Your Donation Decision

Resources for Families Considering Donation

Your decision can save lives.

You have the rare and powerful ability to save and heal lives through organ, eye and tissue donation – fewer than 1% of people have this chance to help others. We know this decision comes at a difficult time, and we’re here to share information and answer questions so you can make the choice that’s right for you.

Helpful resources for you:

About the Donation Process

Funeral Arrangements

There is No Cost for Donation

Timing Considerations

Learning About Recipients

Contact Us

Looking for more information? Explore other frequently asked questions.

Donation Impact

You can help more than 75 people.

Donation is an incredible gift that can give one’s story a new meaning through the lives they save. More than 100,000 people are waiting for a life-saving transplant right now, including 2,700 in our area, and 17 people die each day simply because there aren’t enough organs for everyone who needs a transplant. You can help change these statistics and give people in need a second chance at life.

Conceptual illustration with several simple people icons on a dark background. One icon stands out in the middle with a vivid color.

It is not only a blessing to give someone an organ, kidney, tissue – whatever it is – it’s an honor to know that because of Giovanni, and because of others, people can live.

Rolanda, donor mom

The Donation Process

Are you wondering what happens next?

When a donation begins, the medical teams and support staff are united by a common mission to move through the various steps of the process as quickly as possible and with a real sense of urgency. The organ donation process can vary for each individual, but generally it can take a couple of days to be completed. During this time, every minute counts and LifeSource’s team is focused on making sure you feel supported, providing care for your loved one and ensuring their organs and tissues can help as many people as possible.

Click through each step of the process below for more information.

Step 01

Family Discussion

You will receive information about organ donation and our team will do their best to answer all of your questions. If you say yes to donation, we’ll help fill out the required paperwork and ask you to provide medical and social history for your loved one to ensure they meet the necessary criteria for donation.

Step 02

Medical Evaluation

Next, we’ll work with the hospital staff and the transplant center partners to review the strength and function of your loved one’s organs. If they’re able to be transplanted, we’ll work on maintaining organ function so that they are as healthy as possible when transplanted. Your loved one will continue to be in their hospital room on a ventilator while the necessary tests are completed by the donation team. If you wish, you’ll be able to spend time with them during this process. In some cases, your loved one may be moved to a donation center of excellence at the University of Minnesota or Mayo Clinic. If this is the case, your donation liaison will share more information.

Step 03

Matching Organs with Recipients

You might have heard about people who are on the waiting list, or waiting for a match. If you say yes to donation, the organs will be matched with potential recipients using a computer system run by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). This national database includes all patients in the United States waiting for a transplant. Matching is based on blood type, body size, severity of the recipient’s medical condition and distance. Your loved one will continue to be in their room on a ventilator during this process and you’ll be able to spend time with them.

Step 04

Surgery

As soon as organs are matched with waiting recipients, our team will schedule an organ recovery surgery. The recovery surgery will be performed in the hospital by a surgical team from the various transplant centers receiving each organ. Organ recovery surgery is similar to any other surgery – it takes place in an operating room with highly-trained medical specialists who will treat your loved one with care and respect. Similar to regular surgeries, you will have the opportunity to be with your loved one until they can be moved to the operating room. Depending on the specific case, there may be additional steps in the process that the team will review with you.

Step 05

Transportation

Once surgery is completed, the surgeons immediately return to their transplant center with the organs to perform the transplant. Learn more here about how organs are transported for transplantation. LifeSource works with about 300 funeral homes in the area and will facilitate the transfer process of your loved one to your chosen funeral home.

Step 06

Follow-up

People often want to know who the potential recipients are. We’ll be in touch with you about 24 hours following the recovery surgery and will share the age and gender of the intended recipients. While donation is anonymous, many donor families and transplant recipients choose to write to one another. We’ll provide you with the information about this process if you choose to do so.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Others Often Want to Know

For more than 30 years, LifeSource has worked with families like yours. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive at this stage in the process.

You Can Have a Funeral or Viewing

LifeSource works with more than 300 funeral homes in our area and will ensure a smooth transition from donation to end-of-life preparations. We’ll discuss your funeral plans with you and then partner with your chosen funeral home. If you are planning on an open casket funeral or viewing, these plans should not be affected by donation. Some people choose to include that their loved one was a donor in their obituary; here is some sample copy.

It Doesn’t Cost Anything to be a Donor

Many families wonder if there is a cost to them or the donor for donation and the answer is no. After you’ve said yes to donation, LifeSource pays for all medical costs associated with organ donation. Those costs are then passed on to the recipient’s transplant center as part of the cost of their transplant. Care provided in the hospital from admission until your family says yes to donation, as well as funeral costs, remain your responsibility.

Timing Considerations

The organ donation process generally takes a couple of days. During this time, we’re using every minute to support you, care for your loved one, and ensure their organs and tissues can help as many people as possible. Some families have shared that they appreciate this extra time to spend together, while other families may be concerned about the length of time that donation takes. Your donation liaison will share more details based on your specific situation.

How long can an organ be outside the body before transplant?

How are organs transported for transplant?

The Recipients of Your Loved One’s Gifts

It’s natural to be curious about who will be helped and to want to know more about them. While donation is an anonymous gift, we’ll provide you with some general information about the recipients following organ recovery surgery, including their age and gender. You can choose to write to the recipients at any time, and can find more information about that here.

Looking for more information? Explore other frequently asked questions.

Stories

Hear from others who have been impacted by donation.

Live On: Giovanni’s Legacy

Rolanda, mom of donor, shares that knowing Giovanni was a donor and saved and healed the lives of others is a “source of life” in itself.

Live On: Ryan’s Legacy

Ryan was always thinking of how he could help others. After his death, Ryan was able to save and heal 75+ lives through the gift of tissue donation.

Live On: Christian’s Legacy

Inspired by the continued impact of Christian’s gifts, his parents are now registered organ donors.

Karishma, Liver Transplant Recipient, Pays it Forward in Medical School

Because of her liver transplant, Karishma went from a child who could hardly eat, was tired all the time and struggled during daily activities to a very active teenager with a bright future and more life ahead.

Thanks to His Donor, Keegan Received A Second Chance

Keegan was born with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia, typically diagnosed a few weeks after birth. The only thing that would save his life: an organ transplant.

Interview: A Family Member Who Said No to Donation, Later Regrets

Angel was approached about donation after her husband had a massive heart attack. In her state of shock and grief…she said no. It is a decision she regrets and hopes to help others avoid making the same mistake.

View More Stories

We’re here to help.

Your donation liaison can answer any questions you may have and is here to support you along the way. To talk with them, refer to the card they gave you with their phone number or reach out to your nurse.