Types of
donation
So many ways to
save a life
Donation is a profound and impactful gift. Most organ and tissue donation occurs after death and leaves a life-changing legacy. For some, living donation and birth tissue donation are also possible.
Organ donation
When donation occurs after death, one donor can save as many as eight lives with the gifts of their heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines. While this is more common than living donation, less than one percent of all deaths occur in a manner that makes it possible.
Eye bank
Eye tissue, primarily corneal tissue, can also be donated! These tissues are used to restore sight and reconstruct recipient eye structures. Additionally, the tissue may be used for research to prevent, treat and cure cataracts, glaucoma and diseases of the retina.
Tissue donation
One tissue donor can improve the lives of 75 or more people with their gifts. Donated tissue change lives—it is used to heal wounds, restore mobility and improve recipients’ quality of life. Some examples include: Heart valves may be transplanted into children and adults to remedy congenital heart defects. Skin and bone donations are used to treat burns and reconstruct disfiguring wounds, often in our nation’s military men and women. Corneas restore sight to those experiencing blindness.
Birth tissue
Sierra Donor Services offers birthing parents the opportunity to donate their birth tissue (placenta), which can help dozens of others!
Birth tissue donation is safe for parent and baby does not affect the birthing parent’s labor or baby’s delivery and repurposes tissue that would typically be discarded to heal others.
be the gift
On average, 20 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant. One day, you or someone you love may need an organ or tissue transplant. You can help end the waitlist now.
Living donation
Living donors make an immediate impact by sparing waiting patients long, uncertain time on the national transplant waitlist. Relatives, friends, acquaintances, and even, anonymous altruistic donors may give the gift of life. Living donors can donate a kidney or a portion of other organs, such as the liver.
To find out more about living donation in California and Nevada, contact the transplant centers in our area:
- UC Davis Medical Center
- Sutter Medical Center Sacramento
