Thank you to donors who healed lives and residents who registered on their tax forms
Gift of Life Michigan hit more milestones in 2024. The state’s organ and tissue donation program helped a record 1,960 donors give the gift of tissue last year, healing tens of thousands of patients. Last year’s number represents a 5% increase over the previous record of 1,858 set in 2023.
Gift of Life also helped 533 people give organs last year. It was the second-highest in the organization’s history, following the record of 578 set in 2023. Organ donors gave 1,119 organs for transplant, saving hundreds of lives.
Michigan Organ Donor Registry
The Michigan Organ Donor Registry grew significantly last year, with 206,456 residents documenting their decisions to become donors. This expansion is partly attributed to the 2023 Check Your Heart Act, which allowed residents to join the Donor Registry when filing their state income taxes.
This initiative provided residents with a new, convenient opportunity to join the Donor Registry, resulting in more than 14,000 Michiganders adding their names.
It marked a major step in reaching a broader audience and making it easier to sign up. The Check Your Heart Act demonstrates how simple policy changes can lead to meaningful public health improvements.
Clinical successes
Gift of Life engaged in several initiatives to advance organ and tissue donation last year.
Among its greatest successes: In collaboration with Ossium Health, Gift of Life facilitated the world’s first successful bone marrow transplant using marrow from a deceased donor. This groundbreaking procedure involved a Michigan donor and provided life-saving treatment to a 68-year-old woman who was battling leukemia.
Education and outreach
Gift of Life expanded its All of Us high school education program, reaching over 37,000 students across 509 schools. This initiative aims to teach and inspire the next generation about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Nationwide trends
In 2024, the United States experienced a notable increase in organ transplants, surpassing 45,000 for the first time — a 3.7% rise from 2023.
It was made possible by the generosity of nearly 17,000 deceased donors and just over 7,000 living donors.
Despite advancements, challenges persist. More than 100,000 patients are still waiting nationwide, and there are ongoing efforts to address challenges within the organ donation and transplantation system.
National leadership
President and CEO Dorrie Dils was appointed president of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), positioning Gift of Life at the forefront of national discussions on organ procurement and transplantation. Her term ends in June, at which time she will become immediate past president and will continue her work helping to improve donation and transplantation across the United States.
