Caitlin, Liver Recipient
The family keeps a picture of Jeff [Caitlin’s donor] in Caitlin’s room, along with a candle in the window. When asked, Caitlin simply says, “This is Jeff. He saved my life.”
Organ donation involving children is a difficult subject. The loss of a child or infant is tragic. For families, the option to donate organs, eyes, and tissues can make an already painful time even more difficult.
Here are key facts about organ donation for infants, children, and teens.
FACT
Right now, more than 2,200 children under age 18 are on the national transplant waiting list.
FACT
More than 1,800 children received transplants in 2025.
FACT
In 2025:
- More than 770 children became organ donors. Donors ranged from newborns to age 17. Most were ages 11 to 17.
- More than 130 donors were infants under 12 months old.
FACT
Body and organ size are important when matching donors and recipients. That's why very small children often receive organs from other children. However, older children and adults can also be matches. In some cases, children receive part of an organ, such as a piece of a liver or lung.
FACT
The organs children need most vary by age:
- Under age 1: Most are waiting for a heart or liver
- Ages 1 to 10: Most are waiting for a kidney or heart, followed by a liver
- Ages 11 to 17: Most are waiting for a kidney, followed by a liver or heart
FACT
For organ donors under age 18:
- A parent or legal guardian must give permission for donation.
- In most states, parents or guardians make the donation decision if a child dies before age 18.
- Many states allow teens to sign up as organ, eye, and tissue donors when they get a learner's permit or driver's license.
For more information about organ donation, transplants, the waiting list, and wait times, view current data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
You have the potential to help save lives as a donor. You can start by signing up through your state’s registry.
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