Organ donation how many lives

According to Donate Life America , while 95 percent of U. Below are five answers to frequently asked questions about organ donation that shed some light on why it's so important to register to be a donor and to encourage others. One deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives! Two people can be freed from dialysis treatments with the donation of two kidneys.

A donated liver can be split so that two people receive the gift. You may also include your wishes in your living will if you have one, but that might not be immediately available at the time of your death.

It's also very important to tell your family that you want to be a donor. Hospitals seek consent from the next of kin before removing organs, although this is not required if you're registered with your state's donor registry or have donor designation on your driver's license or state ID card. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health.

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Home Blood and blood vessels. Organ and tissue donation. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. What is donation?

Why is donation important? Pathways to organ donation Registering to be a donor Factors that could affect donation Organ and tissue allocation Eye and tissue donation Why you should share your decision DonateLife supports organ and tissue donations Where to get help. Donation is the giving of an organ and tissue to help someone that needs a transplant.

Pathways to organ donation There are three pathways to organ donation: Brain death - This is where a person no longer has blood going to or activity in their brain due to a severe brain injury. They have permanently lost the potential for consciousness and the capacity to breathe. This may happen even when a ventilator is keeping the person's heart beating and oxygen is circulated through their blood.

Brain death is not the same as being in a coma. A person in a coma is unconscious because their brain is injured in some way. In a coma, the brain continues to function and may heal. With brain death however, there is no possibility of recovery as the brain has ceased to function and cannot recover.

For brain death, a series of tests are carried out by two independent and appropriately qualified senior doctors to establish that death has occurred. Circulatory death - Is the irreversible loss of function of circulation after a cardiac arrest from which the patient cannot or should not be resuscitated.

It can also be the planned withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from a patient within the Intensive Care Unit or the Emergency Department. Signing a donor card, registry or driver's license is a good first step in designating your wishes about donation, but letting your family or other loved one's know about your decision is vitally important.

That's because family members are often asked to give consent for a loved one's donation, so it's important that they know your wishes. COVID patients can become kidney patients. You can provide lifesaving support today with a special monthly gift. Donate Now.