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Currently, 1,521 people await life-saving lung transplants in the U.S. In our region alone, 117 individuals are on the waiting list for a lung transplant.
About the Lungs
When we breathe, we do not often think of the complex process that is necessary to keep oxygen flowing through the body. The lungs are crucial to this, as they pass oxygen into the bloodstream and remove carbon dioxide that is then expelled from the body.
While a person can live a normal life with only 30 percent of lung function, there are thousands of people whose lungs have been damaged more significantly, and therefore, need a transplant to survive. Although some of the conditions that result in requiring a lung transplant are hereditary, most are caused or worsened by smoking or environmental pollution.
Patients on the lung transplant waiting list are often severely disabled and might even require oxygen 24-hours-a-day. This is why it is crucial for these individuals to receive a transplant in a timely fashion. Living lung donation is a possibility in some instances, as two living donors can each offer a lobe their lungs, which are then both transplanted into the patient.
- The average patient must wait nearly four months to receive a lung transplant.
- In 2015, there were 1,854 lung transplants performed nationally.
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Happy Holidays from Gift of Life!
While we celebrate another holiday season, 8,500 of our neighbors are awaiting a life-saving gift... the gift of life. Give the greatest gift of all and register to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor today.
The Interactive Body
Explore the Interactive Body to learn about organs and tissues needed for others awaiting transplants.
Threads of Love Donor Quilt
Explore the online quilts to view the quilt squares provided by the loved ones of those who died and gave the gift of life. The actual quilts are available for display in public places throughout the region to promote donor awareness.