Organ donation encouraged to save lives
April is Donate Life Month.
Reports show more than 100,000 people, including children, are currently waiting for an organ transplant here in the United States.
That wait can last months or even years for some.
“There are many individuals that are waiting for organ transplantation, and unfortunately, there are not as many donors that happen from year to year, though it has been gradually increasing through education and online resources that are providing exposure to the necessity for more organs to become available,” said Dr. Bobby Zervos, liver transplant specialist at Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Zervos said the organ donation process is extremely thorough to ensure the organ is healthy for transplant and a good match for the recipient.
On average, one organ donor can save up to eight lives.
Dr. Zervos said while wait times for organ donations can be long, new advancements in technology seem to be helping.
Research has found organ perfusion pumps can improve the quality of certain organs that would have previously been considered high risk.