National Donate Life Month promotes awareness of organ donation

This post was last updated on April 6, 2017

No one likes to be kept waiting. Imagine being one of the more than 118,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

April is National Donate Life Month, a time when we celebrate those who have given the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Established in 2003 by Donate Life America and its partnering institutions, National Donate Life Month is comprised of local, regional, and national events designed to teach about the importance of organ donation and encourage others to register as donors.

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Organ Donation Saves Lives

If you are considering being an organ donor, it’s important to know the facts, and understand the impact you can make when you take this important step.

  • On average, 22 people die every day while waiting for a transplant.
  • One single organ or tissue donor can help up to 75 people.
  • A single organ, tissue, and eye donor has the ability to save eight lives.

Types of Organ Donation

There are two types of organ donation: living donation and deceased donation. Living donation is an option for those waiting for a kidney or a liver transplant. To be a living donor you must:

  • Be age 18 to 55
  • Be in general good health
  • Have an unselfish desire to contribute to another person’s life

When living donation is not possible, an organ can be donated from a deceased donor. Most transplants are done through deceased donation.

How Can You Help?

On average, one person is added to the organ donation wait list every 10 minutes. By registering as an organ donor, you have the ability to save lives and offer hope to those on the transplant waiting list. You can help by:

For a list of events and activities, visit our Donate Life webpage throughout Donate Life Month. 

About Transplant Services

For more than four decades, UPMC Transplant Services has been a leader in organ transplantation. Our clinicians have performed more than 20,000 organ transplant procedures, making UPMC one of the foremost organ transplant centers in the world. We are home to some of the world’s foremost transplant experts and take on some of the most challenging cases. Through research, we have developed new therapies that provide our patients better outcomes — so organ recipients can enjoy better health with fewer restrictions. Above all, we are committed to providing compassionate, complete care that can change – and save – our patients’ lives. Visit our website to find a provider near you.