The Kentucky Organ Donors Affiliates has announced that 2021 was another record-breaking year for donations, despite the ongoing global pandemic.
According to a news release, the nonprofit organ organization supported the decisions of more donor families than ever before — 189 organ donors and 484 tissue donors resulted in 536 organ transplants and more than 500 lives saved. 2021 was the fourth consecutive year of growth, resulting in a 75 percent increase compared to the number of local organ donors in 2017.
Additionally, KY Circuit Court Clerks’ Trust For Life reports more than 94,000 people joined Kentucky’s confidential organ donor registry, stating their wish to be a donor and help others.
President and CEO Julie Bergin says, “There is a type of person, who tries to do the right thing every day no matter what. We call these people heroes. The heroes of our 2021 success are our staff and partners. Without these dedicated and compassionate heroes along with our amazingly generous donor families, donation and transplantation simply would not happen.”
The number of people waiting for a transplant far exceeds the available organs, tissues, and corneas, so those interested in signing up to be a donor can do so at RegisterMe.org.