To prevent waitlist deaths, educate the public about making living organ donations

It’s a miracle when someone receives an organ transplant and a life is saved. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough organs available to save everyone.

A new survey released by WebMD and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center focused on liver transplants, for which there are approximately 14,000 people wait-listed nationwide. Nearly 3,000 (or about 20%) will die because of a lack of deceased donors.

The survey points out that people are willing to donate organs, but that they lack information about options surrounding transplants, including the education needed to make informed decisions about living donation.

The American Transplant Foundation’s experience concurs with the survey. A majority of people have a basic understanding of living donation and would consider it, yet more than 5,000 people died waiting for liver and kidney transplants in 2018. That works out to an average of 14 people a day dying while waiting for these transplants that could come from a living donor. We want to reduce this growing waitlist.

We take aim at this goal by offering financial assistance to donors to offset lost wages that occur while they are donating an organ; setting up a one-onone mentorship program for people on waitlists, living donors, recipients and caretakers; and fighting for better legislation to protect the rights of all.

Some 6,800 incredible Americans became living donors in 2018.

We believe that no one should die while waiting for a transplant.

Do you?

Anastasia Henry

Executive director American Transplant Foundation Denver, Colo.