Donating Blood and Body

In addition to organs, you can also donate tissue, blood stem cell, blood and platelets, and even your body.

Tissue is composed of layers of cells that function together to serve a specific purpose. It must be donated within 24 hours of death. Some types of tissue donations include:

• Cornea: One of the most commonly transplanted tissues each year (more than 45,000) is the cornea [source: gina]. The cornea -- a transparent covering over the eye -- is the eye's primary focusing component. A cornea transplant restores sight to recipients blinded by an accident, infection or disease. Corneas can be transplanted whole or in parts and require no anti-rejection drugs in the recipient [source:levey]. Corneas from a 75-year-old donor are just as effective as younger corneas.

• Bones: Donated bones can be used to replace cancerous bones in the arm or leg in lieu of amputation.

• Skin: Among its many uses, skin can be used in graft for burn victims or for post-mastectomy brest reconstruction.

• Other donated tissue includes tendons, ligaments, heart valves and cartilage.

Blood stem cells are immature blood cells that can produce more blood-forming stem cells, or mature into white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. Blood stem cells can be taken from bone marrow, the bloodstream or the umbilical cord. Stem cells within bone marrow -- the spongy tissue inside of bones -- produce blood cells. Donated bone marrow can be infused into the blood stream to fill cavities in depleted bones and resume production of normal blood cells.