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Organ donation

One organ donor can save up to 8 lives.
In 2024, LifeGift’s team helped save 1,201 lives through organ donation. However, every 10 minutes, a new person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list and in Texas alone there are currently close to 10,000 people waiting for a live-saving transplant.

Donation is a selfless act of giving and a way to help others after you pass away.

Organs that can be donated

  • Icon: liver
    Liver
  • Icon: Heart
    Heart
  • Icon: lungs
    Lungs (2)
  • Icon: Kidneys
    Kidneys (2)
  • Icon: Pancreas
    Pancreas
  • Icon: Intestines
    Intestines

The Process

How organ donation works

There are two ways someone can become a donor – living donation and deceased donation. As one of three designated OPOs serving Texas, LifeGift manages deceased donation. The process is time-sensitive and complex, with various partners helping along the way to ensure every opportunity to save lives.

The key steps in the deceased donation process include:

  1. Evaluation

    Because the gift of donation is rare and precious, every death that occurs in a hospital is referred to the local OPO to assess for donation opportunities based on specific medical criteria. Donation is only an option after death has been declared.

  2. Authorization

    Authorization for donation is provided in one of two ways. If you documented your decision to be a donor during your lifetime, your decision will be honored as your authorization. If you did not make a lifetime decision about donation, your family will be asked to make a decision on your behalf. A LifeGift Family Engagement Specialist will discuss the process with your loved ones and answer any questions they may have.

  3. Review medical and social history

    A LifeGift Family Engagement Specialist will complete paperwork with your next-of-kin, including a questionnaire about your medical and social history to help ensure the safety of donated organs.

  4. Matching organs to potential recipients

    A LifeGift Clinical Donation Specialist will use medical information and diagnostic tests to match donated organs with waiting recipients. Organ matches are generated from entered medical data in a national registry based on things like severity of illness, length of time waiting, geography, size and blood type.

  5. Designating matched organs

    Based on national guidelines, organs are offered to the recipient’s transplant center in order of priority.

  6. Organ recovery

    Once LifeGift has determined which organs are suitable for recovery and they have been matched to a recipient, the transplant teams will be scheduled to perform the recovery procedure.

  7. Follow-up with family

    After the transplantation procedure has been completed, your family will receive a letter from LifeGift detailing where your organs and tissues have been sent and some basic information about the recipient(s). Identifying information about donors and recipients is confidential, however your family could request updates about your recipients any time by contacting LifeGift. Donor families have the right to select if they want to receive letters from recipients. Many who do allow this to happen have shared the healing power of this experience.

Organ donation process FAQs

Have more questions? Check out our full donation FAQ page for more information.

Transplant Centers

The role of hospital and transplant centers

LifeGift partners with more than 275 hospitals and 10 transplant centers to ensure that the donation decisions of Texans are honored and potential donor families have the opportunity for a thoughtful discussion about donation. Our partnership and collaboration are vital to best serve families and save lives. Hospital support of organ and tissue donation is an extension of the care and comfort they provide to their communities each day.