Become an Organ Donor!

By: Ariana Hydro

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)

Every 12 Minutes

• Created by Congress in 1984.• Located in Richmond, Virginia.• Administers the nation’s only Organ

Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN)

UNOS Statistics

• 27,958 transplant recorded between January and December of 2008. – 21,745 from deceased donors.– 6,213 from living donors.

• Currently 101,484 patients waiting

www.unos.org

Kidney 79,093 Liver 15,803

Myths: Top 2 about organ & tissue

donation • Myth 1:

– Celebrities or wealthy people get transplanted faster than others.

• Truth: – UNOS waiting list – status, income, race or ethnicity doesn’t matter – Organs given on severity of illness, match of

donor, and time on waiting list.

• Myth 2:– If you are a donor and you are in an accident,

doctors will not work to save your life. • Truth:

– Not connected to transplant programs– They have nothing to gain. – Do not see documentation.

http://www.organtransplants.org/journey/

Reality

• Average of 17 people die every day while waiting

• Estimated 10-14 thousand people who die each year meet donation criteria but less than half become donors.

“Disabled” “Suffering” “W.a.i.t.i.n.g” “Wondering”

http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/kidneycaucus/25facts.html

How do I become an organ donor?• 90% of Americans say they support donation, but

only 30% actually know the essential steps to take to become a donor.

• http://www.donatelife-pa.org/• http://www.organtransplants.org/understanding/ • www.unos.org• Follow simple steps or visit these sites for more

information regarding organ & tissue donation.

http://www.organtransplants.org/donor/

Why become a donor?

• When you are no longer around, give the “gift of life.”

• 1 donation of tissues- bones, skin, veins, heart valves, and corneas- helps more than 50 people.

• Donate Blood– One pint of blood can save up to 3 lives

http://www.organtransplants.org/faces/

It’s time to help.

Save a life.Give someone a second chance.

Why?

Because.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKn-IdsNZ1U

Bibliography

• 25 Facts about Organ Donation and Transplantation. (Online) http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/kidneycaucus/25facts.html. February 2002. Received: March 29, 2009.

• 56 Facts About Blood and Blood Donation. (Online) http://www.bloodcenters.org/aboutblood/bloodfacts.htm 2005. Received: April 4, 2009.

• Become an Organ Donor Today. (Online) http://www.donatelife-pa.org/ Received: April 4, 2009.

• Goodwin, Michele. “The Supply and Demand of Body Parts.” Pub. 2006. Received: March 30, 2009.

• Organ Donor. (Online) http://www.organdonor.gov/. Received: March 29, 2009.

• The Gift of a Lifetime. (Online) http://www.organtransplants.org/faces/ 2004. Received: April 4, 2009.

• United Network for Organ Sharing. (Online) http://www.unos.org/ 2009. Received: April 4, 2009.

Questions or Comments?