Waiting time to transplant
Because there is a shortage of donated organs, patients must wait for an organ. Waiting times can differ for each patient.
Average* waiting times to transplant - in days
| Organ | Adults | Children |
|---|---|---|
| Kidney (1) | 841 | 164 |
| Heart (2) | 103 | 143** |
| Lung (2) | 406 | - |
| Liver (3) | 95 | 76 |
| Pancreas and kidney (3) | 265 | - |
| * median (the "middle" value) ** based on fewer than 100 observations - too few observations to provide estimates |
||
- (1) Based on patient registrations in the UK during the period 2000-2003
- (2) Based on patient registrations in the UK during the period 2000-2004
- (3) Based on patient registrations in the UK during the period 2002-2005
Living donor transplant
Some patients and their families may decide to opt for a living donor transplant.
More about living donor transplants
Common questions and answers about organ donation and transplantation
Why I want to be a donor...
"I support organ donation because transplants give a seriously ill person a second chance. When we die our earthly bodies are of no further use to us; I feel we all have an obligation to help someone else's life go on."
Michael J. McGivern
Cardiac rehabilitation/support practitioner