9 Need To Know Facts About Tissue Donation

9 Need To Know Facts About Tissue Donation

Posted on by Joe Ferreira
become a tissue donor

With such a high percentage of Americans who support organ, eye, and tissue donation, it may come as a surprise that less than 60% are registered donors. Each registered donor brings hope to more than 110,000 people currently in need of lifesaving organ transplants and hundreds of thousands more in need of healing tissue transplants.

become a tissue donor

The decision to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor is incredibly personal. Additional education helps many understand the importance of this decision.

With tens of thousands of Americans in need of tissue transplants every year and more than 1.75 million tissue transplants performed annually, the need for tissue donors in our country has never been greater. The transformative impact tissue donation has is powerful. Are you curious about tissue donation? You should understand the facts.

We have put together a list of 9 things everyone should know about tissue donation:

1) One Tissue Donor Can Save and Heal More Than 75 Lives

You may be amazed to learn that a single tissue donor can heal more than 75 lives! This statistic is even more poignant when you take into consideration that around one in 20 Americans will require some sort of tissue transplant throughout their lives.

2) Tissue Donation is More Common Than Organ Donation

Most people understand blood and organ donation saves lives. What often gets overlooked is how tissue donation enhances and heals the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year. Tissue donation helps victims suffering from severe burns, athletes suffering from torn ligaments and those requiring musculoskeletal structures, such as teeth, skin, and spinal components.

3) Tissue Donation Won’t Impact Funeral Arrangements

Family members may be concerned that their loved one’s tissue donation will alter funeral preferences or cause other inconveniences. Tissue donation will not delay any plans or prevent an open-casket funeral. Additionally, there is never any financial cost associated to donation.

4) Various Types of Tissues can be Donated

Many kinds of tissue can be donated when a heroic donor passes away. Tissue types include the corneas, sclera (whites of the eye), heart valves, skin, bone, tendons, and amniotic tissue. These gifts help rebuild thousands of lives each year! Donated corneas help restore sight; bones and tendons can replace tissue and joints; donated veins can help patients with coronary defects; heart valves can ensure a child’s heart pumps the way it should their entire life.

5) Donated Tissues can be Transplanted for up to Five Years

Many assume donated tissue must be utilized immediately, but that is false. Tissue can be processed and stored for an extended period.

6) Donated Tissues Save and Heal Burn Victims

Roughly 50% of burn victims require donated skin after their injuries. Skin grafts for burn victims involve the injured tissue being removed and replaced with healthy tissue from a heroic donor. This type of tissue donation greatly improves their quality of life.

7) Military Personnel Benefit from Tissue Donation After Combat Injuries

Due to the risks associated with their service, military personnel have an increased likelihood of sustaining injuries. It comes as no surprise that donated tissue plays a key role in healing injuries that military personnel have sustained during combat. This includes bone grafts after amputation and more.

8) Tissue Recovery Must Occur Within 24 Hours of a Heroic Donor’s Death

While tissue can be stored for up to five years, the recovery must be initiated and completed within 24 hours of their passing to ensure the tissue is healthy and safe for transplantation.

9) 90% of Americans Support Donation, but Only 60% are Registered

With such a high percentage of Americans who support organ, eye, and tissue donation, it may come as a surprise that less than 60% are registered donors. Each registered donor brings hope to more than 100,000 people currently in need of lifesaving organ transplants and hundreds of thousands more in need of healing tissue transplants.

Have You Registered to #BeAHero?

There are many reasons to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor. What better gift is there? If you support donation, but have not yet registered, it’s never too late. Regardless of age, race or medical conditions – everyone has the power to give hope by simply saying ‘YES.’ If you would like to become an organ, eye and tissue donor or know someone who may be interested, click here to register today.

+ REGISTER

First featured on nvdonor.org

Testimonials

“Joe Ferreira transformed Nevada Donor Network from a near crumbling Organ Procurement Organization to an innovative, high performing organization. When Joe came to Nevada Donor Network, he made every effort to listen to what each employee had to say about the organization and the leadership; and implement changes to better the culture. He clearly communicated his vision for Nevada Donor Network with all team members and asked for their support in changing the direction of operations to set meaningful goals, but not to just talk about it, be about it. Leadership was empowered to make real change in our community and implement new ideas and ways of operating, that with his support and guidance has led Nevada Donor Network to be a national leader in Organ Procurement Organizations.”

- Jenna Dumas,­ Community Development Manager,­ Nevada Donor Network, Inc.

” I have had the opportunity to witness Joe Ferreira lead our organ procurement organization’s growth from one of the lowest performers to the top performer in the United States in a few years’ time! Joe’s leadership style of inclusion of voices at every level shows his strength and dedication to “employees first” and “every voice matters”, which brought forth ideas and opportunities that had not been sought out prior to his arrival. His determination and top-notch engagement with staff have been pivotal attributes in our success as an organization, that our marked growth and change would have been impossible without. I’m proud to have the privilege of working under Joe’s leadership, where our embodied culture and strength resonate throughout the organization.”

- Heather Osipowicz, Manager of Hospital Services, Nevada Donor Network, Inc.

” It was evident from day one that Joe came to the Nevada Donor Network with purpose; knowing that we not only needed a strong leader with a plan, but needed someone who would be very intentional about their follow through to make it happen. He took the time to get to know the team individually and created an unexpected, but necessary, shift in the culture at NDN through his honest and transparent style of leading. When you work for someone that you respect and know that their intentions are to support and grow the staff however possible, you inevitably work harder and strive for a higher level of excellence in your daily tasks. Strong leadership is what has made NDN into the highest performing OPO in the world.”

- Joi Surgeon, Donation Services Supervisor, Nevada Donor Network

” Joe Ferreira’s humble and successful leadership restored confidence in the organization through the development and empowerment of NDN’s team members. He carried a super aura that enveloped the entire organization by the development of strong, loyal and modest leaders that were able to drive employee engagement. Allowing his focus to be on the “Bottom Up Theory” he was able to take the organization from the brink of regulatory closure to the best OPO in the Universe.”

- Rebecca Nicholas
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