RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN ORGAN DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION
LifeGift and 34 Lives Celebrate Milestone Donor Kidney Rescue
Through collaboration with LifeGift and the transplant team at Duke University Hospital, this landmark transplant exemplifies the power of mission- driven partnerships in advancing kidney transplantation.
34 Lives, a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to rescuing donor kidneys that might otherwise go unused, achieved a major milestone with its 34th successful kidney rescue and transplant on November 23, 2024. This accomplishment highlights the organization’s mission to reduce the number of viable kidneys—more than 8,000 in 2023—that go untransplanted despite a waiting list of nearly 100,000
A major boost to 34 Lives’ mission came in October 2024 with a $44 million ARPA-H Award for the “No Kidney Left Behind” project. This initiative aims to rehabilitate nearly 50% of discarded kidneys using advanced technologies such as normothermic machine perfusion, AI prediction tools and biomarker assessments. Operating from a hub in Indiana, the project could eventually expand to preserve other organs, including lungs and livers. LifeGift’s role as a designated partner reinforces its commitment to innovative solutions that increase organ availability and save lives. To read the press release, please click here.
patients. The number 34 holds special significance, symbolizing the daily loss of patients removed from the waitlist due to death or illness.
What problem are we solving?
In 2022, approximately 115,000 patients in the U.S. were awaiting organ transplants. Of these, 96,000 were waiting for a kidney. The average wait time for a kidney is 6 years, and during this time most patients will be on dialysis.
In 2022, over 7,800 kidneys were recovered with the intent to be transplanted but were unused.
In 2021, only 18,699 patients (18%) received kidney transplants while 13,292, approximately 34 per day, either died or became too sick to remain on the wait list. Source: 34Lives
LifeGift: A Year in Review | 5
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