The Nevada Donor Network (NDN) has announced outstanding results for 2025, achieving record highs in organ, eye, and tissue donations. This year, the organization recovered gifts from a total of 262 organ donors, 1,090 tissue donors, and 1,586 cornea donors. Additionally, 2,957 mothers generously donated their birth tissue, leading to a remarkable 795 organ transplants and over 300,000 tissue grafts performed. The impact of these donations has restored sight to over 3,000 recipients, significantly improving lives across Nevada and beyond.
Recognition and Commitment to Saving Lives
NDN’s achievements have earned it recognition as a Tier 1A Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), the highest performance designation awarded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). This status highlights the organization’s ability to rise above national challenges in donation rates, showcasing the dedication of its staff and the collaborative efforts with hospitals throughout the state.
“Achieving Tier 1A status during a year of national decline underscores what’s possible when commitment, collaboration, and compassion come together,” said Joseph Ferreira, President and CEO of NDN. “Every number represents a person, someone who represents the best in humanity by choosing to give the gift of life and healing to someone whose life was forever changed.”
The organization’s dedication to honoring donors and their families is evident in its ongoing mission to facilitate organ, eye, and tissue donations. NDN emphasizes the critical role of community partnerships in this process, acknowledging the hospitals and clinical teams that work closely with them to save lives. Ferreira noted, “None of this would be possible without our hospital and community partners across the state and the countless supporters who believe in the power of donation.”
Future Goals and Community Engagement
As NDN looks to the future, it remains committed to advancing excellence in donation practices and strengthening its partnerships. The organization serves millions of Nevadans and thousands across the United States, addressing the urgent need for organ transplants. Currently, over 100,000 Americans, including nearly 700 Nevadans, are on the organ transplant waiting list.
One organ donor can save up to eight lives, heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation, and restore sight to up to two people through cornea donation. This underscores the critical importance of donor registration and public awareness, which NDN actively promotes through its campaigns.
Established in 1987, the Nevada Donor Network is a federally designated 501(c)(3) not-for-profit OPO. It collaborates with hospitals and community partners to promote research and provide support to donor families. The organization is also a member of Donate Life Nevada, an affiliate of Donate Life America, which encourages individuals to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.
For more information about the Nevada Donor Network and how to get involved, visit their website at www.nvdonor.org.
