MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin health officials are sounding the alarm as the number of registered organ donors continues to decline — even as the need for lifesaving transplants rises.
At Versiti, one of the state’s main organ and tissue donation centers, staff say they’ve seen a troubling drop in people choosing to stay on the donor registry.
TMJ4's Andrea Williams stopped by Versiti's Blood Center of Wisconsin to learn more.
A Long Wait for Hope
For people like Kelly Norlander, the decline hits close to home. She’s a mother of a 12-year-old daughter and has been waiting more than a year and a half for a kidney transplant after being diagnosed with a genetic condition.
“The wait’s already long, right?” Norlander said. “It’s anywhere from five to 10 years — so we’re looking at potentially waiting even longer. And your body can only go on dialysis for so long.”
Six months ago, both of Norlander’s kidneys were removed. She now undergoes dialysis three times a week to stay alive.
“It does wear on your emotions and your mental health,” she said, “on top of your physical.”
Watch: Organ donor registrations drop sharply as need for transplants grows
A Troubling Trend
According to Versiti, 878 Wisconsinites removed themselves from the organ donor registry in August alone — nearly triple the number who did so during the same period last year.
Versiti’s organ donation team works closely with hospitals and communities to encourage donation, but leaders say the drop isn’t limited to Wisconsin. It’s part of a nationwide trend.
“The reasons why people remove themselves from the registry in Wisconsin — the reason they give is personal misgivings about medical care,” said Colleen McCarthy, Vice President of Organ and Tissue Donation at Versiti. “That tells us there’s a lack of trust. And that’s where we need to make sure we’re getting accurate information out there.”
Rebuilding Trust in Donation
Experts stress that the donation process is safe, ethical, and tightly regulated.
“There are so many safeguards within the donation process,” McCarthy said. “The organ donation team and the hospitals have clear roles that separate each other’s responsibilities.”
More than 1,400 Wisconsinites are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant — and one donor can help up to eight people.
At Versiti, staff hope sharing stories like Norlander’s can help rebuild trust and remind people of the real lives behind the statistics.
“Every story, every success story is one step closer,” Norlander said.
A powerful reminder that every organ donation truly is a gift of life.
To learn more about becoming a tissue and organ donor, visit the Versiti website.
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