Organ Donation: It's all about LIFE
There are two essential steps to saving lives through organ donation
 1. SHARE YOUR LIFE. Decide to be a donor.
Transplants provide hope for thousands of people with organ failure. In addition, hundreds of thousands more can be helped with tissue transplants. Unfortunately, the need for donors is much greater than the actual number of donors. Your commitment to organ and tissue donation can save lives.
2. SHARE YOUR DECISION. Tell your family.
The most important part of deciding to be a donor is telling your family. Talking about donation doesn't mean talking about death. It is talking about the opportunity to give another person a second chance at life. Even if you have signed a donor card or indicated your wish to donate on your driver's license, you need to tell your family since they will be consulted before donation can take place.
| Important facts about donation: |
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There is no national registry of organ and tissue donors. Even if you have signed something, be sure you have told your family of your wishes as they will be consulted before donation can take place. |
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All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider donation the greatest gift. |
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An open casket funeral is possible for organ and tissue donors. |
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There is no cost to the donor's family or estate for organ and tissue donation. Funeral costs remain the responsibility of the family. |
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People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissue can be donated. |
 :: Organ Donor Card
You can download and print out an organ donor card. But remember, completing this card alone is not enough. You also need to discuss your wishes with your family.
 Download PDF version
To find out more about organ donation, visit the web site of the Coalition on Donation:
www.shareyourlife.org
:: Bone Marrow Donation: The Living Gift of Life
Marrow transplants are the only hope for survival for many children and adults with leukemia, aplastic anemia, and other fatal blood diseases and cancers. Unfortunately, nearly 70 percent of these patients cannot find suitably matched marrow donors within their families. They need to find unrelated marrow donors - people who have volunteered to donate marrow if ever matched with any patient in need. A national registry of marrow donors is maintained by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
Because tissue types are inherited, and some tissue types are unique to certain racial or ethnic groups, a patient's best chance of finding a match is within his or her ethnic and racial group. Currently, the majority of the volunteers on the NMDP Registry are Caucasian. While all volunteer donors are welcome, there is a critical need for minority donors to help the many minority patients searching the Registry.
You can become a volunteer donor through your local donor center if you are between the ages of 18 and 60 and are in good health. To find out the center closest to you, and to learn more about the donation process, go to the National Marrow Donor Program Web Site (www.marrow.org) or call 1-800-MARROW-2.
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