How Donation Works

Learn what and when you can donate, how organ donors match to organ recipients, and how the transplant process works.

• Find your local Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs)
• Learn about grants and assistance for living organ donation
• View or download a Transplantation System Infographic (PDF - 138 KB)

Donation after life

Learn about donation after death and why only three in 1,000 people actually become donors even though 170 million are registered.

Living organ donation

You can donate some organs—or parts of them—while you’re alive.

Matching donors with recipients

Doctors add patients in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). The OPTN is a national computer system. It puts patients in order on the waiting list and matches them to donors. 

The organ transplant process

Find out how patients in need of a transplant get on OPTN’s waiting list. Learn what happens before, during, and after the transplant.