Extraordinary Altruism by New York Metro Communities Increased Organ Donation by 70%, Saving Thousands of Lives Says LiveOnNY

Compassionate New Yorkers, families, friends, neighbors, hospital workers, and local officials working together saved thousands of lives through organ donation.

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LiveOnNY, the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving the New York Metro region, announces the achievement of unprecedented giving milestones in organ donation, increasing organ donation by ~70% in the last three years.

Once regarded as one of the lowest-performing OPOs in the nation, LiveOnNY has transformed into one of our nation's leaders in organ donation – a success attributed to the grace of the New York Metro community and the new leadership team brought in by the Board of Directors.  Leadership developed and executed a 3-year strategic plan that resulted in LiveOnNY receiving reports from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that, within just 12 months (2022), LiveOnNY had transformed from one of the lowest- to one of the highest-performing OPOs in the nation.

This strategic plan prioritized education, community engagement, and partnering with elected local officials and community leaders while amplifying the altruism of New York's organ donor heroes, whose generosity has saved countless lives across the United States.

"The founders of the National Organ Transplant Act and the New York Anatomical Gift Act had it right from day one, but the industry seems to have strayed far from the original intent of what Organ Procurement Organizations were charged to do—which is to honor the autonomy, rights and wishes of an individual who chooses to become an organ donor and recognize that becoming a registered donor is a testamentary gift to be upheld by all," said Leonard Achan, RN, MA, ANP, President and CEO of LiveOnNY. "These organ donation milestones reflect our unwavering dedication to relentlessly serving the rights of all persons in our community against all odds and respecting their autonomy – their basic human right—one that is also in New York's Patient Bill of Rights—to have their wishes honored in saving lives through the testamentary gift of organ donation and leaving a hero's legacy."

The key to LiveOnNY's success is the community-driven strategic plan. LiveOnNY engaged directly with elected and appointed officials, community leaders, donor hospitals, and donor families to educate and highlight the legal and compassionate framework that supports every individual's right to make a gift of life upon their death.  "It's hard to believe that anyone would be against any one person from making this choice, but the challengers are many," added Achan.

By the end of 2024, LiveOnNY became number one in the nation, honoring black organ donor heroes. LiveOnNY is also a leader in honoring organs collectively from Black, Hispanic, and Asian donors, with an impact of nearly 60% of those life-saving gifts for those in the same ethnic group as the donor.

With a steadfast commitment to autonomy and equitability in the organ donation and transplantation ecosystem, LiveOnNY ensures that its leadership, board, and staff reflect the diverse communities it serves.  By hiring and working with best-in-class businesspeople, clinicians, and technicians, the organization has fostered a culture of evidence, excellence, commitment, and resilience, earning recognition as one of Crain's ''Best Places to Work" from 2022 to 2024 and the nod to saving lives through organ donation from the New York communities.

"LiveOnNY's journey over the past three years has been nothing short of transformational. The Board is immensely proud of the organization's record-breaking accomplishments and unwavering commitment to its mission. We look forward to continuing this momentum and saving even more lives in the coming years. We are all LiveOnNY," said Ruth C. Browne, Chairperson of the LiveOnNY Board of Directors.

ABOUT LIVEONNY

LiveOnNY is a nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving lives, providing comfort, and strengthening legacies through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The OPO, which was established in 1978, serves a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 13 million residents in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Rockland. Working closely with donor hospital and transplant centers, LiveOnNY coordinates organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplant, educates the public and healthcare professionals about donation, and promotes the importance of signing up on the National or New York State Donate Life Registry. LiveOnNY is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S. For more information, please visit LiveOnNY.org.

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SOURCE LiveOnNY