Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Saves Lives
The gift of organ and tissue donation truly saves and enhances lives, thanks to the heroic donors and courageous families. It offers hope right here in our community and throughout our state.
Each of us has the power to save up to 8 lives and enhance up to 75 more. We encourage you to help us inspire hope by registering your decision to be a donor today.
Why should I register to be a donor?
Did you know that across the country, more than 100,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving transplant? Here in Oklahoma, more than 800 of our neighbors are hoping for their second chance.
LifeShare’s mission to save lives and inspire hope would not be possible without the compassion of donor heroes and their loved ones. We encourage all Oklahomans to learn about organ, eye and tissue donation, make the decision to be a donor and share that decision with your family.
Donation is truly the greatest gift you can give to another family, another parent, another sibling. It’s a domino effect. We walk away with gratitude knowing someone out there is thriving and getting to live because of our daughter. If I could share one thing with our community, it would be that we can affect others in a good way, just by making that decision when the time comes.”
How Organ Donation Works
The gift of donation is a rare and precious life-saving gift. The process is time-sensitive and complex, with various partners helping along the way to ensure every opportunity to save lives.
The key steps in the donation process include:
Step 1
Patient Assessment
Death can occur in one of two ways: (1) cardiac death, when the heart is no longer able to beat on its own, and (2) brain death, which is the irreversible loss of function of the brain. When the family decides to remove mechanical support, donation discussions begin.
Step 2
Hospital Calls LifeShare
The Hospital calls LifeShare within 60 minutes for patients who are vented and meet hospital clinical triggers.
Step 3
Family Discussion
LifeShare staff discusses the opportunity for donation with the family and hospital care team.
Step 4
Medical Evaluation
A donor is medically evaluated.
Step 5
Matching
Organ allocation takes place and patient is taken to operating room for organ procurement.
Step 6
Surgical Recovery, Preservation and Transport
Surgical recovery takes place – and organs are either placed on pumps or packaged and delivered to a transplant center.
Step 7
Aftercare
LifeShare provides grief support to donor families through our Aftercare program.
Ways to Join the Donor Registry
ON YOUR LICENSE OR STATE ID CARD – When you get your driver’s license, state ID card or real ID, you will have an opportunity to say yes to organ, eye and tissue donation. You will also have an opportunity to donate one dollar to the Oklahoma Donor Education Fund. If you have registered on your driver’s license, state ID card or real ID, you do not need to register in any other way.
ONLINE – If you have not registered on your driver’s license, state ID card or real ID, you can go online anytime and register in just minutes at LifeShareRegistry.org. Registering online gives you the ability to access your registry page and change your donation information at any time.
ON THE PHONE –You can call 800-826-LIFE (5433) and request that a donor registration form be mailed to you. After you fill out the form and return it, your name and donation wishes will be added to the LifeShare Registry.
ON YOUR HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSE – When you get your hunting and fishing license through Oklahoma Wildlife, you will have an opportunity to say yes to organ, eye and tissue donation. REGISTER ON YOUR HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSE HERE.