Each patient waiting for a transplant is listed with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS.) This agency is responsible for ensuring that the donated organs are distributed equitably and fairly When a donor is identified, the donor's blood type, tissue type, body weight and size are matched against the list of patients currently waiting for a transplant. In addition, the recipient's severity of illness and time on the waiting list are factored into the matching process.

Every person waiting for an organ transplant is registered with UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing. The organ procurement organization works with UNOS to fairly allocate organs based upon medical urgency, genetic matching and length of time waiting.

Generally, donated organs are matched with individuals on an organ waiting list. Matching is based on a variety of factors including blood and tissue types, medical need, length of time on the waiting list and weight of donor and recipient.

AnswerPatients are matched to organs based on a number of factors including blood and tissue typing, medical need, time on the waiting list, and geographical location. AnswerNo! The medical team trying to save your life is separate from the transplant team. Every effort is made to save your life before donation is considered. AnswerWithin the United States, living donations of a kidney can be made to a family member, friend, or anyone on the waiting list.

Yes. At your request, we can provide you with contact information of past patients who are willing to share their experience.

UNOS and the country's transplant centers have created a waiting list, which has each waiting recipient by weight, height and blood group. Priority depends on scientific and medical factors, including urgency of need, length of time on the waiting list, blood type and organ size compatibility. Factors such as race, gender, age, income or celebrity status are never considered when determining who receives an organ.

There are 2,261 Michigan patients waiting for a kidney transplant as of January 1, 2006. There were 571 kidney transplants performed in Michigan in 2005, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (optn.org).

Liver transplant candidates can be listed at more than one transplant center.The allocation of livers for transplantation is done by region. It is not unusual for a patient to be listed at Penn and at a center in another state. You cannot be listed at two centers within one region because we receive organs from the same pool.

Right now, more than 90,000 Americans are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. For the most current waiting list number, visit www.unos.org.

National organ allocation guidelines allow families of donors to designate recipients, usually family members or friends. Directed or designated donation, as it is commonly called, is an option. However, successful designated donations are so rare that the United Network for Organ Sharing, the organization that oversees transplants in the United States, does not track them. Living donation is also an option.

Yes, but the donations of organs or tissues for transplantation are not handled through the Department of Anatomy. Your desire to donate organs at the time of death can be indicated on your driver's license. You also may call (800) 528-2971 or write: The Living Bank, P.O. Box 6725, Houston, Texas 77005. This is a national organization that accepts donations of part or entire bodies for transplantation, therapy, medical research or anatomical studies. No.

medical advances grow and transplants become a viable and successful option for treating serious conditions, more people continue to be added to the national waiting list. However, the number of donors is not keeping pace with the ever-growing list of people waiting for organs and tissue. Each day, 18 people in the United States die while waiting for organ transplants and every 13 minutes, another person's name is added to the waiting list. Today, more than 92,000 U.S.

There were 1887 people on the official waiting list in November 2007. However, the waiting list is not truly reflective of the scale of the need within Australia. Because the number of donors is so low, thousands of people are not included on the official waiting list until they are in desperate need. No-one knows the true scale of the problem, but far more than 1887 Australians could benefit from a transplant today. Source: Australia and New Zealand Organ Donor Registry (ANZOD).

No. Identifying information is never exchanged between a cord blood donor and a cord blood transplant recipient.

One critical reason is that the wishes of the potential organ donor are not known by the family. This is crucial because it is the family who makes the final decision regarding donation. While many support donation, a recent survey by the Mutual Group identified that less the 50% of Canadians are aware of their family member’s wishes regarding donation of organs and tissues.

All 50 states have patients needing an organ transplant listed on a national computer system. This national network provides 24 hour access to the list of patients awaiting lifesaving transplants.

any one time, more than 4,000 people are on waiting lists for transplant operations that could enhance or save their lives. Each year, growing numbers of men, women and children die waiting for a transplant because there is a critical shortage of organs and tissues available.

The transplant coordinator assigned to you will contact you by phone and explain several aspects of what it means to “go on the list.” You will then be placed on the waiting list. You will also receive a letter informing you that you are on the list.

Minorities are disproportionately represented on the waiting list because certain minority groups are more likely to suffer from diseases that may result in organ failure and require a life-saving organ transplant.

Organs for transplant come from people who have been tragically killed in an accident or from a medical brain injury. For example, a car accident, gunshot wound, a fall, a stroke or some other incident that has caused injury to the brain. The organ donor is pronounced brain dead while on life support and the family is asked to consider organ donation. Once the family decides on organ donation, the UNOS list is reviewed and a recipient is chosen.

Social service is an integral component of our transplant team. A specialized transplant social worker and psychiatrist are involved at the time of your initial evaluation and provide support throughout all hospitalizations and in the outpatient setting. Need an appointment? Request one online 24 hours/day, 7 days/week or call 800-789-PENN (7366) to speak to a referral counselor.

Yes. We recommend that you contact us prior to the transfer, when you are placed on the transplant list, to discuss our aircraft availability, payment arrangements, and other details. However, due to time limitation, we urge you to compile a list of air transport companies to determine which will respond in the shortest time possible. In addition, make sure to have pre-approved insurance payment guarantee and/or major credit card(s) with available balance.

That statement is false. There is no cost to the donor's family or estate for organ and tissue donation. Funeral costs remain the responsibility of the family.

Feeling anxious about when the transplant will occur is common. During this difficult time you can use the following suggestions to help you deal with these stressful feelings: Share your feelings. Talk your feelings over with your family or the transplant social worker or in transplant support group. Attend a support group. It is good to share your experiences with those who have been through the same thing. Stay involved. Keep up your daily activities as best as you can.

In case of kidney failure, patient can be maintained on regular dialysis. During a dialysis treatment, the patient's blood is filtered artificially. This treatment is time consuming and is repeated 2-3 times every week for life. In case of other organ failures like heart, lungs and liver; patients can be kept alive only a short time on drugs, unlike kidney failure patients; since there is no 'dialysis like' treatment for other organs. Top

about 300 candidates yet, the amount of donors does not rise at the same rate. However, a candidate may have more than one registration all at different centers or they may be waiting for more than one organ which will increase the numbers. Since the 20th of September 2005, there are a total of 89,522 candidates waiting and since the 9th of September 2005, there have been only 14,009 transplants from January- June 2005.