement organizations throughout the country to inspire hope, advocacy and passion for National Donate Life Month this April and beyond. Gift of Life is encouraging individuals to register to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor.
"The number of people in need of transplants far exceeds the number of organs, tissues and corneas that are donated, and at Gift of Life, we're passionate about educating people on the need to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor," said Howard M. Nathan, Gift of Life President and CEO. "Registering to become a donor only takes about 30 seconds, but it's one of the most meaningful ways individuals can inspire hope and change the life of someone waiting for a transplant."
"As part of the Penn Medicine health system, we are uniquely positioned to not only tend to the health of our patients, but to inspire our community to be mindful of wellness in all aspects of life," said Michael J. Duncan, Chester County Hospital President and CEO. "The more people we can inspire to become organ donors, the better we can serve our mission to be advocates for the well-being of our entire community."
Individuals are encouraged to talk with family members and friends about registering as a donor. Each organ, tissue and cornea donor can help up to 50 people. To sign up, visit www.donors1.org.
Some important facts about organ, tissue and cornea donation:
- Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race or medical history.
- More than 5,800 patients in the region await life-saving organ transplants. Thousands of others could benefit from life-enhancing tissue transplants.
- Only 46% of registered drivers in Pennsylvania have designated themselves as organ and tissue donors.
- With at least 101,000 people across the nation awaiting a kidney, they are the organ in greatest demand, followed by liver, heart and lungs.
- Because conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are often more prevalent in the multicultural community, these individuals make up more than 50 percent of those on the national organ transplant list.
Donation and Transplantation Statistics
- It is estimated that nearly 30,000 patients began new lives in 2015 thanks to organ transplants (from 8,500 deceased and 6,000 living donors).
- 122,000 men, women and children await lifesaving organ transplants. More than 1,000 of them are 10 years old or younger.
- About 58% of patients awaiting lifesaving transplants are minorities.
- Another person is added to the nation's organ transplant waiting list every 10 minutes.
- Sadly, 8,000 people die each year - 21 people each day - because the organs they need are not donated in time.
- The average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor is 3 to 5 years. A kidney from a living donor offers patients an alternative to years of dialysis and time on the national transplant waiting list*.
- 13% of patients waiting are in need of a liver. Living donation of part of the liver is an option for these patients; the remaining portion will regenerate and regain full function. Partial lung, intestine and pancreas living donation are possible as well.
- More than 33% of all deceased donors are age 50 or older; more than 5% are age 65 or older.
- Each year, there are approximately 30,000 tissue donors and more than 1 million tissue transplants; the surgical need for donated tissue is steadily rising.
- A single tissue donor can help more than 50 people.
- 48,000 patients have their sight restored through corneal transplants each year.
- More than 121 million people, approximately 51% of the U.S. adult population, are registered organ, eye and tissue donors.
To register your decision to save and heal lives, visit www.donors1.org.
* Living donation is not covered by a donor registration
Data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) through October 31, 2015.
About Gift of Life Donor Program
Since 1974, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 40,000 life-saving organ transplants and an estimated 600,000 tissue transplants. Gift of Life serves as the link between donors and patients awaiting life-saving organ and life-enhancing tissue transplants. Serving nearly 11 million people in the region, Gift of Life's coordination of over 44 donors-per-million-population ranks among the highest in the world. For more information about donation and to register, visit us at donors1.org.