This year there are over 15,000 Americans on the waiting list for a lifesaving liver transplant. Unfortunately, only about 6,500 livers will be donated for transplant. As a result, more than 1,500 people will die waiting for a liver.
Even worse, where we live can dramatically influence the chance of receiving a lifesaving organ. With the same degree of illness, the chance of receiving a transplant within 90 days can vary from as high as 86 percent in some regions to as low as 18 percent in other regions, according to recent research published in the American Journal of Transplantation. In simple terms, where you live can literally determine whether you live or die if you’re waiting for a transplant.
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