Organ/Tissue Donation
Organ/tissue donors save lives, restore sight, and improve the quality of life for recipients across Illinois every day.
The Illinois Secretary of State's office maintains Illinois' official registry of those who have registered their legal decision to donate organs/tissue upon their death. The registry is stored in a secure database at the Illinois State Capitol Complex, staffed by Secretary of State police. Only authorized personnel can access the database to confirm if a person’s name is included in the registry.
How Donation Works
Organ recovery only begins after all efforts to save a person’s life have failed, and they are declared dead. The hospital staff isn’t involved with the organ recovery (or organ retrieval) process and can’t access the Secretary of State’s Organ/Tissue Donor Registry.
When death occurs or is imminent, hospital staff contacts the organ procurement organization (OPO) to report it. The OPO then accesses the Secretary of State's donor registry hotline to confirm if the person is listed in the registry. If the person is listed, OPO staff will work with the family to explain the process and provide support. If the individual isn’t listed, the family will be asked for consent to donate.
Each potential donor is evaluated to determine which organs/tissues can be recovered. The number of organs/tissues used varies from person to person.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) manages the list of patients waiting for transplants. A computer program matches donor organs with potential recipients based on criteria such as blood and tissue type, height and weight, the severity of their condition, how long they’ve been waiting, and distance to the donor. Most organs go to local patients. After organ removal, the donor’s body is carefully restored, even allowing for an open-casket funeral.
Talking to your Family
By joining the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, your wishes to be an organ/tissue donor will be honored after your death. While family consent is no longer required, it’s still important to talk to your family about your wish to be a donor. Your family will still be involved in the donation process, and knowing your wishes ahead of time will make your loved ones better prepared during this emotional time.
You can join the Illinois donor registry at age 16. However, family consent is still required for those under age 18 to become donors. It is especially important for those under age 18 to discuss donation with their family to make sure their wishes are honored.
Who Can Be a Donor
Anyone can join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. Many people believe that their age or a previous medical condition will automatically prevent them from being donors, but that’s not true. There are no strict age limits for being a donor, and very few medical conditions will rule out your suitability as a donor. The condition of your organs is much more important than your age, and doctors will determine at the time of your death if any previous medical conditions would prevent you from donating.
Who Can Receive a Transplant
People of all ages, from newborns to seniors, are represented on the transplant waiting list. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is responsible for matching organ/tissue donors with potential recipients. UNOS is independent of any particular hospital. Doctors at hospitals can’t designate where a donated organ will go. Instead, a computerized program matches potential recipients with organs based on several factors, including: blood type, tissue type (for some organs), size match between donor and recipient, severity of illness, time on the waiting list, and proximity to the donor.
For more information on the matching process, visit the United Network for Organ Sharing website.