Organ donation is a gift that provides renewed life to a patient in need. After a life-saving heart, liver, lung, kidney, pancreas or small intestine transplant, many transplant recipients go on to lead normal, active and productive lives – working, spending time with family, contributing to their community and making memories which would be otherwise impossible.
Organ donation, with the primary exception of living kidney donation, occurs after someone has died from an injury that results in brain death. Such an injury might be from a car accident or other traumatic event, or occur when a stroke or heart attack prevents brain tissue from receiving vital oxygen. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, it dies, and brain death is determined.
Hospitals are required by law to contact their local organ recovery organization any time someone passes away so that donation may be considered as a possibility. LifeLink of Florida, LifeLink of Georgia and LifeLink of Puerto Rico are within LifeLink Foundation, and represent three of 57 federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) throughout the United States. We collaborate with hospitals, medical professionals, other agencies (such as medical examiners and law enforcement) and the public to increase support for donation, and to facilitate donation. We are available 24-hours daily to respond to the potential for life-saving donation in our areas.
Every year, more than 33,000 men, women and children receive the gift of a lifesaving organ transplant. Most of those individuals return to normal, active lives, and they certainly enjoy a second chance to make memories and celebrate milestones with family and friends. Many transplant recipients work, raise families and positively impact their community thanks to the gift of life.
One organ & tissue donor can save 8 lives and improve dozens more through tissue donation.
