Give Life

Organ, Eye & Tissue Donation Awareness

Someone Is Added To The Transplant Waiting List Every 7 Minutes

One donor can save eight lives and improve dozens more. Right now, nearly 110,000 people in this country are waiting for the call.

109,817
people on the national transplant waiting list right now. Source: organdonor.gov, HRSA.
Every 7 min
another person is added to that list. Source: organdonor.gov.
12
people who die every day still waiting. Source: organdonor.gov.
8 lives
saved by one organ donor, plus more than 75 lives enhanced through tissue donation. Source: organdonor.gov.

What One Decision Can Give

Organs and tissues that can be donated, and the lives each one can change

Kidneys Liver Heart Lungs Pancreas Intestines Corneas Skin Bone Heart Valves Tendons Connective Tissue

Why We Are Talking About This

My brother's eyes are somewhere in the world giving someone else sight. That is not a small thing.

I am an organ donor. My brother was one too. After he passed, my mom received a letter from the person who received his eyes, thanking our family. It was kind of cool to know that his eyes are somewhere giving someone more sight.

Even in his death, my brother continues to help people. I think that's a beautiful thing.

We need more people willing to donate. Right now nearly 110,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list, and someone new is added roughly every seven minutes. A single donor can save eight lives and improve dozens more through tissue donation. That is not a small decision. It's one that outlives you.

Registering is a five-minute decision that can change how someone else's story ends.

Understand What You Are Deciding

Organ And Tissue Donation: What It Involves

What can be donated?

Organs including kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and intestines, plus tissue like corneas, skin, bone, heart valves, and tendons. One donor can save eight lives through organ donation and enhance more than 75 more through tissue donation.

Who can register?

Almost anyone, regardless of age or most medical conditions. Medical suitability is only evaluated at the time of death. Don't rule yourself out in advance, that decision isn't yours to make early.

Does registering affect the medical care I get?

No. Hospitals do everything possible to save your life first. Donation is only ever considered after death has been declared by a medical team that is completely separate from any transplant team.

What's the actual gap right now?

Black and African American patients make up 26.89% of people on the national transplant waiting list, but only 12.28% of organ donors. That gap means longer waits for exactly the community that needs shorter ones. More registered donors, especially in underrepresented communities, is what closes it.

Does faith prohibit organ donation?

Most major faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, view organ and tissue donation as a final act of love and generosity, not something in conflict with belief. If this weighs on you, ask your own faith leader directly rather than assuming an answer.

Does it cost my family anything?

No. Donation costs are covered by the organ procurement organization, never billed to the donor's family. Funeral costs remain separate and are unaffected by the decision to donate.

Give Life

Someone on that list is waiting on a decision only you can make.

Registering takes minutes. These are the organizations that run the national registry, track the data, and are working to close the gap for the communities that wait longest.

Primary Resource

Donate Life America

The national nonprofit leading organ, eye, and tissue donation registration and public education, and the organization behind Blue & Green Day.

donatelife.net

Federal Resource

organdonor.gov

The official U.S. government source for donation statistics, registration by state, and the facts behind the numbers on this page.

organdonor.gov

National Waitlist Manager

UNOS

The United Network for Organ Sharing manages the national transplant waiting list and matching system that decides who receives each available organ.

unos.org

Closing The Gap

HHS Office of Minority Health

Federal data and programs specifically focused on the donation and waitlist disparities affecting Black and minority communities.

minorityhealth.hhs.gov

Registering Is Five Minutes. Telling Your Family Matters Too.

A registry decision is powerful, but your family should never have to guess what you wanted in the hardest moment of their lives.

  • Register at organdonor.gov or when you renew your driver's license or state ID
  • Tell your family directly what you've decided, out loud, not just on a card in your wallet
  • Don't assume a health condition disqualifies you, let the medical team make that call later
  • Ask your pastor or faith community directly if donation weighs on you spiritually
  • Ask your doctor about living donation if you're healthy, a kidney or part of a liver can be given while you're alive
  • If you're already registered, say so publicly. It's often what gets someone else to finally do it too

This content is for awareness and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider or organdonor.gov for guidance specific to your situation.