Organ Donation
Every year, hundreds of thousands benefit from donated tissue and organs to regain their sight, mobility and even their lives.
Celebrate your status!
Joining the Donor Registry gives your consent for organ, eye and tissue donation upon your death. Let your loved ones in on your decision – you might inspire them to follow your lead.
According to the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency, each year, hundreds of thousands benefit from donated tissue and organs to regain their sight, mobility and even their lives. Every day approximately 22 people die waiting for the organ that would have given them a second chance. In the United States, a new person goes on the waiting list every 10 minutes.
When you think of organ donations, you probably think big: hearts, lungs, kidneys, etc. But tissue groups like heart valves, tendons and ligaments can also be useful. From just a single donor, up to eight lives can be saved through organ donation, and between 50 and 75 lives can be healed through tissue donations.
Organs and tissues that can be donated include:
Heart and heart valves
Liver
Kidneys
Lungs
Pancreas
Eyes and corneas
Skin
Tendons and ligaments
Vessels
Bone
Joining the Mississippi Donor Registry gives your consent for organ, eye and tissue donation upon your death. Though your decision to become a donor will be kept in a confidential database, and though your next of kin won’t have the power to override your decision in the event of your death, it’s still important to keep your family in the loop. Let your loved ones in on your decision to become a donor, and be candid about your reasons for doing so. Help them understand the difference you might make. Not only will this avoid confusion when making end-of-life decisions, you might inspire them to become donors, too.
Register at the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency website.