More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently on the waiting list for life-saving organ transplants, with new patients added every 8 minutes. As part of Donate Life Month in April, attention is being drawn to the importance of organ donation, particularly living kidney donations. Over 90,000 people on the list require a kidney transplant, and living kidney donations can help reduce wait times and decrease the overall size of the waiting list.
Living kidney donations are especially valued because the donated kidneys tend to last longer, and the surgery is timed to be optimal for both the donor and the recipient. However, despite the critical need, only 49 out of every million eligible donors actually choose to donate. This statistic highlights the disparity between the number of people who support organ donation and those who follow through. In the U.S., while 95% of adults support organ donation, only 54% are registered organ donors.
In Florida, about 12 million people are registered organ donors, but officials note that more can be done. Health officials report that each individual donor can save up to 8 lives. For more information on becoming a registered donor, individuals can visit the website life.florida.org.
