[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/national-donate-life-month\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/national-donate-life-month\/","headline":"National Donate Life Month: About Organ Donation","name":"National Donate Life Month: About Organ Donation","description":"A single organ, tissue, and eye donor has the ability to save eight lives. Learn more about organ donation and National Donate Life Month.","datePublished":"2016-04-15","dateModified":"2018-09-17","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/transplant","name":"Transplant Services","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/transplant","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/transplant-services\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/donate-life-month-web_791px.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/donate-life-month-web_791px.jpg","height":527,"width":791},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/national-donate-life-month\/","about":["Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":339,"keywords":["living donation","organ donor","organ transplant"],"articleBody":"This post was last updated on April 6, 2017No one likes to be kept waiting. Imagine being one of the more than 118,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.April is National Donate Life Month, a time when we celebrate those who have given the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation.Established in 2003 by Donate Life America and its partnering institutions, National Donate Life Month is comprised of local, regional, and national events designed to teach about the importance of organ donation and encourage others to register as donors.Organ Donation Saves LivesIf you are considering being an organ donor, it’s important to know the facts, and understand the impact you can make when you take this important step.On average, 22 people die every day while waiting for a transplant.One single organ or tissue donor can help up to 75 people.A single organ, tissue, and eye donor has the ability to save eight lives.Types of Organ DonationThere are two types of organ donation: living donation and deceased donation. Living donation is an option for those waiting for a kidney or a liver transplant. To be a living donor you must:Be age\u00a018 to 55Be in general good healthHave an unselfish desire to contribute to another person’s lifeWhen living donation is not possible, an organ can be donated from a deceased donor. Most transplants are done through deceased donation.How Can You Help?On average, one person is added to the organ donation wait list every 10 minutes. By registering as an organ donor, you have the ability to save lives and offer hope to those on the transplant waiting list. You can help by:Learning more about organ donation by visiting the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE).Registering to be an organ donor by visiting Donate Life America.Helping spread the importance of organ donation by using #StoptheWait on social media.For a list of events and activities, visit our Donate Life webpage throughout Donate Life Month.\u00a0"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2016","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"04","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/\/04\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"National Donate Life Month: About Organ Donation","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/national-donate-life-month\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]