what organs can you donate

Living organ donors can donate: one kidney, a lung, or a portion of the liver, pancreas, or intestine. Learn more about deceased donation, living donation, and the transplantation process. By registering as a cornea donor, you can also leave behind the gift of sight.

Full Answer

What are the 6 organs that can be donated?

Most often, you donate organs once you’ve died. You can donate some organs while you’re alive. What organs can I donate after I die? Kidneys (2) Liver; Lungs (2) Heart; Pancreas; Intestines; Hands and Face; Get answers to your questions about donating after death. What organs can I donate while I’m alive? One kidney; One lung; A part of the liver

What are the most common organs to donate?

As a living donor, you may be able to donate: one of your kidneys, one liver lobe, a lung or part of the lung, part of the pancreas, or part of the intestines.

What organs can you not donate while you are alive?

Mar 16, 2022 · Some common organs that can be donated include: Heart: Your heart is a muscular organ with a role to pump blood through the body. It can be donated and helps people suffering from heart failure. It ... Liver: This large organ secretes bile and helps metabolize fats, carbs, and proteins. It also ...

Can I donate all of my organs before death?

Jun 13, 2019 · The most frequently donated organ from a living donor is a kidney. A healthy person has two kidneys and can continue to live an active life with just one. Kidney donors must be the same blood type and be a similar size and weight of the recipient.

What are the 9 organs that can be donated?

By registering to become an organ donor you have the option to donate organs such as your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and small bowel. All of these forms of donation can greatly enhance or even save the life of someone in need. To find out more, please click one of the links below.

Which organs can you donate while alive?

As a living donor, you may be able to donate: one of your kidneys, one liver lobe, a lung or part of the lung, part of the pancreas, or part of the intestines.Apr 20, 2021

Do organs donors get paid?

5. Can I get paid for donating an organ? No, it is against the law. You do not get any money or gifts for being an organ donor, but you will not have to pay any of the medical costs.

What 5 organs can be donated?

Organs and tissues that can be transplanted include:Liver.Kidney.Pancreas.Heart.Lung.Intestine.Corneas.Middle ear.More items...•May 4, 2021

Can I donate my heart while still alive?

The heart must be donated by someone who is brain-dead but is still on life support. The donor heart must be in normal condition without disease and must be matched as closely as possible to your blood and /or tissue type to reduce the chance that your body will reject it.Apr 24, 2021

Can you donate your eyes to a blind person?

Yes, you can! People who have poor vision and wear glasses, or have had previous eye diseases or surgery, can still donate. Eyes donated to The Eye-Bank that are not medically suitable for transplant may be used for medical research and education.

Can an organ donor feel pain?

Deceased donors do not feel any pain during organ recovery. Most major religious groups support organ and tissue donations. Organ procurement organizations treat each donor with the utmost respect and dignity, allowing a donor's body to be viewed in an open casket funeral whenever possible.Apr 23, 2019

What are the negatives of organ donation?

Immediate, surgery-related risks of organ donation include pain, infection, hernia, bleeding, blood clots, wound complications and, in rare cases, death. Long-term follow-up information on living-organ donors is limited, and studies are ongoing.Feb 5, 2022

How hard is it to donate a kidney?

You have to be strong enough to make it through surgery and anesthesia. And you have to have two kidneys to begin with: "You might be walking around with one kidney and not know it, since some people are born with only one," Vassalotti says. Although that issue is somewhat rare, you'll need an imaging test to find out.Nov 12, 2018

Can eyes be donated after death?

The good news is that almost everyone can donate their eyes or corneas after their death. Eye donors can have any eye colour, blood type or level of eyesight. Donor age is not as important as it is for other organs or tissues – most eye donors are in their 70s.

Does donating a kidney shorten your life?

Donating a kidney does not affect a person's life expectancy. On the contrary, studies show that people who donate a kidney outlive the average population. Twenty years after donating, 85 percent of kidney donors were still alive, while the expected survival rate was 66 percent.

Can you donate your uterus?

Can women donate their uterus? Yes, a uterus can be donated from either a living or deceased donor. A living uterus donor gives her uterus for the purpose of transplantation to a female recipient.

What organs can you donate?

