Organ Donation and People Over Age 50

Janet Ocasio
Liver recipient advocates for organ donation among people of all ages, all backgrounds. Carlton Blackburn
This 92-year-old proves that age is no barrier to giving the gift of life. May Chen
Replacement knee tissue makes it possible to be a world champ once again. Bobby Height, Sr.
Former Yankees baseball player hitting a home run for organ donation.

Janet Ocasio
Danbury, CT

“The need for transplantation can affect anyone, young or old, male and female, in any ethnic or cultural group.”

Carlton Blackburn
Keene, TX

Carlton’s liver donation at age 92 showed that age is no barrier to sharing life.

May Chen
Harlingen, TX

World champion martial arts competitor May Chen continues her winning ways with an allograft transplant.

Bobby Height, Sr.
Charlotte, NC

“Someone said ‘yes’ to donating life so that I might have a second chance.”

People over the age of 50 equal more than 64% of those on the waiting list for an organ transplant.

They are also the largest group of donors. Unfortunately, while more than 99 million people in the United States are over 50, about 21 million of them believe they are too old to register as a donor. People of all ages, however, can be organ, eye, and tissue donors.

Am I too old to be a donor? What if I’ve been sick? Does my religion allow donation?
> Find answers to these and more questions

Learn how to take better care of your health and help prevent diseases and behaviors that lead to a need for transplantation.

• 64%of national transplant waiting list
• 60%of all transplants
• 57%of all kidney transplants
• 71%of all people receiving liver transplants

• Administration on Aging
• Organ Donation and Transportation Saves Lives
• Sign Up to Be an Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donor: Don't Rule Yourself Out
• Statistics & Facts for People Over Age 50
• Organ Donation and:
  • > African Americans
  • > Asians, and Native Hawaiians
       and Other Pacific Islanders
  • > Hispanics/Latinos