North Dallas Nonprofit Sets Records for Lives Saved
Southwest Transplant Alliance, a nonprofit organ procurement organization based in Dallas, made a record-breaking 1,267 organs available for transplant in 2017 because of the selfless, lifesaving gifts of 385 organ donors. This marks STA’s highest number of organs transplanted and organ donors in a single year, topping last year’s record of 1,210 from 380 donors.
The nonprofit also enhanced and improved the lives of 326 persons through the recovery of tissue.
The 1,267 figure is the largest number of organs transplanted in the state of Texas in a given year, according to a news release. It represents a 76 percent increase since 2013.
“It’s inspiring and humbling to know that thousands of lives have been saved and enhanced because of the families that made the incredibly generous decision to donate and those who registered to be donors,” said Patti Niles, CEO, and president of STA. “We are very grateful to all those who have made life possible.”
The organization works with 11 transplant centers and more than 200 acute care hospitals throughout the state of Texas.
According to data, 22 people in the U.S. die each day waiting. The growing need for organ transplants is due in large part to an increase in diabetes, heart disease and other conditions for which a transplant is the only cure.Currently, more than 10,000 people in Texas and more than 115,000 nationally are in desperate need of a second chance at life and will not survive without an organ transplant.
Go to DonateLifeTexas.org to register to become an organ, eye and tissue donor.
