Over 9,300 individuals living in the United States are currently waiting for a liver transplant. There is a serious need for liver donors.
This message was recently sent out by Lorraine Stiehl, the CEO of the American Liver Foundation and a caregiver to a recipient of a liver transplant. Ms. Stiehl said that about 25% of these patients on the waiting list will die due to the shortage of donors. To quote Ms. Stiehl,
“This is unacceptable”
Directed liver donors
The majority of liver donors (the directed donors) know the patient who will receive their liver transplant.
Non-Directed Living Donors
The Liver Foundation’s Donor Network now offers non-directed living donors a way that they can securely connect to transplant centers throughout the nation. These donations are gradually increasing and give the gift of life to a person they do not know. They were previously known as altruistic donors. The name has been changed to non-directed donors.
The ALF Living Donor Network makes every effort to ensure its organization provides optimum care for its liver patients and transplant centers as well. Therefore, the foundation collaborates with members of its transplant workgroup and various transplant professionals across the country. The goal of ALF’s Living Donor Network is to increase the number of livers available for transplant and eliminate the pediatric waiting list entirely.
Dr. Ari Cohen, the director of the Multi Program Organ Transplant Institute and Transplant Research Institute in New Orleans at Ochsner Health explained that one of the Institute’s primary goals has been leveraging information gained from transplanting kidneys. Dr. Cohen stated that he is extremely pleased to announce that the ALF Donor Network will address this very critical need. The doctor further stated that each transplant center is encouraged to join the initiative so more lives can be saved.
If residents wish to be categorized as non-directed donors, they may register through a secure portal giving their health history including 13 critical areas. If eligible the resident will then be referred to a participating center to be evaluated further at no cost to the donor.
An Increase in Liver Transplants and Decrease in Waitlist Numbers
In spite of an annual decrease in waitlist numbers the combined organizations remain unable to administer lifesaving transplants to roughly 2,000 to 3,000 candidates every year. A successful living donor network as proposed by the ALF would match donors and help to increase organ availability according to Dr. Andres Rojo Director of Liver Transplantation at the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. (ASTS).
More information is available at: ALF Living Donor Network
