Tissue Donation
Lifesharing Tissue Services provides the opportunity to improve and extend lives through the procurement, processing, storage and distribution of human tissue for transplantation and research. Originally established in 1984 to support the Burn Center at UCSD Medical Center, Lifesharing Tissue Services is a non-profit organization serving San Diego and Imperial counties in Southern California.
The majority of tissues recovered by Lifesharing Tissue Services stay in this region to enable physicians to provide the best possible care for critically ill patients. Tissue grafting not only reduces pain and speeds recovery, but it also improves a patient’s quality of life.
Fully accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Lifesharing Tissue Services works to ensure the highest quality of tissue and technical service.
The Impact of Tissue Donation
A single tissue donor conservatively can save and enhance up to 50 lives.
Who can be a tissue donor?
All candidates for skin and bone grafts must be free from infectious and degenerative diseases. Not everyone can be a skin and bone donor. History and medical condition at the time of death determines whether or not one can donate. Fortunately, however, approximately 85 percent of people can be a tissue donor. No age limit.
Benefits of Tissue Donation
Tissue grafting not only reduces pain and speeds recovery, but it also improves a patient’s quality of life.
Bone
- Restores mobility
- Promotes healing
- Reduces pain
- Helps repair bone and prevent amputation
Skin
- Promotes healing
- Prevents infections for burn victims
Cornea
- Restores sight
- Used for surgical repair of the cornea
Heart Valves
- Replaces defective valves
- Improves heart function
Veins
- Restores blood flow
- Prevents amputation
- Used during bypass surgery
Tendons
- Replaces damaged ligaments
- Restores joints and cartilage surfaces
Register to be an Organ and Tissue Donor Today!
