Earlier this month, we observed World Religion Day, which is a day dedicated to highlighting commonalities among different religions. For those who are religious, understanding how their faith supports organ, eye, and tissue donation can be key to saying “yes” to saving lives. Religious perspectives are often a common concern when people consider donation and transplantation, and learning that many faiths endorse donation can help guide the decision to become a donor after death.
All Major Religions Support Donation
Did you know all major religions in the U.S. support organ, eye and tissue donation? Organ, eye, and tissue donation saves lives and offers hope to those in need. Many religions and spiritual traditions recognize donation, both after death and while living, as an act of kindness, charity, and love. Some consider it the highest expression of compassion for others. Some view donation as the utmost act of love and compassion one can have for their neighbor. Each year, generous organ, eye, and tissue donors save and heal thousands of lives.
Why the Faithful Should Consider Being Organ, Eye and Tissue donors?
Here in our community, there’s nearly 1,300 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, many of whom self-identify as people of faith. Learning about your faith’s stance on donation can guide your decision. If you sign up as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, you can bring hope to those waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Organ donation is the greatest act of charity you can perform. Knowing the facts about donation helps you make an informed decision, rather than letting myths or unknowns influence your decision.
Become Familiar with Your Faith’s Stance on Donation
If you’re hesitant about registering, consider talking with your faith leaders to learn how organ, eye, and tissue donation is viewed in your religion. Discussing your questions can help you understand your faith’s traditions, ceremonies, and how they align with donation. Being informed can give you confidence and peace of mind when deciding to become a donor.
What About Respecting and Caring for the Deceased?
Traditional funeral and burial services are important to all faith communities. Deceased organ donors are always treated with the utmost respect and dignity throughout the entire donation process. If your loved one’s organs are eligible to be donated, a team of specialist surgeons show respect during the recovery process by caring for the donor in a way that still allows a traditional open casket funeral.
Leave a Legacy of Love
Donor Alliance Advocate Volunteer and liver recipient, Phil Workman, spoke about the impact his life-saving transplant, and how that journey ties into his Catholic faith. “For Catholics, there’s no greater gift than sharing your life with another. Organ donation is putting faith into action,” Phil reflected.
While Phil’s experience reflects his Catholic beliefs, the need for donation affects people from all backgrounds and faiths. You have the ability to leave a legacy of love through organ, eye, and tissue donation by saving and healing lives in your community.
We encourage you to learn more about your faith’s stance on organ donation and consider signing up as a donor. You can sign up anytime online at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming. Once you’ve registered, share your decision with your loved ones and others in your faith community.
April is National Donate Life Month, a national observance highlighting the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation. Flag-raising ceremonies bring awareness of what it means to be an organ donor and highlights the partnership between Donor Alliance and UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central. The time of this flag-raising will be updated.
On National Donor Day, stop by Torpedo Coffee and show the heart on your license, indicating that you’re a registered organ, eye and tissue donor, to receive a free beverage! This will only apply for the first 50 customers. Stop by our table to celebrate the gift of life, honor donors, and learn more about the impact of organ, eye and tissue donation.
DENVER – Jan. 26, 2026 – Despite unprecedented shifts in the nationwide landscape for organ donation and transplantation, Donor Alliance has once again reached new milestones in its mission to save and heal lives in Colorado and Wyoming. In 2025, the selfless generosity of a record 314 organ donors from the region led to 1,036 lifesaving organ transplants, marking a 9.4% increase over the previous year and saving the most lives in a single year in the organization’s history.
“In 2025, there has been increased national attention on organ donation and transplantation, particularly around the need for transparency, safety, and standardized practices. As an organization, we have welcomed and embraced these important discussions, turning them into opportunities to demonstrate our organizational commitment to performance excellence and our effectiveness in serving the Rocky Mountain region,” said Jennifer Prinz, President and CEO of Donor Alliance. “Achieving record-breaking results during this period of change reflects the generosity of our donor families and the unwavering dedication of our team and partners. Behind every statistic is a life saved, a donor legacy honored, and hope restored to families in our community.”
In addition to the lives saved through organ donation, Donor Alliance honored the lives of 1,880 tissue donors by recovering lifesaving and healing tissues, which provided more than 140,000 tissue grafts for those in need. These gifts provide hope and healing to tens of thousands of people suffering from trauma, disease, or blindness. The organization’s partnership with Ossium Health also allowed Donor Alliance to recover bone marrow from deceased donors, expanding access to this critical form of treatment for blood cancers and other diseases in ways previously thought impossible.
In 2025, the generosity of residents in Colorado and Wyoming also continued to lead the country. Both states ranked among the top ten nationally for Donor Designation Rates (DDR), or the percentage of residents who register as organ, eye and tissue donors. This generosity translates directly to lives saved. Today, more than 1,300 people across Colorado and Wyoming continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant. Every person who chooses to save a life by joining the donor registry brings us closer to eliminating the waitlist.
One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal more than 75 lives through tissue donation. For more information or to register as an organ and tissue donor, please visit DonorAlliance.org.
Micah was born in 2002 with cerebral palsy and faced many medical challenges from the start. Despite this, he lived a joyful and full life. “He was a great force; he was integrated into a typical classroom. He spread joy with children that he came in contact with. Everything he did, he just loved life,” Cindy Coker, Micah’s mother, remembers. Micah loved being around people, laughing, music, school, and just being included. Micah and his family spent his life advocating for families who have loved ones with special needs and helping other kids get the care they needed. He showed everyone around him what it means to care for others.
When Micah passed suddenly, Cindy and her family faced unimaginable grief. They chose to pursue organ donation, finding comfort in knowing his generosity could give other families more time with their loved ones. Cindy remembers the support of the donation team, who guided them through the process with care and understanding. “It meant a lifetime of reflection, therapy and comfort that we did the right thing,” Cindy reflected.
Micah’s memory is honored through the annual Micah Memorial 3-Man 3-Gun Match, which raises funds for Donor Alliance. Cindy’s hope is that families are inspired to consider organ donation, knowing the lifesaving and healing difference it can make. “There are hundreds of thousands of people out there that are requiring donation,” Cindy said. “Absolutely 100% check the box, you’ll be saving countless lives by checking a box and getting that heart on your driver license.”
