“Anybody Can Be an Organ Donor.”
Why Donate?
Nationwide there are nearly 120,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant and nearly 3,000 of those waiting are right here in our community. The gift of organ, eye and tissue donation has the power to save and heal lives.
It’s a generous and selfless gift – the gift of life.
About Our Most Recent Campaign
We are working on increasing support for donation in the American Indian community in Minnesota with funding provided by a MN Department of Health grant. This grant is in partnership with Hennepin County Medical Center, and the transplant centers in Minnesota are participating as part of a Transplant Center Advisory Council. Our activities have laid the groundwork for implementing a culturally responsible, sustainable campaign with this important community in 2017.
Facts & Stats
One donor can save and heal up to 75 lives.
Donation is a rare event – you are much more likely to need a transplant than to be a donor.
Nearly 3,000 Minnesotans need a life-saving organ transplant.
More than 1 million people are impacted by tissue transplants each year.
50,000 people have their vision restored through corneal transplants every year.
All major religions support donation.
In the Upper Midwest 3,700 people are waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
Anyone can register to be a donor, regardless of age and health conditions.
An open casket funeral or viewing is possible.
There is no cost to you or your family.
Nationally 123,000 people are waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
How It Works
Becoming a Donor Means…
- The opportunity to save and heal up to 75 lives.
- Agreeing to have your organs, eyes and tissues made available for transplant at the time of your death.
- Your family will be informed of your donation decision at the time of your death, and will be asked to provide information about your social and medical history.
- Your family will receive support from LifeSource, the organ and tissue donation agency serving Minnesota, at the time of donation and in the months and years following your death.
LifeSource is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest. It’s our privilege to serve the 7 million people who live in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions of western Wisconsin.
We are dedicated to working with our hospital and community partners to support donor families, manage the donation process and educate our communities to create a culture of donation.
Additional Resources
Registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor is an incredible gift! It means that you are agreeing to donate your organs, eyes and tissues to people in need when your life is over.
We understand you may have questions.
Minnesota residents can register online to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. You can also register by checking the box on your driver’s license or state ID card application or when you apply for your hunting and fishing license online. Please remember to share your decision with your family.
We encourage you to share your decision with your family. If you have the opportunity to be a donor at the time of your death, a LifeSource coordinator will share your documented decision with your family. Your family will be asked to provide information about your medical and social history to ensure the health of transplanted organs and tissues. Your family will be supported by our team members at the time of donation and in the months and years following your death.
There are many more people waiting for a transplant than there are organs available, and many, many more are in need of a tissue or cornea transplant. More than 3,400 of our neighbors in the Upper Midwest are waiting for a transplant and the situation nationally is even more desperate, with more than 118,000 people waiting for a transplant and approximately 22 people dying each day due to the organ shortage.
Families who make the decision to extend the gift of life often find that donation helps them in their grief journey. Donation is something positive that can come from the death of a loved one. One person can save and heal up to 75 people through organ, eye and tissue donation.
Organs: Heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines.
Tissue: Skin, veins, tendons, bone, heart valves and connective tissue.
Eyes: Whole eye or cornea.
Organs and tissues can only be donated after death. Age and health criteria are evaluated on an individual basis at the time of death, and everyone should consider themselves a potential organ, eye and tissue donor.
