Donor organs are in demand-there are currently more than 86,000 people on the national organ transplant waiting list. If you are interested in donating an organ, contact the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) at (804) 782-4920 or go online at www.unos.org to get more information and to locate the nearest transplant center.

Many people choose to donate an organ upon their death. But a person can donate an organ (such as a kidney or portion of liver) while they are still living. These people are called "living donors."

Although somewhat controversial, Internet donor-matching services have appeared in recent years to help people in need of an organ transplant contact potential living donors. Some experts believe these services undermine the current system, which is based on donated organs going to people who are most in need and those waiting the longest for a donor. Others believe online donor matching services provide a useful resource for helping people who have had problems finding a donor within the current system. For more information about these services, talk to your doctor.

Two types of surgery are commonly used to remove an organ or a portion of an organ from a living donor.

• Open surgery involves cutting the skin, muscles, and tissues to remove the organ. When open surgery is done, the person may have more pain and a longer recovery time.
• Laparoscopic surgery is a procedure in which a surgeon makes a number of small incisions and uses scopes to remove a kidney from a living donor.

You do not have to be a blood relative (such as a sibling or parent) of a living donor to receive a donor organ. A living donor can be someone who is emotionally related to you such as a close friend or spouse, or the donor can even be a stranger. In order to become a living donor, the person must be in good health, physically fit, free from chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure, free from psychiatric conditions, and between the ages of 18 to 60. Race and gender are not important considerations for becoming a living donor.