Over 7.4 million Illinois residents are registered as Organ & Tissue donors. Are you one of them?

The Office of the Kendall County Coroner has partnered with the Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network and Eversight to ensure that we can give every potential donor the best chance of successfully donating organs and tissues in accordance with their wishes. Below you will find tips on how to make your donation wishes known today, as well as some frequently asked questions regarding donation.

One of the hardest, and most time-sensitive, conversations to have after a death is the discussion about organ and tissue donation. Many times, families are left wondering about their loved one’s wishes in regards to donation. There are a couple of easy ways that you can make your wishes known ahead of time:

• Register as an Organ & Tissue Donor. One of the simplest ways to make your wishes known is to register as a donor. The Illinois Anatomical Gift Act protects the rights of eligible persons to make a biological gift, while living, to be enacted upon their death regardless of objections posed by others. This is known as First-Person Authorization or Consent.
  • If you have an Illinois State ID or Driver’s License, you can join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry by filling out the form found on the Secretary of State's website, by calling 1-800-210-2106 or by visiting your nearest Secretary of State Facility.
  • If you do not have an Illinois State ID or Driver’s License (or you live outside of Illinois), you can register as donor by filling out the form found on the Donate Life website.
  • Not sure if you are registered as a donor? Check your State ID or Driver’s License for a red State of Illinois silhouette containing the word “DONOR” near the bottom right of your ID Card.
  • You can revoke your authorization/consent at any time by calling 1-800-210-2106 (for Illinois Registry participants) or by visiting RegisterMe.org and modifying your registration (For non-Illinois Registry Participants)
• Talk to those closest to you. If you have specific wishes as to the scope of your biological gift, make it known. Have an open and honest conversation with your immediate family on what you want, and don’t want, to be donated after your death.
  • Please know that First-Person Authorization/Consent (enrollment in a donation registry) is legally binding and allows for all eligible organs and tissue to be transplanted. If you want specific restrictions or stipulations regarding your donation, the registry may not be the most appropriate option.
  • If you are not enrolled in an Organ & Tissue Donation Registry and are determined to be a potential donor, your next-of-kin or legally authorized representative (spouse, relative, etc.) will be offered the opportunity to authorize the donation. This is why it is important to talk about donation ahead of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many lives can one donor save?
  • An organ donor can save up to 8 different lives, and a tissue donor can enhance up to 75 lives!
• What can be donated?
  • Organs:  Liver, heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, and small intestine.
  • Tissues: Corneas, tendons, valves, veins, skin, and bones.
• What is the difference between Organ and Tissue donation?
  • Organ donation can occur when an eligible individual dies in a medical facility with supportive care in place. This supportive care is continued until the organ procurement organization (OPO) can arrive at the facility and recover the organs for transplant. These donations are typically considered ‘life-saving’.
  • Tissue donation can occur an eligible individual dies and recovery is able take place within 24 hours. This type of donation does not require that the individual be in a medical facility with supportive care, only that various criteria are met regarding time and condition. In most cases, the individual will be transported to the organ procurement organization (OPO) where the recovery will occur. These donations are typically considered ‘life-enhancing’, but are still extremely important to the lives they benefit.
• How soon must organs and tissues be donated?
  • Organs must be recovered as soon as possible after death to maintain the viability of the organs. Tissue must be recovered within 24 hours after death.
• Will my family be charged for the donation process?
  • A donor family is never charged for a donor retrieval, nor do they receive compensation. All costs are covered by the organ procurement organization (OPO).
• Will being an Organ & Tissue donor affect the medical care that I receive?
  • No. Every effort is made to save your live. Donation is only considered after brain death has been declared and all efforts to save your life have failed.
• Does my religion support Organ & Tissue donation?
  • Almost all major eastern and western religions support, and even encourage, tissue donation. For more information on individual religious views, you can visit https://www.donatelife.net/organ-donation-and-religion/.
• Does donation interfere with funeral arrangements?
  • No. Care is taken throughout the donation process to ensure that it does not interfere with customary funeral arrangements. Open-casket visitation, burial, and cremation can all occur after donation.
• What is the process for Organ & Tissue donation in Kendall County?
  •  All deaths investigated by the Coroner's Office are automatically referred to Gift of Hope and Eversight for determination of donor eligibility.  If an individual is determined to be a potential donor, a representative from Gift of Hope will contact the family directly by telephone. For more information, you can visit our Donor Referrals Information page.