Did You Know?

• Currently, more than 102,000 Americans, including nearly 740 Kentuckians, are registered on the United Network for Organ Sharing waiting list for donated organs.
• A new name is added to the waiting list every 14 minutes.
• An average of 18 people die each day, waiting for a life-saving organ that was not donated in time.
• The total number of organ transplants in 2008, was 27,961, coming from 21,744 deceased donors and 6,217 living donors.
• Transplantable organs include the kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and small bowel.
• Transplantable tissues include bone, cartilage, skin, corneas, heart valves, saphenous veins, tendons and ligaments.
• The total number of single and multiple organ transplants increased by 30% between 1998-2008.
• One individual donor can provide organs, bone and tissues for more than 50 people in need.
• More than 500,000 Americans are treated with transplantable bone, tendon and ligament tissues each year.
• In 2008, 281 successful organ transplants were performed in Kentucky.  It is estimated that twice as many could have been performed if more people said "YES" to donation.
• By law, donation is the right of every American, age 18 and older.  Hospitals are obligated, by law, to identify potential donors and to inform families of their right to donate. 
• Individuals may indicate their wish to be a donor by placing their name on the Kentucky Organ Donor Registry when renewing their driver's license or state identification card at their local Circuit Court Clerk's office or by visiting www.DonateLifeKY.org.
• Acceptable donors range from newborns to senior citizens.
• Between 1998 and 2008, there was a 36.8% increase nationally in living donors and a 56.5% increase in Kentucky.
• In 2008 Kentucky, 186 men and 95 women received life-saving organ transplants.