In another milestone year, Lifesharing saved a record 437 lives in 2022. As the organ procurement organization (OPO) serving San Diego and Imperial counties, Lifesharing coordinates organ and tissue donation at the end of a person’s life. Last year, we helped transplant 211 kidneys, 93 livers, 65 lungs, 57 hearts and 11 pancreases (also known as pancreata). The total number – 437 – is a new annual record for Lifesharing. “These numbers represent lives saved,” said Executive Director Jeff Trageser. He said the milestone was made possible by the hard work of our medical team and the generosity of people in the San Diego region. “It’s all centered on the families who chose to donate. They’re the ones who did this,” said Trageser. Lifesharing coordinated donations from 140 organ donors and 430 tissue donors in 2022. Organ donors are a beacon of hope for patients on the transplant waiting list, while tissue donors improve a person’s quality of life. (Lifesharing recovers tissues such as heart valves for cardiac patients, skin for burn victims and tendons to rebuild joints.) The contributions of San Diego organ donors helped propel the nation’s transplantation system to new heights. According to OPTN (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network), the U.S. recorded 42,887 organ transplants in 2022 – the most ever in a single year.