Trees provide more than just beauty - they provide homes for thousands of animals, shelter from storms, food and oxygen, a vital part of the world’s ecosystem for all. As such, it is fitting that this year’s National Donate Life Month’s theme utilizes trees as a symbol for life and connection for people from organ donors to organ recipients and all the families involved.
April is recognized annually as National Donate Life Month, and seeks to both raise awareness about organ donation and encourage Americans to register as organ donors. The month also recognizes those who have saved the lives of others by donating organ(s), eyes and/or tissue.
“National Donate Life Month is a meaningful time to reflect on the generosity of donors and the strength of their families,” Sarah Jaschen, director of ‘Promote the Gift’ at Iowa Donor Network, said in a statement. “We remain committed to working together to transform lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation and to inspiring Iowans to register their decision.”
In Iowa, IDN is the only organ procurement organization in the state and is one of just 55 federally certified, nonprofit organizations with the nation’s organ donation network. They are working in partnership with the Iowa Lions Eye Bank this year, the latter an organization that works to facilitate cornea donation and transplants.
“National Donate Life Month reminds us that donation is truly about leaving a legacy – one that grows far beyond a single lifetime,” Executive Director of Iowa Lions Eye Bank Esther Baker said. “Through the gift of sight, donors give others the chance to see, experience and live life more fully.”
Donation by the numbers
There are about 1.6 million Iowans registered as donors. The IDN recently released their 2025 donation numbers:
• 1,604 donor families served
• 124 organ donors gave the gift of life
• 376 organs transplanted
• 144 organs recovered for research
• 1,308 tissue donors
As of the most recent Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network data, the following organs are what Iowans are waiting on:
• 555 kidneys
• 19 livers
• 4 pancreas
• 25 kidney/pancreas
• 16 hearts
• 7 lungs
Across the United States, there are more than 100,000 people who are waiting for life-saving transplants, with 13 people dying every day as they await a transplant and 5,600 each year. Every eight minutes, another name is added to that list.
Nationwide, there are more than 170 million donors. The following organs are registered as needed across the country:
• 103,454 kidneys
• 8,948 livers
• 828 pancreas
• 4,094 heart
• 966 lung
• 32 heart/lung
• 168 intestines
• 1 VCA - abdominal wall
• 2 VCA - head and neck
• 1 VCA - other genitourinary organ
• 2 VCA - upper limb
• 3 VCA - uterus
Donation
It’s not just at the state or federal level that National Donate Life is recognized or organ donation championed year-round - it is also right here at the Clarke County Treasurer’s Office, where each year they recognize organ donation and its impact, including on one of their own - driver’s license examiner Esmeralda Elizondo.
In August 2017, then-18-year-old Elizondo was visiting her grandmother in Texas. A trip to the eye doctor uncovered retinal bleeding behind Elizondo’s eyes, and a blood pressure check registered it at 260/184. After a trip to the emergency room for bloodwork, Elizondo was found to be in renal failure. She immediately started dialysis, and started hemodialysis treatments when she returned home to New Mexico.
A little over two years later, Elizondo moved to Iowa to be closer to family who could help her as she continued hemodialysis. She eventually changed to peritoneal dialysis, where a catheter is inserted into one’s abdomen to be given dialysis and done at home, and continued her wait for a kidney. Initially, Elizondo’s mother had wanted to be a donor and while she was found to be a match, cysts in her kidney disqualified her. Next, her sister wanted to donate, but was unable to do so as she was pregnant.
A potential donor was found in July 2022; however, after being taken back for surgery it was found the donor’s tissue type was not compatible with Elizondo’s. That September, five years after the start of her journey, Elizondo received a call about another donor and this time it was a perfect match. She received a new kidney on Sept. 4, 2022.
“I would do it all over again. It was worth it, it was worth the wait for sure. I’m very grateful that there’s donors out there, cause you never know,” Elizondo said, sharing with those who are waiting to not give up.
Become a donor
Any resident in Iowa can be an organ donor. To register, Iowans over 18 can visit the Iowa Donor Network at IowaDonorNetwork.org, organize.com for the national registry database or stop by the Clarke County Driver’s License and Vehicle Registration office located in the courthouse.
There are no fees to be an organ donor. There is no age limit, and medical history will not automatically exclude someone from being eligible for organ donation.
A person can also be a living donor by donating part of or a whole organ to someone else. Such donations would be a kidney, lobe of a lung, section of the liver, or portions of the pancreas or intestine. Types of living donation include related, non-related, non-directed and paired exchange.
Other ways to help include donating blood, donating plasma and registering for the bone marrow donation registry.
During April, National Pediatric Transplant Week is recognized April 19-25. A Give Life 5K will be held May 2 at the Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines; find more details at www.iowadonornetwork.org/events.
Just like planting a tree can impact the lives of many, so can giving the gift of organ donation.