You may be able to donate: One of your kidneys. A kidney is the most common donation. Your remaining kidney removes waste from the body. One liver lobe. Cells in the remaining lobe grow or refresh until your liver is almost its original size.

What is the National Living Donor Assistance Center?

The National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) provides financial help. They may be able to help you with: travel, lodging, meals and extras; lost wages, and; childcare and eldercare costs related to your evaluation, surgery, and follow-up visits.

Can you donate kidneys?

As a living donor, you may be able to donate: one of your kidneys, one liver lobe, a lung or part of the lung, part of the pancreas, or part of the intestines.

What is organ donation?

Organ donation is a practice of donating your organs for transplant. Organ donation is divided into two categories – living and deceased. Anyone with an organ too damaged to work properly can have that organ replaced with the one donated by someone else. It means an organ donation can actually help save a person's life or at least improve ...

What organs help with bile?

Liver: This large organ secretes bile and helps metabolize fats, carbs, and proteins. It also forms certain blood proteins. Liver transplants help people with liver failure survive. Kidneys: The role of your kidneys is to maintain electrolyte and water balance.

What is the intestine?

Intestines: Your intestines are the portion of the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus. Someone diagnosed with intestinal diseases such as short-gut syndrome or total parenteral nutrition may survive through an intestine transplant. Now you know what organs can be donated, but certain organ tissues can also be donated ...

Can you donate kidneys to someone with kidney disease?

You can donate a kidney and help save someone diagnosed with chronic end-stage kidney disease. Lungs: You have a pair of spongy organs that help provide your body with oxygen while removing carbon dioxide from the blood.

Can you donate kidneys to a friend?

Living Kidney Donation: You have two kidneys and you can still live a healthy life even if you choose to donate one. You can donate your kidney to a relative or friend, or to anyone on the waiting list. It can be a matter of life and death for someone.

Can you donate an organ to another person?

The organs are usually viable for transplantation if they are removed immediately after the heart stops or else they will be damaged due to a lack of oxygenated blood. Living Organ Donation: It usually means that a healthy person chooses to donate an organ to another family member or partner.

How many people are waiting for organ transplants?

Every 10 minutes another name is added to the list of more than 113,000 people currently waiting for an organ transplant in the United States. The names on the list include infants, toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents who all need an incredible gift in order to live.

How old do you have to be to donate a kidney?

A living donor needs to be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health. Care is given to be sure there will be no adverse physical, psychological or emotional issues with the donation. The transplant center evaluates a donor to determine emotional fitness, physical health, and compatibility.

How long can a kidney be preserved?

Kidney donors must be the same blood type and be a similar size and weight of the recipient. A kidney can be preserved outside of the body for up to 36 hours making it easy to transport if necessary.

Can you donate organs while you are alive?

Although most organ and tissue donations occur after the donor has died, there are some organs and tissues that can be donated while the donor is alive. About four out of every ten donations are living donations. The most frequently donated organ from a living donor is a kidney. A healthy person has two kidneys and can continue to live an active ...

Is Gift of Hope a non profit organization?

Gift of Hope is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization that is dedicated to arranging organ and tissue donation for the 12 million people who live in Illinois and northwest Indiana. This region is one of the busiest in the nation with 9 transplant centers that offer 34 transplant programs.

What organs can a deceased person donate?

Deceased organ donors can donate: both kidneys, liver, both lungs, heart, and pancreas. Living donors can donate: one kidney, a lung, or a portion of the liver, pancreas, or intestine.

How many lives can you save by giving organs?

Tissues. A single organ donor can save up to eight lives, but when you also donate tissue that number increases to 50. Heart valves, skin, bone, veins, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments can all be donated.

How old do you have to be to donate stem cells?

Healthy, living adults between the ages of 18 to 60 can donate bone marrow, cord blood stem cells, and peripheral blood stem cells. Unlike cornea donation, where you don’t need to “match" the recipient, stem cell donors must have a close match in tissue type or leukocyte antigen (HLA).

How often can you donate blood?

Donating blood and platelets is one of the easiest ways for a living donor to save lives. Healthy individuals are eligible to donate blood every 56 days and platelets every four weeks.

