Facts

Statistics

  • More than 115,000 people are currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants in the United States, including 2,900 Ohioans. Those waiting would more than fill the Ohio State University football stadium.
  • The national transplant waiting list grows at a staggering rate, as one person is added to the list every 10 minutes.
  • 20 people die every day because the need for organs far outweighs the availability. One Ohioan dies every other day waiting for an organ transplant.
  • More than 33,000 people have their lives saved through organ donation every year, and over 1 million people benefit from tissue transplants annually.
  • One person has the power to save 8 lives through organ donation and heal 50 more through tissue donation.

    • Frequently Asked Questions

    For more information about donation, please visit our FAQ section.

    Donation process

    Only one percent of people will die in a way that allows organ donation to be possible, so Life Connection of Ohio’s staff is focused on maximizing every gift.

    Organ-Tissue-for-Transplant

    The hospital contacts the recovery organization to provide notification of every death. The procurement transplant coordinator on call receives information about the person and determines whether he or she is medically suitable for organ, eye and tissue donation. If so, the coordinator obtains the person’s wishes from the Ohio Donor Registry, if available, and consults the family to carry out the process. If the person’s wishes are not available, the coordinator offers the option of donation to the family. If the decision is made for donation, the person’s medical/social history, blood tests and other medical evaluations are coordinated to determine which organs and/or tissues can be donated, and the matching process begins. Once the recipients are identified, the coordinator makes arrangements for the surgical recovery of organs and/or tissues. Once the recovery is complete, the body is prepared for the funeral home.

    For a visual representation of which organs and tissues can be donated, visit The Interactive Body.

Did you know? More than 115,000 people are currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants in the United States, including 2,900 Ohioans. Those waiting would more than fill the Ohio State University football stadium.
Question Will my medical treatment suffer if I say “yes” to donation? Absolutely not. This misconception has been portrayed on television drama shows, where many writers don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. The reality is that every effort will be made to save someone’s life, regardless of their choice to donate. The medical staff dedicated to saving lives at hospitals is a completely separate team of people than those who coordinate donation. It is only after all life-saving efforts have failed that donation becomes an option. More Frequently Asked Questions ›
Our Mission Together, we save and enhance lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. Read more about us ›
Become a donor

Say "yes."