Today, there are over 100,000 Americans registered
with the United Network for Organ Sharing on transplant waiting lists.

• Every year, an estimated 6,000 people die while waiting
  for organ transplants.
• In 1988, 4,080 people donated organs after death. In 2008, that number has nearly doubled to 7,990.
• Organ donation occurred in only .0025% of all deaths in
  the United States.
• One individual who donates after death can provide organs, corneas, skin, bone and tissue for 50 or more people in need.
• In 2008, there were 27,965 organ transplants performed
  in the United States.
• An estimated 220,000 Americans are treated with transplanted bone and tissue each year. Tissues include tendons and ligaments, skin used to treat burns, heart valves and eye corneas.
• About 46,000 cornea transplants are performed annually,
  with more than 5,000 people waiting for donated corneas.
• The largest number of children who need organ transplants are waiting for kidney donations.
• Almost 44% of people waiting for organ transplants are between the ages of 18 and 49.
• By gender, 57% of Americans waiting for donated organs
  are male; 43% are female.
• Survival rates for organ recipients continue to rise. The one year survival rate for kidney recipients is 95%, for heart recipients, 85%, for liver recipients, 77%, and for pancreas recipients, almost 77%. Between 1996 and 2001, one year survival rates for lung recipients increased by almost 34%.
• There is no cost to be an organ and tissue donor.
  Donation is a gift.