Did you know, more than 1,400 people in Wisconsin need lifesaving organs? Across the nation, more than 104,000 people are in the same situation, waiting patiently for organs that will save their lives. A single donor can save eight lives and change the lives of more than 75 people. Donation can include kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, intestines, tissue and corneas.

As part of a nationally recognized adult and pediatric Transplant Center, we are committed to helping save the lives of people who need transplants to survive.

Have you registered to be a donor?

Last year alone, more than 48,000 people across the nation received lifesaving organs. Choose to save and heal lives with your decision to register.

Sign up at  registerme.org Sign in to MyChart to register

 Watch a video on how to sign up via MyChart

Organ donation and innovations have changed the lives of our transplant patients. Learn more about their transplant stories.

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Common Questions About Tissue and Organ Donation

  • Having your name included in the Wisconsin donor registry means that you have authorized the gift of your organs, tissues and eyes upon your death. Registering indicates legal consent for donation. Your gift will be used to save and improve the lives of others.

  • If you're already on the Wisconsin state registry, joining the national registry only helps you share your choice. In a potential donation situation, both the national registry and state registry are checked.

  • When registering in the national registry, your donor registration choice travels with you. For example, if you are only on Wisconsin's registry, and you end up in a donation situation in Florida, the donation professionals would need to know to manually contact Wisconsin to see if the patient is a registered donor (because they wouldn't see them on Florida's registry and they wouldn't see them on the national registry). 

    Registering in the national registry is the best way to ensure that your decision is visible to donation professionals in any state.

  • Every major religion in the United States supports organ, tissue and eye donation as one of the highest expressions of compassion and generosity.

  • There is no cost to the donor’s family or estate for donation. The donor family pays only for medical expenses before death and costs associated with funeral expenses.

  • No. When you are on the transplant waiting list for an organ donor, what really counts is the severity of your illness, body size, tissue type, blood type and other important medical information.

  • Donation is only considered after all efforts to save a patient’s life have been exhausted by the medical team. Organ recovery only occurs after death has been declared. The Organ Procurement Organization is a separate team of people from the medical team that is treating the patient. This ensures that there is no conflict of interest.

  • Donation may provide immediate and long-term consolation, especially in light of sudden, unexpected circumstances. The family members of the donor often feel encouraged that something good has come out of something tragic.

  • A donor’s family will be told the age, sex, state and other general characteristics of recipients. If both the donor family and the recipient agree to sign a release of information form, available through the Organ Procurement Organization, Tissue Bank or Lion’s Eye Bank, they may then exchange names, correspond and eventually meet if they so choose.

  • Many people don’t like to discuss end-of-life situations; however, talking about donation is different than talking about death. When you share your donation decision with your family, you are talking about the opportunity to help others and to ensure that your family understands your wishes.