EACH OF THESE CAN SAVE OR HEAL A LIFE
Infographic courtesy of Donor Alliance Organ & Tissue Donation.
THREE WAYS TO JOIN THE LIFESHARE DONOR REGISTRY
- ON YOUR LICENSE OR STATE ID CARD - When you get your driver’s license or state ID card, you will have an opportunity to say yes to organ, eye and tissue donation and you will have an opportunity to donate a dollar to the Oklahoma Donor Education Fund. If you have registered on your license or state ID card, you do not need to register in any other way.
- ONLINE – If you have not registered on your driver’s license or state ID card, you can go online anytime and register in just minutes at www.LifeShareRegistry.org. Registering online gives you the ability to access your registry page and change your donation information.
- ON THE PHONE –You can call 800-826-LIFE (5433) and request that a donor registration form be sent to you. After you fill out the form and return it, your name and donation wishes will be added to the LifeShare Donor Registry.
MATCHING ORGANS
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) maintains a centralized computer network, which links all organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and transplant centers.
The centralized computer network matches donated organs with transplant candidates in ways that save as many lives as possible and provide transplant recipients with the best possible chance of long-term survival.
The matching criteria, developed by the transplant community, is programmed into UNOS’ computer matching system. Only medical and logistical factors are used in organ matching. Personal or social characteristics such as celebrity status, income or insurance coverage play no role in transplant priority.
The centralized computer network matches donated organs with transplant candidates in ways that save as many lives as possible and provide transplant recipients with the best possible chance of long-term survival.
The matching criteria, developed by the transplant community, is programmed into UNOS’ computer matching system. Only medical and logistical factors are used in organ matching. Personal or social characteristics such as celebrity status, income or insurance coverage play no role in transplant priority.
ORGAN TYPE AND WAITING TIME
Most candidates, except those with living donors, wait for an organ due to the shortage of donor organs. Because each candidate's situation is unique, waiting times can vary, depending on a number of factors, such as those described below.
WHAT DETERMINES WHO WILL BE OFFERED AN ORGAN?
Depending on the organ, there are many considerations. These include but are not limited to:
• age
• blood type
• medical urgency
• waiting time
• geographic distance between donor and recipient
• size of the donor organ in relation to the recipient
• type of organ needed
• age
• blood type
• medical urgency
• waiting time
• geographic distance between donor and recipient
• size of the donor organ in relation to the recipient
• type of organ needed
WAITING FOR A TRANSPLANT
Wait times for transplants vary. Not everyone who needs a transplant will get one. Because of the shortage of organs that are suitable for donation, only slightly more than 50% of people on the waiting list will receive an organ within five years.
