In 2025, more than 49,000 organ transplants from 23,788 donors gave patients, their families and their communities another chance at life, according to Donate Life America. Over 85,000 corneal transplants restored sight, and each tissue donor had the potential to help more than 75 people heal. Today, more than 170 million people in the United States are registered as organ, eye and tissue donors, reflecting a powerful shared commitment to giving others a second chance.
Despite generous donors, organ need still far exceeds supply. Over 100,000 people are on the U.S. transplant waiting list, with someone added every eight minutes. About 13 people die each day—over 5,600 each year—before receiving an organ. Nearly 60% of those waiting are from multicultural communities. Most need a kidney: 86% of patients are awaiting one, with an average wait of three to five years for a deceased-donor kidney.
Join in celebrating National Donate to Life Month (NDLM) this April! NDLM is a special time dedicated to encouraging Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and to honor those who have given the life-saving gift of donation.
Why celebrate national donate life month?
- Raise awareness: Learn about the critical need for donors and the impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation.
- Honor donors: Celebrate the selfless individuals who have saved and enhanced lives through their generous donations.
- Inspire hope: Spread the message of hope and encourage others to register as donors.
If you haven’t already, consider registering as an organ, eye, and tissue donor. This can be done easily online. If you or a loved one has been affected by donation, share your story to inspire others.
Why register as a donor?
Registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor is a powerful way to save lives: one donor can save up to eight people, restore sight to two, and heal more than 75 through tissue donation. Each registration expands the pool of potential matches, improving patients’ chances and reducing deaths on the waiting list. In the U.S., organs are allocated through a fair national system based solely on medical need and compatibility—not on race, income, gender, identity, or social status.
Anyone, regardless of age or medical history, should consider themselves a potential donor. More than 40% of deceased donors are age 50 or older, and 9% are 65 or older. Which organs and tissues can be used is decided at the time of death based on medical condition, not age or background. Registering as a donor does not change how you are treated in the hospital. Your medical team’s only focus is saving your life, and donation is considered only after you are declared clinically and legally dead.
A gift to your loved ones
Documenting your decision is also an extraordinary gift to your family. Many donors die suddenly, and in those painful moments, families can struggle with whether to say yes to donation. When your wishes are clearly recorded, you relieve them of that burden and offer them comfort in knowing they are honoring your choice. Your decision can transform grief into a legacy of hope.
Take action today
You Can Change the Statistics—Starting Today
You have the ability, right now, to help change the story for thousands of people waiting.
By registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor, you:
- Add your name to a national pool of potential lifesaving matches
- Help reduce the number of people who die waiting
- Support a fair, equitable system that gives organs to those who need them most
- Lighten the load on an overwhelmed transplant system
- Offer your loved ones clarity and comfort about your wishes
It takes only a few minutes, but your decision can echo for generations in the lives you touch. You can help change the statistics and ease the national organ shortage starting now. Visit RegisterMe.org to document your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, and learn more about organ, eye, tissue and living donation at DonateLife.net. Then share your decision with your family and friends so they understand and can support your wishes. In just a few minutes, you can make a choice that may one day allow someone else to live, to see, to heal and to hope again.