You Asked, We Answered
10/16/2025We get it, organ donation can raise a lot of questions—about how it works, who can donate, and what it really means to give the gift of life. We also know it’s important to have honest, easy-to-understand answers. That’s why we’ve put together this FAQ: You Asked, We Answered.
Let’s get started!
WHO CAN BE A DONOR?
Anyone can register to be an organ and tissue donor. There’s no age limit and no health requirements to sign up. In fact, we’ve had donors well into their 90s! And thanks to advances in medicine, even people with certain illnesses may still be eligible to donate. (Think cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, HIV, high blood pressure—such patients might still donate.) That’s why we encourage everyone to register. You never know how many lives you could help save.
WHAT ORGANS CAN BE DONATED?
Organ donors leave behind an incredible legacy of generosity. They have the power to save up to eight lives. One donor can restore health and give hope to people in need by donating organs like the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and even small intestine. Then a donor can help dozens more through tissue donation—healing wounds, burns, supporting reconstructive surgery for cancer survivors, helping someone walk again, and much more.
CAN I STILL HAVE AN OPEN-CASKET FUNERAL?
The simple answer is YES!
Organ and tissue donation does not change funeral arrangements that you or your family choose. Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) works closely with families and funeral homes to ensure end-of-life decisions go as planned. Through ongoing communication and careful coordination, people move forward with their chosen arrangements, including the option for an open-casket service. Anyone paying their respects wouldn’t even know that person was a donor unless someone told them.
WILL DOCTORS STILL TRY TO SAVE MY LIFE IF I'M A REGISTERED DONOR?
We get it — This misconception is ALL around, and it’s a scary thought to have.
Saving your life is always the top priority.
Doctors, nurses, and emergency teams are fully focused on giving you the best possible care. They often don’t even know your donor status in critical situations, and legally and ethically through The Hippocratic Oath, your care comes first—always. Organ and tissue donation is only considered after death is declared, and the team caring for you is completely separate from those involved in donation or transplantation. Being a donor won’t change the care you receive in any way.
If doctors were hypothetically to neglect a patient to simple let them die, it would negatively impact the viability of organs anyway because of the damage from a lack of circulation and oxygen. Organs like that can’t save lives. That path never happens because of ethics and impracticality.
Have more questions about this topic? Read more on our “Why doctors WILL NOT let you die if you’re A REGISTERED ORGAN DONOR” blog post.
WILL MY FAMILY HAVE TO PAY?
No. DNA covers all costs related to organ and tissue donation. There’s never a charge to your family.
Donation is considered a generous gift, and under the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, we’re not allowed to offer any kind of financial incentive, including paying for funeral or cremation expenses.
In the rare event a donor family gets a medical bill related to donation, we have a department dedicated to correcting that so that the costs are charged to DNA.