More than 100,000 people across the country are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Thousands more people are waiting for cornea and tissue transplants. Because only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for organ donation to take place, it is vitally important for everyone to register their lifesaving decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.
Each April, Donate Life America leads National Donate Life Month, an observance to focus national attention on the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation. National Donate Life Month is about the importance of registering your decision to be a donor, and honoring deceased and living donors.
Donate LifeTM is the national brand uniting the hundreds of donation and transplantation organizations; the hundreds of thousands of recipients, living donors, donor families, supporters and patients waiting; and the 170 million people who have registered their decision to be a donor at the end of their life.
Why register your decision to be a donor?
By registering your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor in the National Donate Life Registry, you are helping to save lives and give hope to the more than 100,000 people in the United States currently waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. Thousands more people are in need of tissue or corneal transplants to restore health. One donor can save and heal more than 75 lives.
How it Works
You can register in the National Donate Life Registry at RegisterMe.org, or in your iPhone Health App.
Any adult age 18 or older can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor – regardless of age or medical history, and 15-17 year olds can register their intent to be a donor. However, until they are 18 years old, a parent or legal guardian makes the final donation decision. If registering in the National Donate Life Registry through iPhone, you must be 18 years or older.
Already registered? You can log into your National Donate Life Registry donor record at RegisterMe.org at any time to:
- Opt in to also donate for research, and link any specific research programs you are signed up with, e.g., brain donation
- Update your donor profile, e.g. change your address if you move
- Specify any donation preferences
- Create a personal campaign page to encourage your friends and community to register to be donors
- Print a document of gift if you would like to keep a hard copy of your donor record with your end-of-life documents