Relatives can also donate a deceased family member's organs and tissues, even those family members under the age of 18. Approximately 20,000 heart, liver, lung, kidney, pancreas and intestine transplants are performed each year. More than 450,000 Americans receive tissue transplants of bone, heart valves, tendons, ligaments, corneas and skin annually. 46,000 sight-restoring transplants are performed every year. There is no cost to be an organ and tissue donor.
Donation is a gift.
There are costs associated with the donation process. Most of the expense of transplant is generated by the transplant procedures including hospital costs, surgeons' and doctors' fees, medication and after care. Last year, an estimated half-million Americans received organ and tissue transplants. These numbers represent transplants performed in 1998 and those people waiting for transplants as of January 4, 2000.