NewYork-Presbyterian. The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.

Transplantation

Organ Donation

About Organ Donation

These pages are designed to guide patients and families through the process of organ donation. Many families are faced with difficult decisions when caring for their loved ones who are gravely ill. We hope to provide some guidance.

Learn facts & stats
about organ
donation from
Donate Life.

The need for organ donors is a matter of growing concern. As organ transplantation outcomes continue to improve, the gap between organ donors and those awaiting transplant widens. On average, 18 people die each day in the United States while waiting for organ transplants. You can make a difference by signing up to become an organ donor.

About UNOS

Organ donation in the United States is administered by the United Network for Organ Sharing, a non-profit, scientific and educational organization that administers the nation's only Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), established by the U.S. Congress in 1984.

Additional Information

• View current statistics about the gap in supply and demand for organs in the United States and New York area on this page of the New York Organ Donor Network web site.
• View Referral Information for Medical Professionals (PDF format)

Acknowledgment

The information in these pages about organ donation was created by Jennifer A. Frontera, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. It was also reviewed by Maria Sabeta and Martin Woolf at the New York Organ Donor Network. NewYork-Presbyterian greatly appreciates their assistance.