Over 97,000 people –which is the majority of people on the organ waiting list– are in need of a kidney transplant. There is a critical shortage of deceased donor organs in the U.S., and the time spent waiting for a lifesaving organ can be several years. There are steps you can take to help.
Consider being a living kidney donor. A living kidney donor not only helps the person who receives the kidney but also shortens the deceased donor wait list, helping others get a deceased donor kidney sooner. You would be giving the gift of life to someone in need. Who knows… the life that you save may be that of a loved one or friend.
Register to become an organ donor. As of July 2017, 117,144 people are on the national waiting list for an organ and 22 people die a day waiting for an organ. While 95% of Americans are in favor of being a donor, only 54% are registered. A single donor can save up to eight lives and help heal some of the 117,000 people on the organ waiting list.
