Organ Donation and Why It Matters
There is a critical need for organ and tissue donations in the United States.
Donating your organs can save 50+ lives.
The Facts
One of goals of The Emily Stillman Foundation is that one day organ and tissue donations for transplantation will be something one must “opt-out of,” not “sign up for.” Through extensive training provided by Gift of Life Michigan, we have come to learn astonishing facts.
An average of 20 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant in the United States.
There are more than 112,000 men, women and children on the organ transplant waiting list. One name is added to the wait list every 9 minutes.
One donor has the potential to save and enhance more than 50 lives, removing up to 8 people from the waiting list.
Emily’s Legacy
Emily was able to donate 6 of her organs when she died, together with bones and tissue, to save the lives of 5 others. These are some of the lives she saved.
Of all the deaths in the USA, only 1-2% have the potential to result in organ donation.
It’s time we change that.
It is important for people to realize how a decision at one’s darkest moment can change the lives of so many other people, and ultimately their own as well.
During the past 10 years, the transplant waiting list has more than doubled. Studies have shown that 90% of the population supports organ donation, including strong support from health care professionals and virtually all organized religions, though less than 30% of people nationwide have actually placed the organ donor designation on their drivers license.
For that reason, of all the deaths in the United States, only 1-2% have the potential to result in organ donation. Unfortunately, only about 50% of those individuals actually donate.
Source
(1) Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/
(2) Organ Donation Statistics. U.S. Government Information on Organ Donation and Transplantation. https://www.organdonor.gov/statistics-stories/statistics.html