SE Illinois News

Becoming an organ and tissue donor can have a significant impact on many lives in Illinois. Currently, around 4,000 residents are waiting for organ transplants, hoping for a second chance. Donors play a crucial role in providing hope to those in need.

Organ and tissue donation involves surgically removing organs or tissues from a donor to transplant into someone requiring them. This includes vital organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and intestines as well as tissues such as corneas, skin, bone, heart valves, and tendons. A single donor has the potential to save up to eight lives and enhance over 75 others through tissue donation.

The demand for transplants remains high with more than 100,000 people nationally on the waiting list; about 4,000 of them are in Illinois alone. Daily in the U.S., 17 individuals die while waiting for an organ transplant. This highlights the urgent need for registered donors.

In Illinois, registering as an organ and tissue donor is straightforward with several options available. You can register online at LifeGoesOn.com or when applying for or renewing your driver's license or state ID at any Secretary of State facility where your status will be noted on your card. Alternatively, registration is possible over the phone by calling the Secretary of State’s Organ/Tissue Donor Program at 1-800-210-2106 or by mailing back a completed form obtained from their office.

Registering provides "first-person consent," meaning it is legally binding without needing family authorization. Those aged 16 and older can register though individuals under 18 require parental consent at donation time. Many believe health conditions might disqualify them from being donors; however medical professionals assess suitability during donation time ensuring many conditions do not prevent it.

Choosing to become an organ and tissue donor offers hope to thousands awaiting transplants in Illinois while contributing positively to life-saving efforts.