Organ donations in Indiana reach record high in 2024
Indiana Donor Network coordinates 1,388 donated organs, saving 1,216 lives
'We're setting higher goals, knowing that we have not yet reached the full extent of the impact we can make. We continue to push boundaries and find new ways to save and heal more lives than before.' — Kellie Tremain, president and CEO, Indiana Donor Network
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES, February 10, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- Indiana Donor Network, the federally designated organ recovery organization that coordinates organ, tissue and cornea donation in Indiana and transplantation throughout the U.S., transplanted 1,388 donated organs in 2024, saving 1,216 lives.
The milestone is a new high for transplanted organ donations in the 38-year history of Indiana Donor Network and represents a 22.4% increase in annual transplants compared to 2023, when 1,134 were successfully performed, which was a record at the time.
'As we look ahead to 2025, we are setting even higher goals, knowing that we have not yet reached the full extent of the impact we can make,' said President and CEO Kellie Tremain. 'We will continue to push boundaries and find new ways to save and heal more lives than ever before.'
Also last year, 1,592 tissue and cornea donors resulted in 17,360 tissues recovered by Indiana Donor Network to help save and heal lives and restore sight, a 14.3% increase from 2023 and another annual record in tissue recovery for the organization.
Organ donation in Indiana has trended upward since 2016, when 606 lifesaving organs were transplanted. The number of organ transplants in the state has risen each year – 2017 (620), 2018 (634), 2019 (665), 2020 (857), 2021 (932), 2022 (972) and 2023 (1,134).
Other major milestones achieved by Indiana Donor Network in 2024:
– Provided programs, grief and counseling services, and support to 2,815 family members of organ and tissue donors.
– Signed up more than 1.1 million Indiana residents to be organ and tissue donors; today, more than 4.6 million Hoosiers have made a choice to save lives through donation.
– Managed 375 dedicated advocates who volunteered more than 17,000 hours.
– Led 1,300 school and community presentations, reaching more than 318,000 Hoosiers throughout the state.
– Generated more than $210,000 in net proceeds from four fundraising events to support Indiana Donor Network Foundation and its mission to provide financial assistance and support for organ transplant recipients, those waiting for a lifesaving transplant and donor families.
– Grew staff to 359 employees statewide, creating its largest staff since the organization was founded in 1987.
'We achieve our mission through the generosity of donor heroes and their families who say 'yes' to lifesaving donation,' Tremain said. 'To maximize these gifts, our organization has grown in many ways. We expanded our team with more hospital liaisons and donor referral coordinators.
'We have a more specialized staff today as we have brought many services in house, including our own biopsy lab and ambulance service, which improve our efficiencies,' she continued. 'We also broadened our donation eligibility requirements, which allows more Hoosiers to be lifesaving organ donors.'
More than 48,000 organ transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2024. More than 103,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, including more than 1,300 Indiana residents. Every day, 17 people die waiting while every 8 minutes, another person is added to the list.
One organ donor can save eight lives. One tissue donor can heal more than 75 others. One cornea donor can restore sight to two people.
Despite age or medical history, anyone can sign up to be an organ donor. There are four ways that Hoosiers can sign up to become an organ donor:
– They can say 'yes' when conducting business at their local Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch.
– They can sign up online at DonateLifeIndiana.org.
– They can say 'yes' when they apply online for a hunting, fishing or trapping license through the state Department of Natural Resources.
– They can sign up when applying for or renewing their professional license to work in Indiana through the state's Professional Licensing Agency.
– They can say 'yes' through the Health app on their iPhone or iPad.
Duane Brodt
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