Another person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list every 10 minutes. You may know someone on that list. You may not. But the thousands of people who are waiting are grandparents, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Day after day, they and their loved ones anxiously await good news, a sign that there’s hope for a transplant in the near future.

The situation impacts thousands of people and their loved ones throughout the state and nation, as over 2,500 people in Michigan were waiting for organ or tissue transplants in Michigan as of Tuesday. Nationwide, around 106,000 people were waiting. Of these 106,000, it’s estimated that 20 will die each day as they await a life-saving transplant.

However, there is hope, as Michigan reported a record number of organ donors last year.

The news, announced by Gift of Life Michigan — which is the state’s federally designated organ procurement organization — is something for the state’s residents should take as a point of pride, as these donations were “saving thousands of lives and healing thousands more despite the continuing challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic,” officials said in the announcement.

“This is a testament to the dedication of our hard-working staff, our hospital partners and, of course, our selfless donors and their families – they are the true heroes,” said Dorrie Dils, president and CEO of Gift of Life Michigan, in an announcement. “It is inspiring to see so many people choose this final act of incredible generosity to save and help improve the lives of people they never met.”

In total, 1,089 organs were transplanted from 429 donors, which represents about a 14% increase in donors. Additionally, 1,464 people donated tissue and more than 250,000 names were added to the Organ Donor Registry.

However, there’s still a need for more people to register as organ donors.

“We will work hard, every day, to push for one more: one more person registered, one more life saved, one more donor honored,” Dils said. “Our ultimate goal is that no one will die while waiting for a life-saving transplant. With our dedicated staff, hospital and transplant center partners, the support of the community and, most of all, the incredible generosity of our donors and their families, I know we will get there.”

We hope that one day, the goals outlined by Dils will be met. No one should die while waiting for a life-saving transplant. We can all make a difference in this world by registering as an organ donor and giving the gift of life. We urge any one who is able to register as an organ donor to consider doing so, as the decision to donate can make the difference between life and death for those who are waiting for a transplant.

To sign up as a donor, or learn more, visit www.golm.org or call 866-500-5801.