LOS ANGELES, CA, February 7, 2006 – OneLegacy, the non-profit, federally designated organ procurement organization for seven counties in Southern California, announced today its sixth record-breaking year and a national record in saving lives through organ donation and transplantation.

Working in concert with more than 200 hospital partners, OneLegacy recorded all-time highs of 373 organ donors and 1,223 recovered organs transplanted. The 1,223 organs transplanted in 2005—a national record for any single organ procurement organization (OPO)—represents a 10% increase over the previous year and a jump of 34% since 2000.

OneLegacy’s success has continued into 2006, with the organization recording a monthly high of 42 organ donors and 62 tissue donors. OneLegacy recovers donated tissue throughout its seven-county service area as an FDA-certified tissue bank. A single tissue donor can give corneas, bone and skin that can enhance the lives of up to 50 people.

“Thanks to our dedicated professional staff, support of our collaborative hospitals and, above all else, the generosity of the families we serve, OneLegacy continues to build on our track record of fulfilling our mission at record levels," said OneLegacy chief executive officer Tom Mone. “The growth in organ and tissue donation translates directly into lives saved and enhanced in our seven-county area. We attribute this growth to the combined impact of national, state and local initiatives. Media stories on donation also contribute significantly to rising awareness about the importance of donation and encourage families to reach these life-saving decisions."

A major contributor to OneLegacy’s record numbers has been the Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative, a nationwide initiative launched in 2003 to save and enhance thousands of lives a year by spreading known best practices to the nation's largest hospitals and to achieve organ donation rates of 75% or higher in these hospitals.

Another key contributor has been rising consent rates, which have increased from 49% to 55.5%. Consent rates calculate the number of families who agree to donation at the time they are approached. A related performance measure is the conversion rate, which gauges how many eligible referrals (based on medical suitability) result in actual donors; some consented cases result in organs not being recovered, mainly as a result of disqualifying medical conditions. The conversion rate has exceeded the consent rate’s steady climb, going from 47% in 2000 to 57%—or a 21% increase.

Operationally, a key focus continues to be the optimal medical management of donors. Last year, nearly 3.3 lives were saved by every donor. “When a family says yes to donation, we owe it to them to make sure their loved one saves as many lives as possible," said Renee Hawthorne, chief operating officer for OneLegacy. “From responding to referrals on a timely basis to ensuring the organ function of each organ is maintained and improved prior to transplant and by placing the organs with the appropriate recipient quickly, our donation coordinators and support teams are key to maximizing the generous gift of every donation."

As a result of the outstanding performance of OneLegacy and California’s three other OPOs, the number of patients listed in California for extra-renal organs actually stabilized for the first time in 2005. The number of kidney transplant candidates continues to climb, however, and now number more than 14,000 in the state and 64,000 nationwide.

“While we are seeing real progress toward meeting the demand, the reality is that the availability of donated organs is not keeping pace with the waiting list," said Mone. “We will continue to seek out every possible opportunity to make an impact, from collaborating with hospitals to training staff, applying the latest technology and inspiring the community to donate life. We will continue to expand our reach to ensure that donor families and transplant recipients alike—not to mention their families and communities—benefit from the gift of organ donation and transplantation."

Since 1977, OneLegacy has served as the bridge between donors and patients awaiting life-saving transplants. OneLegacy serves 18 million residents in the seven-county greater Los Angeles area. OneLegacy is the primary source of information regarding organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Southern California.