Sign-up as an organ donor

Commonly Asked Questions

The decision to register as an organ donor is personal and can require additional thought and reflection. Here you will find answers to some of your questions.

There are approximately 100,000 people waiting nationally for a transplant. Nearly 8,000 of those are children and adults here in New York waiting for a lifesaving transplant. These people are our family, friends and neighbors. We can help them by saying yes to organ donation.

What is the organ donation process?

Non-living donation only happens once someone has died and can only be done with consent by you prior to your passing or by your family after your passing. LiveOnNY works with hospitals to carry out a person’s wishes to be an organ donor after their death. We also work with families who choose to give the gift of life on behalf of a deceased love one if that loved one was not a registered organ donor. Once someone consents to being an organ donor, a surgery is performed to recover organs from the donor. They are then transplanted to someone in need in order to help save their life.

Can I trust that the process is fair?

Organ, eye and tissue donation are highly regulated processes that ensure fairness and equity. The hospital where a person receives care and the organizations that maintain the organ donation registry, facilitate organ and tissue donation, and maintain the transplant waiting list are all separate entities. This is to ensure that there is no conflict of interest and that no part of the process can be influenced. Matching organ donors to transplant recipients is solely based on health factors and cannot be altered by factors such as race, economic status, or celebrity status.

Will doctors work as hard to save my life?

Doctors, nurses, paramedics and other hospital personnel are legally obligated to do everything in their power to save a patient’s life. LiveOnNY is a separate organization that works with families to facilitate organ donation only after a patient is deemed terminal. At no point will your care be compromised if you are a registered organ donor, or if your family has decided to donate your organs after your death.

Does my religion support organ donation?

Major religions celebrate organ donation as an opportunity to save lives and view it as a final act of kindness. The blessings associated with saving a life are also held in higher esteem than the religious laws surrounding burial. We encourage you to speak with your faith leader if you have additional questions. Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Catholicism have all stated approval for organ donation when done with the intention of saving lives.

Organ donation and religion

Because organ donation saves lives, most major religions celebrate donation as an act of final kindness.

  • Buddhism

    Buddhists believe that organ and tissue donation is a matter of individual conscience. Acts of compassion are highly valued. Professor Robert Thurman, chair of religious studies/Jey Tsong Khapa professor of Buddhist studies at Columbia University, and president of Tibet House, stated, “The gift of the body is a very great benefit and a boon, like what you’d call a karmic boon, a karmic advantage to a person.”

  • Catholicism

    Catholics view organ and tissue donation as an act of love and charity. Transplants are morally and ethically acceptable to the Vatican and for decades, the Catholic Church has declared organ, eye and tissue donation as part of the culture of life. His Holiness Pope Francis shared that “Organ donation is a testimony of love for our neighbor.”

  • Christianity

    The Christian Church encourages organ and tissue donation, stating that individuals were created for God's glory and for sharing of God's love. A 1985 resolution, adopted by the General Assembly, encourages "… members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to enroll as organ donors and prayerfully support those who have received an organ transplant."

  • Islam

    Muslims believe in the principle of saving human lives, and permit organ transplants as a means of achieving that noble end. Sheikh Omar S. Abu-Namous, the former Imam of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York had this to say about organ donation: “…Islamic juristic academies and fatwa (juristic opinion) bodies in the Muslim world, including the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences based in Kuwait, are agreed on the permissibility and lawfulness of donating organs to patients whose survival or cure vitally depends on them.”

  • Judaism

    Based on Jewish law it is a mitzvah, a religious obligation or duty, to perform a good deed. The highest deed you can perform is to save a life. The Committee of Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly ruled that one is obligated to permit post-mortem transplantation of his or her organs in life-saving medical procedures, and that withholding consent for such organ donation, is contrary to Jewish law.

  • Hinduism

    Organ donation is not prohibited by religious law, according to the Hindu Temple Society of North America. Donation is considered an individual’s decision. There are many references that support organ donation in Hindu scriptures. Daan is the original word in Sanskrit for donation meaning selfless giving. It is also third in the list of the ten Niyamas (virtuous acts). Life after death is a strong belief of Hindus and is an ongoing process of rebirth.

Stories of living on

Wilbert Mora Graphic.jpg
Detective Mora lived a life of service as an NYPD officer. Even in death he continued to serve, saving 5 lives through organ donation.

Meet Detective Mora

Donor Hero
Angelica Website.jpg
At age 4, Angelica beat childhood cancer. But chemotherapy damaged her heart and at 18, she was diagnosed with heart failure. She has received a second chance at life thanks to her donor hero.

Meet Angelica

Heart Recipient
Roxanne/Michael
In July 2010, an accident took Michael’s life. But that wasn’t the end of Michael’s story. Michael saved five lives through organ donation and Roxanne received his heart.

Meet Roxanne

Heart Recipient

The truth about organ donation

  • Organ donation is a way to transplant living organs and tissue from a recently deceased person to someone living to save or extend their life.
  • A person can donate their heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestine.
  • Bone, skin and corneas can be donated to help save and improve the lives of others.
  • A person can authorize donation for themselves by joining the state or national registry.
  • Donation only occurs after a physician who is not affiliated with donation declares a person dead. Prior to this, doctors and medical professionals will do everything in their power to save your life.
  • If a person has not registered, their family will be consulted about the decision to donate.
  • Great care is taken with all donors so that they may have an open casket funeral if desired.
  • If you’re a donor, your family does not pay any medical bills related to donation.
  • Don’t rule yourself out due to age or medical status. The oldest donor was 93-years-old. At the time of donation, a doctor will assess if the donor is a viable candidate based on health conditions.
  • Most major religions support donation but you can always consult your spiritual leader.
  • U.S. law prohibits the buying and selling of organs.
  • The national computerized waiting list is independently maintained by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and is blind to race, gender, financial or celebrity status.

Living donation

Living donation is the way the medical profession refers to donating an organ to someone in need while the donor is living. Living donors may donate a kidney, a part of the liver and in some rare cases, a portion of the pancreas, intestine and a lung.

What is the process like for living donation?

To be considered as a living donor, an individual needs to reach out to a local transplant center. The transplant center will need to conduct a psychosocial and medical evaluation. The evaluation process will help the donor understand all aspects of living donation. These tests are important to protect the donor and ensure the success of the transplant.

Living kidney donation

The National Kidney Donation Organization (NKDO) is an organization of Living Donors who help mentor those looking to donate a kidney as well as helping those who are in need of a kidney transplant. NKDO provides education and information to prospective living kidney donors. If you are interested in learning more about living kidney donation, please visit their website at www.nkdo.org.

Living liver donation

The American Liver Foundation (ALF) works to fight against liver disease by providing financial support for medical research, education for medical professionals, and advocacy. ALF provides information for patients and their families and creates public awareness campaigns about liver wellness and disease prevention. If you are interested in learning more about living liver donation, please visit their website at www.liverfoundation.org.