Colorado’s Organ Donation Story: Told by the People Living It

Colorado consistently ranks among the top states in the nation for organ, eye and tissue donation registration, with roughly 69% of Coloradans registered as donors. That achievement, and the people behind it, is the focus of a feature story in 5280 Magazine’s August/September 2026 issue, which highlights Donor Alliance staff, volunteers, and the donors and families they support.

Inside the article

The article follows several stories of donation in Colorado. It introduces living donors who gave a kidney or part of their liver to a stranger, including a Colorado Springs runner who completed the Boston Marathon just 32 days after donating a kidney. It goes inside the Donor Alliance Quilt Project, where volunteer quilters stitch blankets, nearly 350 last year alone, that are given to donor families and draped over donors during hospital honor walks. And it follows Donor Alliance’s family coordinators, who support families making end of life and donation decisions in hospitals, often during the hardest moments of their lives. The story also looks ahead, covering a CU Anschutz led research effort working toward the first functional whole eye transplant.

The people behind the mission

The feature includes an interview with Donor Alliance leadership and staff, including former President and CEO Jennifer Prinz, along with donor and family coordinators who work directly with Colorado families in hospitals during and after the donation process.

Why this work matters

Nationally, most kidneys and livers transplanted come from living donors, but nondirected donation, giving to a stranger with no designated recipient, remains rare. Colorado’s strong donor registration culture, paired with programs like kidney voucher donation, where a friend or family member gets priority on the waitlist after you donate to someone else, can all help the more than 1,300 Coloradans currently waiting for a transplant get closer to a match.

The story also pushes back on myths. Donors do not have to be young. Colorado’s oldest deceased donor was 105. Living donors do not pay medical costs, since Colorado law ensures they never receive a bill and the recipient’s insurance covers it. Most transplanted organs eventually need to be replaced, with kidneys lasting anywhere from 8 to 20 years. The complete feature, including full interviews with donors, quilters, family coordinators, and CU Anschutz researchers, is available online.

Quick questions about organ donation in Colorado

How many Coloradans are registered organ donors?

About 4.1 million people, roughly 69% of the state, are registered as organ donors.

Does age disqualify someone from donating?

No. Colorado’s oldest deceased donor was 105 years old.

Do living donors have to pay for their surgery?

No. The recipient’s insurance covers all costs, and Colorado law protects donors from related medical bills.

What is a kidney voucher? It is a program that lets someone donate a kidney to a stranger now, so that a friend or family member who needs a kidney later gets priority on the transplant waitlist.

How long do transplanted organs typically last?

It varies by organ. Transplanted kidneys can last 8 to 20 years, and organs from living donors generally last longer than those from deceased donors.