Donation Essentials Blog
Record-Breaking Year for Organ Donation and Another Great Year for Tissue Donation – Colorado & Wyoming
Donor Alliance Breaks Record for Number of Organ Donors
For 2018, Donor Alliance, the federally designated non-profit organization that facilitates organ and tissue donation in Colorado and most of Wyoming, recorded a record-breaking year for organ donation and transplantation, ultimately, saving more lives! Through the generous gifts of donors and their families, Donor Alliance facilitated more transplants than ever by 5.6 percent, exceeding the previous high set in 2013, and a 33 percent increase since 2009.
- Organ Donors – a record 160 organ donors
- Organs Transplanted – donations saved the lives of 489 people
- Record year for kidney transplants, 268
- Record year for heart transplants, 59
“We are incredibly proud and grateful to have facilitated a record number of lifesaving organ transplants in 2018,” said Sue Dunn, Donor Alliance president and CEO.
Another Great Year for Tissue Donation
Through procedures such as skin grafting and reconstructive surgeries, these life-saving and healing donations will help thousands of people regain mobility and have active lives after disease or trauma.
- Tissue Donors – an amazing 1,684 tissue donors
- Record year for skin donors, 1,512
“We continue to be inspired by the selfless donors and courageous families who make the powerful decision to give the gift of life.”
Annual Snapshot:
| ORGAN Donation | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Local Organ Donors | 148 | 109 | 134 | 139 | 144 | 160 |
| Kidney Transplants | 241 | 176 | 226 | 233 | 246 | 268 |
| Liver Transplants | 109 | 72 | 79 | 84 | 88 | 98 |
| Heart Transplants | 43 | 37 | 54 | 54 | 43 | 59 |
| Lung Transplants | 45 | 42 | 59 | 44 | 24 | 52 |
| Pancreas Transplants | 24 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 11 |
| Small Intestine Transplant | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Local Organs Transplanted | 463 | 337 | 428 | 424 | 407 | 489 |
| TISSUE Donation | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Local Tissue Donors | 1,177 | 1,590 | 1,674 | 1,710 | 1,752 | 1,684 |
| Bone Donors | 660 | 830 | 911 | 822 | 832 | 902 |
| Skin Donors | 1,076 | 1,386 | 1,401 | 1,320 | 1,503 | 1,512 |
| Heart Valve Donors | 111 | 114 | 117 | 168 | 140 | 95 |
| Joint Restoration Donors | 106 | 112 | 119 | 89 | 97 | 90 |
“Additionally, with more than two-thirds of Colorado and Wyoming residents signing up to join the organ and tissue donor registry, our community’s incredible generosity is once again on display.”
More Coloradans & Wyomingites said Yes to Donation!
Colorado has one of the nation’s highest-performing state donor registries with 69% of driver’s license/ID card applicants registering as organ and tissue donors. Wyoming is also amongst the top 10 nationally at 60%.
- More than one million residents signed up to become donors in 2018
- An anticipated 1,058,000 in Colorado and 80,520 names in Wyoming added to the organ and tissue donor registries
- The donor designation rate reached 69.04 percent in Colorado
- The donor designation rate reached a record 60.34 percent in Wyoming
2018 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Winner
This year also marked the culmination of a near decade-long performance excellence journey for Donor Alliance, with the organization being named a 2018 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner. The award honors exemplary U.S. organizations and businesses that demonstrate an unceasing drive for radical innovation, thoughtful leadership and administrative improvement. Donor Alliance was recognized for its dedication to continuous improvement and achievements in engagement, organizational effectiveness and sustainability, which are instrumental in the organization’s work to maximize all donation opportunities.
“This support coupled with the expanded use of innovative technologies and dedication to the mission helped save more lives than ever in our region last year.”
Innovative Technologies
As a result of a decade-long performance excellence journey; the organization enacted a number of innovative processes last year that supported the increase in lives saved:
- Facilitation of the first donor under the HOPE Act (meeting HIV+ criteria)
- Implementation of a CT scanner to help maximize the gift of life by allowing a single liver to be transplanted into two donors
Record Year for Transplants Locally
Donor Alliance partnered with the area’s 110 acute care hospitals and four transplant centers to set records in a number of additional areas in 2018, including the coordination of 167 additional transplants from donors outside our region. Additionally, 173 transplants from living organ donors at our area’s four transplant centers saved even more lives.
How You Can Help
Despite the marked achievements for donation and transplantation across the region in 2018, 2,000 people in the area continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant. With these patients in mind, Donor Alliance continues to tirelessly educate the public on the need for donation and collaborate closely with hospital and other partners throughout the two-state area. For more information about donation, or to sign up as an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.
