HonorBridge Reflects on a Historic 2024

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., January 30, 2025 (Newswire.com) - HonorBridge, North Carolina's organ donation and tissue recovery organization, is proud to announce an extraordinary 2024, marked as the second-best year in the organization's history for saving and healing lives through organ and tissue donation. Notably, 2024 was the best year ever for the HonorBridge tissue team, achieving record-breaking success in tissue recovery and donation.

In 2024, HonorBridge:

Recovered 1,204 organs, enabling the transplantation of 890 organs and saving 815 lives.

Recovered 262 organs for research, advancing transplantation science and innovation.

Achieved a historic milestone with the recovery of 2,818 tissues, a 12% increase over 2023, from 1,372 tissue donors, representing a 29% increase and setting a new record over their best year yet.

"These incredible achievements are a testament to the dedication of our team, the generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families, and the unwavering support of our partners," said HonorBridge President & CEO Danielle Bumarch. "This year stands as our second-best year ever overall, and I am especially proud of our tissue team for reaching new heights in 2024."

Tissues that are most commonly donated include skin, bone, corneas, heart valves, and veins. These gifts are used to treat survivors of burns, to heal diseases such as cancer or heart disease, restore sight, or help people with athletic injuries heal.

A Year of Meaningful Milestones

In 2024, the United States set new records with nearly 17,000 deceased organ donors, more than 45,000 donor organs transplanted, and over 39,000 lives saved. HonorBridge's contributions were instrumental in these historic achievements, reflecting the organization's unwavering commitment to saving and healing lives. Other meaningful achievements in 2024 include: The organization's new Donor Care Unit (DCU) became fully operational on January 1, with the first successful donor transfer completed. By the end of the year, the DCU facilitated 29 cases, resulting in the transplantation of 92 organs and the donation of 20 organs for research, exemplifying HonorBridge's commitment to innovation and efficiency.

HonorBridge was recognized as the Best Employer in North Carolina for the fourth consecutive year.

HonorBridge partnered with Paragonix to announce the successful transplantation of a donor liver to Tampa General Hospital using Paragonix's state-of-the-art LIVERguard® technology.

The organization hosted two landmark events-the Pediatric Summit and the Transplant Growth Collaboration-bringing together leaders in transplantation and organ donation to exchange insights, build partnerships, and drive innovation in the field.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As HonorBridge celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, the organization is focused on honoring its history while building a brighter future for organ and tissue donation.

"This milestone is an opportunity to reflect on four decades of saving lives, celebrate the present, and recommit to the future," said Bumarch. "Together, we can continue to honor donors and inspire others to give the gift of life."

HonorBridge invites everyone to join its lifesaving mission by registering as organ, eye, and tissue donors. Visit www.honorbridge.org/registerme to learn more and make a lasting impact.

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About HonorBridge:

HonorBridge is a federally designated, not-for-profit organ donation and tissue recovery organization serving 7.5 million people in 77 counties in North Carolina, along with Pittsylvania County in Virginia. With offices in Chapel Hill, Greenville, and Winston-Salem, HonorBridge is devoted to building connections that save and heal lives through organ and tissue donation. In North Carolina, almost 3,000 people are currently waiting for organ transplants and nationally, over 100,000 people are on the organ waiting list. For more information, visit HonorBridge.org or call 1-800-200-2672.

Contact Information

Source: HonorBridge