April is Donate Life Month. A month to celebrate those who have received transplants, to recognize those who continue to wait, to honor donors and donor families, and to thank registered donors for giving hope. For those who have not registered, it is a time to remind the community, that everyone has the opportunity to register to give the gift of life.
There are more than 100,000 people awaiting an organ donation in the United States. Every 8 minutes another person is added to the transplant waiting list. In New Jersey, 4,000 people are on the waiting list. RWJBarnabas Health has the largest transplant program in the state – transplanting kidneys, hearts, lungs and pancreases – and transforming lives.
Registering to become an organ donor is an act of altruism. People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential organ, eye and tissue donors. Registration takes less than a minute and every donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of 75 more.
Highlighting Kidney Donation
Eighty-six percent of those in need of an organ donation are awaiting a kidney transplant. “The average wait time to receive a kidney is three to five years and nowadays often shorter. Kidney transplant is considered the best treatment for kidney failure and has great long-term success rates,” says Dr. Francis Weng, Chief, Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.
“Most people are born with two kidneys, and most people can live a normal life with just one,” he continued. Living donors selflessly give their kidneys to help those awaiting kidney transplantation. Individuals can become living donors by donating:
- To a relative.
- To a friend or colleague.
- Via Kidney Paired Donation – typically when the living donor and recipient are not compatible and enter into an exchange and “swap” kidneys with other donor-recipient pairs. This allows all recipients to receive a compatible living donor transplant.
- Via Non-directed (“Altruistic”) Living Donation – when the living donor comes forward to donate to anyone in need of a transplant, they often choose to start a kidney paired donation chain.
- Via Compatible Share Program – when the living donor and recipient are compatible but choose to participate in a kidney paired donation for the recipient to receive a better sized or age match living donor kidney.
“While kidney transplants can come from deceased or living donors, living donor transplants are considered the best treatment option for those with end-stage renal disease,” continued Dr. Weng. Finding the right donor is important in order to maximize the survival of the new kidney. There are many benefits to living kidney donation:
- The recipient can receive a transplant sooner, without waiting on the waitlist.
- Living donor kidney transplants can last almost twice as long, on average, as deceased donor kidneys.
- Living donor transplant is pre-planned and elective, so the recipient and donor can prepare ahead of time.
- The living donor receives an emotional benefit from donating and helping the recipient.
- Living donation allows the recipient to come off the transplant waiting list, thereby allowing someone else to receive a deceased donor kidney.
Kidney donation is a voluntary, intensely personal decision. The process is governed by strict ethical and medical guidelines prioritizing the well-being of the donor throughout the process.
The impact of organ donation cannot be overstated. For those awaiting transplants, an organ donation represents a second chance at life. By registering to be an organ donor or becoming a living donor, you create a legacy of hope and healing that extends beyond your own life impacting countless others.
To learn more about organ transplantation go to rwjbh.org/transplant. To register to become an organ donor, go to registerme.org/cbmc.