(INDIANAPOLIS) - Following National Donor Day this past weekend, health officials are highlighting the life-saving impact of organ donation across Indiana, where hundreds of donors helped save more than a thousand lives in 2025.
According to statewide data, 467 Hoosiers became organ donors last year, resulting in 1,379 organs transplanted and 1,214 lives saved. Each donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation alone, in addition to helping many more through tissue donation.
Since 2016, Indiana has recorded 19,655 organ donors whose gifts have benefited recipients in all 50 states and more than 2,300 U.S. cities.
Despite the progress, the need remains urgent. More than 1,400 Indiana residents are currently on the national transplant waiting list, part of a registry that includes over 105,000 Americans. Nationwide, more than 48,000 organ transplants were performed in 2025, yet an average of 17 people die each day while waiting for a donor. Another person is added to the list approximately every eight minutes.
Officials emphasize that most people can register as donors regardless of age or medical history. In Indiana, residents can sign up at Bureau of Motor Vehicle branches, online through Donate Life Indiana, when applying for certain state licenses, via the Professional Licensing Agency, or through the Health app on Apple devices.
Advocates say the days surrounding National Donor Day serve as a reminder that a single decision to register can have a profound and lasting impact on countless families.