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November 05, 2021 in Industry & Innovation, News, Our Experts

LifeSource Honors Wishes of 10,000th Tissue Donor Since 1999

After over 20 years of excellence in tissue recovery, LifeSource has reached the incredible milestone of serving 10,000 tissue donors and their families.

women in surgical clothing looking over something on table

The use of donated tissue in medical procedures and surgeries is critical to their success. Tissue transplants help millions of people each year with everything from reconstructive surgery to treating burns. The ability to heal so many lives in so many ways is just one of reasons LifeSource is proud to have served 10,000 tissue donors since our program began in 1999. It has been our honor to fulfill the wishes of these 10,000 heroes and their families, who said “Yes” to helping others through donation.

LifeSource Tissue Program History

  • 1989 – Since our inception, LifeSource recovers hearts for life saving valve transplants benefiting both children and adults.
  • 1999 – Our tissue program begins with a few per diem employees recovering tissue. LifeSource recovers tissues from 28 people who said “yes” to donation and to saving lives. 
  • 2002 – Full time Tissue Recovery Specialists join the LifeSource team to meet the demand for tissue recovery. 
  • 2004 – The American Red Cross ends their tissue recovery program, focusing on blood donation and disaster relief programs. LifeSource sees an increase in tissue donation cases with 86 recoveries that year. 
  • 2008 – LifeSource’s Donor Services Center opens. This streamlines referral review, verification of Donor Designation, and communication with Hospitals, Funeral Homes and Medical Examiners.  
  • 2015 – LifeSource moves its headquarters to Minneapolis, MN. With the new building’s surgical space, it is no longer necessary to use hospital operating rooms for tissue recovery.  
  • 2021 – In November, LifeSource reaches the incredible milestone of honoring the wishes of 10,000 tissue donors since our tissue donation program began.

Healing Lives

The skills and coordination required by our clinical team and Tissue Recovery Specialists to make donation happen is critical to saving and healing lives. Only when we’ve done our work perfectly, can the gifts of tissue donors go onto heal others. We even coordinate with Funeral Directors to ensure that donors can have an open casket funeral for loved ones to say goodbye.

Saying “Yes” to Tissue Donation

For one person to become a tissue donor, many people have to say “yes” to donation. First, a person must decide during their lifetime to register as a donor and say “yes” to helping others after their death. After they pass away, their family must say yes to honoring that decision and fulfilling their loved one’s legacy. Hospital teams say “yes” to continuing their patient’s story through the LifeSource team.

Completing the life-saving legacy of 10,000 tissue donors is only possible when people say “yes” to helping others and saving lives. It is with humility and gratitude that we’ve achieved this incredible milestone with the 10,000 heroes who said “yes.”

Make the best part of your job saving lives.

Join LifeSource’s passionate team and work in an organization that saves and heals lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. Explore our job opportunities today!