Organ donors save a record number of lives through donation and transplantation

September 2019

119 organs, including 53 kidneys, were provided for transplant in August thanks to the generosity of organ donors across Alaska, Montana, North Idaho, and Washington

Continuing a seven-year upward growth trajectory of life-saving milestones, August saw 35 organ donors, 119 organs donated for transplant of which 53 were kidneys, the most of any month in LifeCenter Northwest’s history.

This means more transplant recipients will have a second chance at life thanks to the collaborative efforts of LifeCenter Northwest staff, partner hospital and transplant center teams, and our donors and their families. Sixteen hospitals throughout the LifeCenter Northwest service area helped donors provide these life-saving gifts.

The spouse of an organ and tissue donor recently shared, “It was truly a bright spot during an otherwise dark time for me and gave me something positive and affirming to focus on. I felt honored, privileged, and lucky to be able to pass his gift of life on…”

“This accomplishment is truly a testament to our mission of working together to serve the communities in our region and save more lives,” said Kevin O’Connor, President and CEO of LifeCenter Northwest. “Successes like this wouldn’t be possible without the kindness of our donors and their families, and the tireless work of donor hospital and transplant center staff. We have a profound appreciation for all those who partner with us in this life-saving work.”

A special thank you to LifeCenter Northwest’s hospital partners for helping to achieve this great outcome in August: Benefis Health System, Central Peninsula Hospital, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Harborview Medical Center, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Kootenai Health, MultiCare Deaconess Hospital, MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital, MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, Providence Alaska Medical Center, Providence Everett Medical Center, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital, Providence St. Peter Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center-Franciscan, Trios Health Southridge, and Valley Medical Center.

LifeCenter Northwest partners with more than 200 hospitals and five transplant centers across their service area of Alaska, Montana, North Idaho and Washington.  For 2019, LifeCenter Northwest continues to be a leader in kidney placements. Year-to-date, more than 355 kidneys have been provided for transplant to patients in 22 states across the country.

Though there have been many accomplishments in donation and transplantation in recent years, the need is still great. Currently, there are more than 112,000 people on the transplant waiting list nationwide, including nearly 2,500 in our service area. Talk to your loved ones about donation and help end the wait by joining the donor registry at www.lcnw.org.

LifeCenter Northwest is a nonprofit federally designated organ procurement organization and is dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation.