Statistics
-Nationally, nearly 100,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant; approximately 17 will die each day without receiving one, including two within the CORE service area.
-At the five CORE-affiliated organ transplant hospitals, approximately 2,000 people are awaiting organ transplantation.
-Between 10,000 and 12,000 people die annually who are considered medically suitable for organ donation, yet only an estimated 6,000 donate.
-One organ and tissue donor may help more than 50 people.
-Nearly 70,000 people await a kidney transplant. Following kidneys, livers, lungs, and hearts are the organs in greatest demand for transplantation.
Donation Facts
-Under a program called "Routine Referral", established by CORE in 1989, the 155 hospitals in CORE's region call CORE with every death. Routine Referral is now practiced across the nation. Based on this phone call, CORE makes a medical assessment to determine if donation is an option and a specially trained CORE staff person will work with the hospital staff to discuss donation with the family. However, when an individual dies outside the hospital setting, the individual may be able to donate tissue or corneas, but not organs.
-Donor suitability is based on medical and social history. Potential donors are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Very few illnesses prevent someone from being a donor. There is no age limit for donation. The general age limit for tissue donation is 80, with the age limit for corneal donation at 70. Though someone may not be able to donate blood, it does not always prevent the individual from donating organs and tissue.
-For individuals at least 18 years old, a driver's license donor designation, signed donor card, or online registration is recognized as legally binding. CORE will always talk with the family before proceeding with donation, but an adult donor's wishes will be upheld.
-You can donate many major organs. The heart, two lungs, pancreas, liver, two kidneys, intestines, and stomach can be donated. Eyes, ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin are the tissues most often donated. Also, heart valves and certain arteries may also be donated. The entire eye does not need to be recovered for transplantation. If the entire eye is donated, the sclera (which is the white part of the eye) may help eyes that are damaged by sudden injuries or prevent erratic movement of a prosthetic eye.
-Total body donation is not related to organ and tissue donation. The body of organ and tissue donors is returned to the family and funeral arrangement can proceed as the family wishes, which includes open-casket viewings. If someone would want to donate their body to medical research, the individual must be pre-registered with a medical school. After approximately two years of medical research, the body is cremated and the ashes may be returned to the family.
-Major organized religions support donation, with some strongly endorsing it.
Transplantation Facts
Organs must be transferred immediately to the organ transplant hospital. Following is the average breakdown of how long organs, tissues and corneas remain viable after they are recovered but before transplant:
| Heart and lungs |
4 hours - 6 hours |
| Pancreas |
12 hours - 24 hours |
| Liver |
18 hours - 24 hours |
| Kidneys |
48 hours - 72 hours |
| Bone/Skin |
Two years - five years |
| Corneas |
Can be preserved seven -14 days,
though preferred usage is three days. |
Following are the average, one-year survival rates for organ transplant recipients:
| Living-related Kidney |
98 percent |
Liver |
80 percent |
| Cadaveric Kidney |
95 percent |
Heart-lung |
65 percent |
| Pancreas |
79 percent |
Lung |
65 percent |
| Small Intestine |
70 percent |
Heart |
85 percent |
| Multiviscera |
70 percent |
