Organ Donation in Nebraska

Organ Donation in Nebraska

The organ donor registry in Nebraska is administered by the Nebraska Live On Nebraska organization.

A single organ donor can help as many as 50 people who need organs and tissue. There are over 106,000 people on the organ transplant list, with a new person added to the list every 8 minutes.

Register as an Organ Donor In Nebraska

To register to become a Nebraska organ donor, you must be at least 16 years old. For those who are under 18 years old, your legal parent or guardian will have final say over organ donation.

You can register online, by mail, or in person at your local NE Department of Motor Vehicles office .

NOTES:

  1. You do not need a driver's license, state ID card, or Social Security number to register as an organ donor in Nebraska.
  2. There is never a fee to the organ donor or to the organ donor's estate. All costs associated with organ donation are covered by the state's organ procurement organization.

Online

You register as a donor online through:

  • Donate Life's Nebraska Organ Recovery, to register in Nebraska.
  • ORGANIZE.org, to register in Nebraska AND add your name to a central donor database. Your registration will follow you from state to state.

By Mail

You can also register by mail by completing and sending a paper registration. To obtain your enrollment form, you can contact the donor registry at either (402) 733-1800.

In Person

When you apply for or renew your Nebraska driver's license or state ID card, you can sign up to become an organ and tissue donor.

If you choose to become a donor, a small symbol will be printed on your Nebraska driver's license to inform others of your decision. However, you can change this designation at any time by requesting a replacement driver's license. Whether you register in person or online, your information is automatically entered into the donor registry.

What Happens Afterwards

When you register to become an organ donor, discuss the decision with your family. Inform them about organ donation facts to dispel any misconceptions they might have. If your registration on the donor list cannot be found, they will be asked to make donation decisions in your place.

After a person is declared deceased, a physician will determine suitability for organ donation and the hospital will contact the Nebraska Live On Nebraska to see if the patient is on the organ donor registry. Doctors will likely approach your family for details concerning which organs you have given permission to donate, so make sure to give your family this information so that they aren't left with such a difficult decision during their time of loss.

Update Your NE Organ Donation Status

You can change or update your organ donor profile online at the Nebraska Live On Nebraska website, or through ORGANIZE.org's central database.

How You Can Help With Organ Donation

If you would like to make an impact beyond registering as an organ donor, you can participate in any of the following initiatives for organ donation:

  • Attend an event with Donate Life Nebraska throughout the year to raise awareness and funding for organ donation. You can bring friends or family to these events or volunteer.
  • Volunteer! Offer your support through administrative help in the offices, fundraising, speaking to community groups, and writing articles and letters to the editor.
  • Contribute funds. Nebraska Live On Nebraska accepts monetary donations to support their educational and awareness efforts. Mail checks to:
    • Nebraska Live On Nebraska
    • 3867 Leavenworth St
    • Omaha, NE 68105
  • Buy promotional items to spread awareness and contribute funding.
  • Become a living donor. You do not have to wait until death to become an organ donor. Kidney transplants, liver transplants, and lung transplants can all be performed using living donors because only a single organ or lobe of an organ is used. If you have questions, you can talk to Nebraska Live On Nebraska's living donor advocate.

Organ and Tissue Donation Facts

Did you know that, as an organ donor, you could potentially save countless lives by donating your tissues, lungs, heart, liver, small intestine, pancreas, and kidneys?

Here are some other important facts about organ donation:

  • People of all ages can become organ donors, although there are age cutoffs for certain types of tissue donation procedures. There is no upper age limit for organ donation; suitability for organ donation depends more on general health.
  • While people with HIV or actively-spreading cancer can't become organ and tissue donors, most other medical conditions won't affect the donation process.
  • You can still be an organ and tissue donor and have an open casket funeral. An autopsy can even be performed if necessary.
  • There is no cost associated with becoming an organ and tissue donor, so there's no need to worry about unexpected expenses for your family.
  • Every major religion in the United States supports tissue and organ donations.
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