For the ninth consecutive year, organ donations in Indiana have reached a record high, with more than 1,388 donated organs saving 1,216 lives.
Indiana Donor Network is the federally designated organ recovery organization that coordinates organ, tissue and cornea donations in Indiana. In the 38-year history of the organization, 2024’s milestone is a new high and represents a 22.4% increase in annual transplants from 2023.
“As we look ahead to 2025, we are setting even higher goals, knowing that we have not yet reached the full extent of the impact we can make,” said Kellie Tremain, president and CEO of Indiana Donor Network. “We will continue to push boundaries and find new ways to save and heal more lives than ever before.”
In 2024, nearly 1,600 cornea and tissue donors resulted in over 17,000 tissues recovered by the organization to help heal and restore sight, a 14.3% increase from 2023.
Other major milestones for the organization include:
- Provided programs, grief and counseling services and support to 2,815 family members of organ and tissue donors.
- Signed up more than 1.1 million Indiana residents to be organ and tissue donors.
- Managed 375 advocates who volunteered more than 17,000 hours.
- Led 1,300 school and community presentations, reaching more than 318,000 Hoosiers throughout the state.
- Generated more than $210,000 in net proceeds from four fundraising events to support Indiana Donor Network Foundation.
- Grew staff to 359 employees statewide, creating its largest staff since the organization was founded in 1987.
“We achieve our mission through the generosity of donor heroes and their families who say ‘yes’ to lifesaving donation,” Tremain said. “We also broadened our donation eligibility requirements, which allows more Hoosiers to be lifesaving organ donors.”
More than 103,000 Americans are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, including more than 1,300 Hoosiers. One organ donor can save eight lives, one tissue donor can heal more than 75 people and one cornea donor can restore sight to two people.
Anyone can sign up to be an organ donor despite age or medical history. For more information about Indiana Donor Network, visit indianadonornetwork.org.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
