April is National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Month Did you
know that more than 80,400 patients nationwide are currently on
waiting lists for organ transplants? About 750 are from South
Florida. The success rates of transplant surgery have improved
remarkably in recent years, but growing shortages exist in the
supply of organs and tissues. Many Americans who need
transplants cannot get them. In fact, every day 16 patients will
die waiting for an organ transplant. Here are some facts
everyone should know: - More than 5,800 patients die each year
because a transplant is not available. - Nearly 23,000
transplant operations were performed last year, but fewer than
12,000 people donated organs. - More than 2,200 patients on the
national waiting list are children. - It is possible to
transplant 25 different organs and tissues, including corneas,
heart, heart valves, liver, kidneys, bone and cartilage, bone
marrow, skin, pancreas, lungs, intestine and more. Karen
Rodgers, Regulatory Specialist I, in AHCA's Area