Nevada Donor Network (NDN), the federally designated 501-C-3 not-for-profit organ procurement organization also responsible for facilitating tissue and cornea donation statewide, is proud to announce its fifth record year in the number of lives saved. The NDN team coordinated lifesaving donations from 123 organ donor heroes in 2017, which resulted in 359 transplanted organs. This equates to 56 organ donors per million of population recovered last year. On behalf of these heroic donors, NDN facilitated 163 transplants per million of population in 2017, making the organization a world leader in the number of lives saved per capita served (based on data from Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and U.S. Census). The United Network for Organ Sharing reports 34,768 people in the U.S. received a lifesaving organ transplant last year, an increase of 3.4% from 2016 and the fifth consecutive record-setting year for transplants in the United States. In 2017, NDN recovered healing tissues from 520 tissue donor heroes which will help restore quality of life and mobility to thousands of grateful recipients. On behalf of 1,142 heroic cornea donors, NDN facilitated the gift of restored sight to 1,879 people.
“Heroic organ, eye and tissue donors leave behind a legacy of love by giving others the most precious gift. It is an honor for the Nevada Donor Network team to bring hope, strength, and life to those we serve on behalf of heroic donors and their courageous families,” says Nevada Donor Network President and CEO, Joe Ferreira. “We thank the clinical partners and donation champions who support our mission every day, as well as the more than 1 million Nevadans currently registered as organ donors. You are hope,” says Ferreira. A new name is added to the transplant waiting list every 10 minutes, and approximately 24 people die each day while waiting. Currently, more than 580 Nevadans and 115,000 people nationwide are waiting for their second chance at life. Registering as a hero is quick and simple using the iPhone Health App Medical ID or visiting www.RegisterMe.org.
