About How to Become a Donor What You Can Donate Get the Facts

Organ & Tissue Donation

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Organ donation is one of the foremost advances in modern medicine.

Globally and nationally, there is a donor organ shortage. The demand for organ, eye and tissue donation exceeds the number of donors in the U.S.

Organ donation is the process of surgically taking healthy organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another. Transplants are needed when a recipient’s organ has failed or has been damaged by injury or disease. Every year, the lives of thousands of recipients are saved and improved by the gift of organ and tissue donation.

How to Become an Organ or Tissue Donor

People of all ages and medical histories can consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition and age at the time of death will determine what organs and tissue can be donated. Organ donation is voluntary and there are mechanisms in place to protect the donor's health, safety and privacy. It's easy to become an organ donor — you can indicate your intention in the following ways:

Register to Donate After Death

You can sign up to donate your organs, eyes or tissue after death. It's a way of giving your legal consent for the anatomical gift of tissue and organs after your death.

Join Donate Life California Registry

Become a Living Donor

A living organ donation can shorten the waiting period for an organ (or part of an organ) and can be performed with fewer complications and, often, better patient outcomes.

Learn About Living Kidney Donation

Join the Donate Life California organ donation registry today.

What You Can Donate

Bones
Corneas and whole eyes
Heart Valves
Skin
Organs, including heart, intestines, liver, lungs, kidneys and pancreas
Veins
Soft tissues, including tendons and ligaments

Get the Facts About Organ Donation Don’t get confused by misconceptions and inaccuracies about donation persist. Learn these facts to help you better understand organ, eye and tissue donation:

Myth: If emergency room doctors know you’re an organ, eye and tissue donor, they won’t work as hard to save you.

Myth: You are too old or ill to be a donor.

Myth: Your religion prohibits organ, eye and tissue donation.

Myth: Organ and tissue donation disfigures the body and changes the way it looks in a casket.

Myth: Only hearts, livers and kidneys can be transplanted.

Video: Honor Walk Pays Tribute to Organ Donor

Fire Captain Robin Cervantes, who was killed in an accident, donated four organs that helped four recipients. His family, friends and medical team paid tribute to his generosity with an Honor Walk as he was wheeled to the operating room for the donation.