In April, the United States celebrates National Donate Life Month, a time to recognize transplant recipients and raise awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donations. In 2023, over 33,000 Americans received life-saving organ transplants. However, more than 100,000 people are still on the national transplant waiting list, including 1,000 Kentuckians.
Leslie Rossetter, the director of medical services at Med Center Health, emphasizes the importance of organ donations in saving lives. She highlights that organ donations can be life-saving while donations like skin can be life-enhancing. Unfortunately, every day in the U.S., 17 people die waiting for an organ transplant and every eight minutes someone new is added to the waiting list.
While 90% of U.S. adults support organ donations, only 60% of them are registered donors. Rossetter dispels the misconception that age or health can disqualify someone from being a donor. In reality, every donor has the potential to save eight lives and improve the lives of over 75 people.
If you’re interested in becoming a donor and making a significant impact on the lives of those in need of transplants, visit donatelifeky.org – a nonprofit that focuses on organ, eye
