For 8th straight year, Indiana Donor Network achieves a record number of lifesaving organ transplants – 1,134

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Support for lifesaving organ donation throughout Indiana rose again to record heights in 2023 as Indiana Donor Network, the federally designated organ recovery organization that coordinates organ, tissue and cornea donation in Indiana and transplantation throughout the U.S., transplanted 1,134 donated organs, saving 989 lives.The *milestone* is a new high for transplanted organ donations in the 37-year history of Indiana Donor Network and represents a 17% increase in annual transplants compared to 2022. Nationally, more than 103,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. More than *1,300 Hoosiers* are currently on the waiting list.

Organ donation in Indiana has trended upward since 2016, when 606 lifesaving organs were transplanted. The number of organ transplants in the state has risen each year – 2017 (620), 2018 (634), 2019 (665), 2020 (857), 2021 (932) and 2022 (972).

“The selflessness and generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families gives patients in need of a transplant a second chance at life,” said Indiana Donor Network President and CEO Kellie Tremain. “This is our eighth consecutive year of executing high performance and unwavering commitment to donors and transplant recipients. We are dedicated to saving lives through carefully caring for our donors’ gifts and honoring their decisions by ensuring the needs of patients awaiting transplant are met.”

In 2023, 1,393 tissue and cornea donors resulted in 16,154 tissues recovered to help save and heal lives, including 181 heart valves, a 28% increase from 2022 and another all-time record for the organization; tissue grafts from 1,158 skin donors; and 494 corneas.

Included in the total tissues recovered were more than 12,000 bone and connective tissues, including ligaments and tendons, from donors, a 34% increase from 2022 and eclipsing the previous all-time mark the organization achieved in 2019.

Other major milestones achieved by Indiana Donor Network in 2023:

· Provided support services to 2,725 family members of organ and tissue donors.
· Signed up more than 925,000 Indiana residents to become organ and tissue donors; today, more than 4.4 million Hoosiers have signed up to become organ donors.
· Managed 345 dedicated advocates who volunteered more than 16,000 hours.
· Led 1,018 school and community presentations and activations, reaching more than 278,882 Hoosiers throughout the state.

Every day, 17 people die waiting while every 10 minutes, another person is added to the list. Despite age or medical history, anyone can sign up to be an organ donor.

*CONTACT*
Duane Brodt
dbrodt@INDonorNetwork.org
C: 317-675-0288
O: 317-222-3437