Donor Network West Breaks Historical Record Of Organ Donors
Unprecedented increase has the potential to improve 66,288 lives
(San Ramon, CA) January 9, 2020 – Donor Network West, the federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization for Northern California and Northern Nevada, announced that it ended 2019 with an unprecedented increase in the number of organ donors. The number of organs transplanted was the highest in the history of the organization.
The 411 organ donors and 1,197 of organs transplanted represent an increase of 29 percent and 14 percent over 2018, respectively. There were 2,297 tissue donors – also an increase over last year.
No other organ procurement organization in the U.S. has experienced this level of growth in the number of organ donors in one year.
For more than three decades, Donor Network West has connected a donor’s gift to those in need in its donation service area of 45 counties. More than half (53 percent) of the 2,507 organ and tissue donors made their decision to be a donor in advance and took the step to sign up on official donor registries. This humanitarian act is a testament to the generosity of the communities served by the nonprofit.
In January of 2019, Donor Network West welcomed a new Chief Executive Officer, Janice F. Whaley, who committed to professional staff development and regionalized efforts to better serve the diverse communities that comprise the organization’s donation service area. A concentrated focus on providing donor families with the highest level of service and support resulted in more families authorizing donation for their loved ones.
Erika Preciado of Ceres, CA listens to her father’s heart beating inside of his recipient, Ramiro Cruz in April, 2019. Photo by The Modesto Bee
“At the beginning of the year, we challenged ourselves to fulfill our mission to save more lives than ever before through donation and transplantation,” says Janice F. Whaley, CEO of Donor Network West. “With nearly 10,000 people waiting for an organ transplant in our service area, the need is great. We recognize and honor the donors and their families who generously give so others may live. I also commend our staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make donation and transplantation a reality.”
Donor Network West serves 175 hospitals and more than 13 million people within 120,000 square miles. The nonprofit organization works in partnership with families, doctors, nurses, more than 500 funeral homes and 44 coroners and medical examiners to connect donors to recipients. Anyone can register as an organ donor at the DMV or at DonorNetworkWest.org.
About Donor Network West
Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation. The organization was established in 1987, and is an official Donate Life organization accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). Federally designated to serve 40 counties in Northern California and Northern Nevada, Donor Network West partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries. For information, visit DonorNetworkWest.org and follow us on social media: @mydnwest.