GLI’s Liver Action Network Supports Living Donor Day and Calls for Increased Awareness of Living Donation
Today, April 5, is Living Donor Day. The members of the Liver Action Network (LAN) pledge collective support for Living Donor Day to honor the donors, recipients, families and caregivers, and clinical teams that make the lifesaving gift of organ donation possible. In connection with this pledge, the members of the LAN urge U.S. Members of Congress on Capitol Hill to support Living Donor Day and vital pieces of legislation such as the Living Donor Protection Act (S. 511/H.R. 1255).
Organ donation and transplantation have become the best clinical treatment for end-stage organ failure. In 2021, a total of 144,302 organs were transplanted worldwide and in 2022, a total of 42,800 organs were transplanted in the U.S. yet thousands of people still die each year while on the transplant waiting list. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) estimates that 17 people die each day in the U.S. while waiting for an organ transplant, and every 10 minutes another person is added to the waiting list.
Increased living organ donation could solve the organ donation crisis by allowing individuals to donate parts of or entire organs to people waiting for transplants. Worldwide, kidney and liver transplants from living donors comprise the majority of living organ donations.
GLI’s Liver Action Network is proud to support Living Donor Day. As representatives of the liver health community, we call upon local and national governments to enact policies that help eliminate barriers for both living donors and recipients and to take steps to ensure living donors are protected. Despite the existence of the federal Living Donor Protection Act bill (S. 511/H.R. 1255) and Living Donor Protection Acts in several states, there is still a need for significant progress to eliminate barriers to organ donors and recipients. Potential donors are often discouraged from donating due to financial realities, such as a possible loss of health coverage or an increase in premiums. In addition, living donors might risk losing their employment during their recovery period. It is critical that governments in the U.S. and abroad look to implement policies that protect individuals willing to save someone’s life by donating living tissue, like liver.
The LAN fully advocates for policies that make the process of living organ donation easier. Eliminating barriers will allow more individuals to become living organ donors and is the first step in addressing this global organ shortage crisis.
Liver Action Network Members:
Global Liver Institute
Arizona Liver Health
Community Liver Alliance
Empire Liver Foundation
Fatty Liver Alliance
Fatty Liver Foundation
Liver Coalition of San Diego
Liver Health Foundation
Midsouth Liver Alliance
NASH kNOWledge
Northeast Ohio Liver Alliance
Texas Liver Foundation
About Global Liver Institute
Global Liver Institute (GLI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in the belief that liver health must take its place on the global public health agenda commensurate with the prevalence and impact of liver illness. GLI promotes innovation, encourages collaboration, and supports the scaling of optimal approaches to help eradicate liver diseases. Operating globally, GLI is committed to solving the problems that matter to liver patients and equipping advocates to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by liver disease. Follow GLI on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.