Organ and Tissue Donation in Colorado Sets New Record -- Donor Alliance Recovers Organs from 100 Donors and Tissue from 601 Donors.

DENVER -- In 2004, Donor Alliance recovered organs for transplant from 100 local donors, and tissue for transplant from 601 donors. These are all time record high recovery numbers for the organization, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in October.

"Looking back on our 25-year history of serving this community, we see the difference donation has made and continues to make," said Sue Dunn, president and chief executive officer of Donor Alliance. "The high recovery rates in 2004 say something about the giving nature of our community and the work that we have done throughout the years to increase awareness and education about the need for organ and tissue donation."

In addition to donation rates for organs, Donor Alliance also saw an increase in the number of bone, heart valve and skin donors. Donor Alliance recovered bone from 539 donors, skin from 303 donors and heart valves from 85 donors. The clinical applications of tissue are far reaching.

For the fist time since its inception in 2001, the Colorado Donor Registry Web site (www.coloradodonorregistry.org) was the number one medium for organ and tissue donor sign-ups. In 2004, 60 percent of those signing up to be organ and tissue donors signed up online compared to 45.7 percent who signed up online in 2003. During the same time period, 58.4 percent of people applying for or receiving a driver's license said "yes" to being listed on the registry, a 3.3 percent increase over 2003, according to the Donor Awareness Council.

"We saw the greatest increase at rural driver's license offices," said Amy Kusek of the Donor Awareness Council. "The rural offices saw a 4.9 percent increase in those saying 'yes' over 2003."

Of the 100 organ donors, 39 were on the registry and of the 601 tissue donors 306 were on the registry.

"The donor registry is an important tool that the community can use to not only document their decision about organ and tissue donation, but also to get answers to questions they may have about the process of donation," said Dunn. "As we work with families through the donation process, it has been our experience that they take solace in knowing that they are helping a family member carry out an end-of-life decision."

In 2004, Donor Alliance's authorization rate was 80 percent, which is well above the national average of 62 percent.

Organ Highlights:                                         2004   2003
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Total Local Organ Donors                                   100     82
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      Organs Transplanted from Local Donors                205    204
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      Organs Accepted for Transplant from Other OPOs       104     99
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Organs Donated to Other OPOs                               109     77
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Total Number of Transplants Facilitated by Donor Alliance  418    380
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Tissue Highlights:
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Total Local Tissue Donors                                  601    601
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Heart Valve Recoveries                                      85     82
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Skin Recoveries                                            303    247
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Bone Recoveries                                            539    534
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According to the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank, there were 1,741 total eye donors in 2004.

About Donor Alliance

Donor Alliance is the federally designated organ procurement organization serving Colorado and Wyoming. As a recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of transplantable organs and tissues, Donor Alliance's primary objectives are to save and enhance the lives of others through effective family approach and recovery programs in hospitals, and to increase awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation. As a community-based, not-for-profit organization, Donor Alliance coordinates with 95 hospitals, including four transplant centers, through its service area.

About Donor Awareness Council

Donor Awareness Council is a non-profit coalition formed in 1989 to increase organ and tissue donation though public education and awareness in communities across Colorado and Wyoming. Its vision is to help the public understand the benefits of organ and tissue donation so that every potential transplant recipient has the opportunity for an increased quality of life.

Donor Awareness Council Coalition Partners include AlloSource; American Liver Foundation; American Transplant Association, Rocky Mountain Chapter; Black Transplants Action Committee; ClinImmune Labs; Donor Alliance; Laboratories at Bonfils/Bonfils Blood Center; National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Idaho, Montana & Wyoming; Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center; Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank; The Children's Hospital; University of Colorado Hospital.

About The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank

The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank is a community-based, non-profit organization. Its mission is to fulfill the wishes of eye donors and their families, and to help overcome blindness through transplantation and medical research.