National Donate Life Month (NDLM) was established by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003. It is observed in April of each year. NDLM helps raise awareness about donation. It also encourages Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. Lastly, it honors the heroic donors who have saved lives through the ultimate gift.
This year's theme uses trees as a symbol of connection and life. Just like trees grow and support each other in a forest, donation connects people. This includes heroic donors, grateful recipients and their courageous loved ones. Like a tree that grows and stands for generations, a heroic donor’s gift leaves a lasting legacy of hope and life.
Each year, Donate Life America updates statistics that are important to understand the true impact organ, eye and tissue donation has nationally. Here is this year's list:
In 2025, more than 49,000 transplants from 23,788 donors brought renewed life to patients and their families and communities.
More than 100,000 people are waiting on the national transplant waiting list for lifesaving organ transplants.
Nearly 60% of patients on the national transplant waiting list are from multicultural communities.
Another person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list every eight minutes.
13 people die each day while waiting for a transplant.
Over 5,600 people in the U.S die each year while on the transplant waiting list.
86% of patients on the waiting list are waiting for a kidney.
The average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor is three to five years.
A kidney from a living donor offers patients an alternative to years of dialysis and time on the national transplant waiting list (the living donor’s remaining kidney will increase in size, doing the work of two healthy kidneys).
9% of patients waiting are in need of a liver.
Living donation of part of the liver can help these patients (the remaining portion of the donor liver will regenerate within four months and regain full function).
More than 40% of all deceased donors are age 50 or older; 9% are age 65 or older.
A single tissue donor can help more than 75 people.
More than 85,000 corneal transplants helped to restore sight. More than 170 million people are registered organ, eye and tissue donors.
**NOTE- Living donation is not included in your deceased donor registration.**
Would you like to get involved and support our mission all month long? View the opportunities here!