How many people are on the transplant waiting list?

For thousands of people, life or death is dependent on the kindness of a stranger. The more than 119,000 people on the national transplant waiting list need transplants for many different reasons.

How to learn about organ donation?

One of the best ways to learn about and promote organ donation is by talking to your family about it. After your passing, your body will then become the lifeline for several people waiting for transplants. Multiple people suffering through a variety of ailments such as diseases or trauma can be saved through your donation.

How many lives can an organ donor save?

An organ donor may be able to save up to eight lives after his or her passing. The organs typically received from a donor include: Transplanted tissue cannot only drastically improve someone’s ability to function; it can also mean the difference between life and death. Tissues that can be donated include: The gift of these tissues as ...

What are the different types of tissue?

Transplanted tissue cannot only drastically improve someone’s ability to function; it can also mean the difference between life and death. Tissues that can be donated include: 1 Corneas (the part of the eye in front of the iris) 2 Bones 3 Skin 4 Veins 5 Heart Valves 6 Ligaments 7 Tendons

What organs can be transplanted?

You can donate eight vital organs, including your heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines. You can donate tissues including your cornea, skin, heart valves, bone, blood vessels, and connective tissue.

What is a whole body donation?

Another kind of donation, but just as much of a gift, is whole body donation. When a body is donated to medical science, it provides the opportunity for student doctors to learn about anatomy and disease.

What is UNOS in healthcare?

An organization called UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) is the overall governance for how those decisions are made. They maintain lists of patients' names, their geographic locations, and their need. As patients get sicker waiting for organs to be available, those lists are updated.

How many people die waiting for organ transplants?

drbueller / Getty Images. According to the U.S. government, about 100 people receive transplanted organs each day. 1  That's the good news. The bad news is that 17 people in the United States die each day waiting for an organ that never becomes available.

How old do you have to be to register as an organ donor?

You can register as an organ donor if you are age 18 or over. There are two ways to sign up, either online or in-person at your local motor vehicle department. Then you must make your wishes known to your family. While you explain your wishes to your family, ask them to become organ or body donors, too.

Can you have an open casket funeral?

That's why it's critical you make your wishes known to your family while you are still healthy enough to have the conversation. You will still be able to have an open casket funeral if you are an organ, eye, or tissue donor. Your body will be treated with respect and dignity when the tissues are harvested.

Is there an age limit for organ donation?

There is no maximum age for organ donation. Regardless of how sick someone is when he dies, there may still be portions of the body that can be transplanted. It's true that some infectious diseases will cause the transplant decision-makers to reject a patient as a donor.

What religions are involved in organ donation?

These religions include Roman Catholicism, Islam, most branches of Judaism and most Protestant faiths. If you're unsure of or uncomfortable with your faith's position on organ donation, ask a member of your clergy.

How to become an organ donor?

Becoming an organ donor is easy. You can indicate that you want to be a donor in the following ways: 1 Register with your state's donor registry. Most states have registries. Check the list at organdonor.gov. 2 Designate your choice on your driver's license. Do this when you obtain or renew your license. 3 Tell your family. Make sure your family knows your wishes regarding donation.

What does it mean when you go to the hospital?

Fact: When you go to the hospital for treatment, doctors focus on saving your life — not somebody else's. You'll be seen by a doctor whose expertise most closely matches your particular condition and who can give you the best care possible.

Can you donate organs to an open casket funeral?

Fact: Organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with having an open-casket funeral. The donor's body is clothed for burial and treated with care and respect, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation.

Is there a cutoff age for donating organs?

Fact: There's no defined cutoff age for donating organs. The decision to use your organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age. Don't prematurely disqualify yourself. Let the doctors decide at the time of your death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.

Is the family charged for organ donation?

Fact: The organ donor's family is never charged for donation. The family is charged for the costs of all final efforts to save your life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation. Costs for organ removal go to the transplant recipient.

Do people wiggle their toes after they die?

Fact: Although it's a popular topic in the tabloids, in reality, people don't start to wiggle their toes after they're declared dead. In fact, people who have agreed to organ donation are given more tests (at no charge to their families) to determine that they're truly dead than are those who haven't agreed to organ donation.