Donation FAQs
Unsure about signing up as an organ, eye, and tissue donor?
Click on the question headings below for more information.
Absolutely! Being a registered donor will NOT change how hard a doctor works to save your life.
~ Doctors and medical teams are dedicated to saving lives—yours first and foremost. Organ donation is never considered unless every possible life-saving measure has been exhausted and a patient has been declared deceased. If you want to know more about the donation process, please visit the Cascade Life Alliance website.
~ The treating physician and organ donation team are completely separate, and the physician does not know your donor status upon hospital admission.
~ The donor registry is confidential and is highly regulated by multiple oversight organizations. Organ placement is not handled by the medical team, but rather it is managed by the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) who are the link between donors and recipients.
Many donor families share that knowing their loved one saved and healed lives through donation brings them profound comfort during their time of loss. Their legacy lives on in the people they’ve touched, offering hope and healing to others while helping their own families find meaning in their grief. When families know their loved one’s wishes to be a donor, the decision becomes so much easier, bringing them peace and gratitude in honoring that selfless choice.
Organ, eye, and tissue donation is completely free and your family will not pay for medical costs related to donation. Additionally, your body will be treated with respect and care. Being a donor will not impact funeral arrangements — you can still have an open casket funeral.
ANYONE can register as long as you are older than 13. You can register as a donor regardless of health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, or financial status. Donation eligibility is determined by medical professionals on a case-by-case basis at time of death. In 2026, a 100-year-old World War II veteran became the oldest organ donor in U.S. history. Do not rule yourself out!
All major religions/faiths support organ, eye, and tissue donation as one of the highest forms of love and giving. Read more about your religion’s stance on donation.
In the event your life cannot be saved after an accident, you may have the opportunity of donating your organs, eyes, and tissues. Organ donation has the power of saving up to 8 lives, and eye/tissue donation has the power of restoring vision in 2 people and enhancing over 125 lives. Over 104,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, many of whom will die if they do not receive one. Each day, 16 people die waiting. By registering, you can make an impact and reduce this number. Additionally, being a donor can provide significant comfort to your family and friends going through profound loss, knowing you gave others a second chance at life.
If you registered as a donor at the DMV, you must return to the DMV and answer ‘no’ to the organ donation question to be removed from the registry and to remove the designation from your ID/license. Once you have done that, you are removed from the registry, and you do not need to contact CLA. Your most recent donor registration will supersede any previous designation.
If you have any questions, please email us at CLADonorRegistry@ohsu.edu.