Why Should I Volunteer To Donate An Organ

Organ and tissue transplantation is a modern medical miracle, through which hundreds of lives are saved each year. For organ donors and their families, it is a chance to give life, a chance to help others at a time when it may seem that so much has been taken away. For recipients it is a new life. Modern medicine and improved surgical techniques have increased survival rates for recipients, but the need for organs and tissues remains greater than ever. That's why so many people have to wait for a transplant operation --- and why some people die before a suitable organ can be found. You can make a difference. By deciding to become a donor, you are choosing to someday offer someone else the promise of a brighter future.

Organs that can be harvested for transplant from a person who has died include:

   * Lungs

   * Heart

   * Kidneys

   * Intestines

   * Pancreas

   * Liver

Organ donation is similar to, but should not be confused with [[Interview With George Kramer, Tissue Procurement Specialist|tissue donation]], which is the harvesting of:

   * Bones and bone marrow

   * Corneas

   * Veins

   * Skin

   * Heart valves

   * Tendons