Hoosiers urged to learn facts about organ, tissue, cornea donation then consider becoming a lifesaving donor
April 20, 2026
INDIANAPOLIS – April is National Donate Life Month, a time to recognize the selfless decisions of Hoosiers who have saved and healed lives by being organ, tissue and cornea donors.
More than 1,400 Indiana residents are on the waiting list for a lifesaving organ transplant (follow the link for a county-by-county look at the transplant waiting list).
One organ donor can save eight lives. One tissue donor can help heal more than 75 people. One cornea donor can restore sight to two people.
To educate Hoosiers and encourage them to consider being organ, tissue and cornea donors, here are some facts about donation:
ORGAN DONATION
- Nationally, more than 108,000 people are waiting. Last year, more than 49,000 lifesaving transplants were performed in the U.S.
- Every day, 17 people die waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant.
- Only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for potential organ donation.
- Only when a patient is declared clinically and legally dead by a physician unaffiliated with Indiana Donor Network is donation an option.
- Anyone, regardless of age or medical history, can sign up to be a donor. No one should rule themselves out for any reason.
TISSUE DONATION
- Donated tissues are used to heal lives and dramatically improve a recipient’s quality of life.
- These tissues can be donated for reconstructive surgical procedures:
- Skin heals burn victims or patients with serious infections.
- Veins restore circulation.
- Bone prevents need for amputation.
- Heart valves repair many cardiac defects.
- Ligaments, tendons and cartilage restore mobility.
- Anyone, regardless of age, can donate tissue if they are medically suitable at their time of death.
- Tissue donation must be initiated within 24 hours of a person’s death. Unlike organs, donated tissues can be processed and stored for an extended time.
- More than 2.4 million tissue donations occur in the U.S. annually.
CORNEA DONATION
- The cornea, which is the clear, front part of the eye, makes one’s vision possible. Cornea transplantation restores vision in individuals who have lost it due to corneal damage or disease.
- Everyone is a universal donor for corneal tissue – the donor’s blood type does not have to match the blood type of the recipient.
- Last year, Indiana Donor Network recovered 804 corneas from generous donors to help Vision First, Indiana’s largest eye bank, provide corneas throughout the state, U.S. and world for transplant surgeries.
- Vision First in Indiana provides more than 2,000 corneas for transplant annually.
- Since 1961, more than 2.4 million people worldwide have had their sight restored through corneal transplantation.
Despite age or medical history, anyone can sign up to be an organ, tissue and cornea donor at DonateLifeIndiana.org.
Indiana Donor Network’s mission is to save and enhance the quality of life through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Its vision is to be a leader in organ and tissue recovery. Founded in 1987, the organization coordinates donation in 85 of the state’s 92 counties and serves transplant hospitals throughout the U.S.
ABOUT INDIANA DONOR NETWORK
The decision to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor is a decision to give the gift of life. Indiana Donor Network serves as the vital link between donors and patients waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, healing tissue and corneas to restore sight. The organization is a federally designated organ recovery organization and accredited tissue bank serving 85 of Indiana’s 92 counties. Its team of nearly 400 dedicated professionals is committed to saving and healing lives through donation and transplantation, championing the cause through education and outreach and supporting donor families in their time of need. For more or to sign up as a donor, visit Indiana Donor Network online.
ABOUT INDIANA DONOR NETWORK FOUNDATION
As a subsidiary of Indiana Donor Network founded in 1997, Indiana Donor Network Foundation enhances the lives of those touched by donation through education, innovation, caring and support. The foundation raises funds through individual contributions, special events and sponsorships to support transplant recipients and the families of donor heroes. For more, visit Indiana Donor Network Foundation online.
Indiana Donor Network® and the Indiana Donor Network Foundation® are federally registered trademarks.
ABOUT DONATE LIFE INDIANA
Since 1998, Donate Life Indiana has been the state-authorized nonprofit organization responsible for managing the Indiana donor registry. Its mission is to save lives by creating opportunities for all Indiana citizens to sign up on the organization’s official state registry while striving to raise awareness for organ, tissue and cornea donation and transplantation through public education. For more, visit Donate Life Indiana online.
