Recent news

A Second Second-chance

“I never had a solid diagnosis as to why my kidneys failed at the age of 26,” Linda Robinson says, though it didn’t entirely matter why she had kidney issues for 14 years. It came down to needing a transplant to stay alive.

How the National Organ Transplant List Works

Every nine minutes, someone is added to the national organ waiting list. When a donor becomes available, Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) staff enter the donor information into the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) computer system, and that system compares donor characteristics to the database of waiting transplant candidates.

A New View: Eye Donation Month

Eye Donation Month is observed each November to celebrate the restoration of sight, raise awareness about cornea donation and transplantation and to honor selfless donors that have given the gift of sight.

The Gift of Donation

Almost 104,000 people in the United States need an organ transplant. * Nearly 2,000 of them live in Arizona. * The numbers are staggering, yet there is plenty of hope to work save their lives.

*Data as of Oct. 31, 2023

Donation and Indigenous Communities

Native American Heritage Month, recognized every November, is a time dedicated to honoring and celebrating the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of Native Americans. It serves as an opportunity to increase awareness about the histories, struggles, and triumphs of Indigenous peoples, both past and present.

Upgrading imperfect lungs: Healthy Lung Month

Unhealthy or damaged lungs can make it difficult for the body to get the oxygen it needs to survive. Lung disease takes 15,000 lives each year. Transplanted lungs provide people suffering from cystic fibrosis, emphysema and pulmonary embolism with new life and the chance to breathe deeply again—often it’s the only option left.

During Healthy Lung Month, each October, we shed light on lung transplants, groundbreaking technology and share the stories of our many transplant warriors.

Celebrating Latino Heritage Month

From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we recognize Latino Americans like Syrena and celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Sept. 15 also coincides with the national independence of El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize also observe independence days during this period.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Deaf Awareness

There is a difference between “the lowercase d” deaf and the “the uppercase D” Deaf. When someone is small d deaf it means that the person is deaf, however they chose to not identify as part of the Deaf community. Big D Deaf refers to someone who is deaf and identifies as a member of the Deaf community.

What Are Donated Placentas Used for Anyway?

Did you know that expectant mothers with a scheduled C-section can donate their placenta after giving birth? The donated placenta can become a priceless gift with the potential to aid in the healing of wounds and various surgical procedures.

Record-Breaking Generosity

Arizona temperatures weren’t the only record breakers in July 2023. Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) reached a record-breaking 39 Arizona organ donors in July! The generosity of these donors and their families led to 117 organs for transplant, which saved 104 lives.