Resources for Patients and Families
Children’s wants you to have all the information you need to understand your child’s condition and the transplant process, including how to pay for a transplant.
General transplant links
Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA)
Provides fundraising assistance for children and young adults needing lifesaving transplants and promotes organ, marrow and tissue donation. All of the information for how to become a COTA patient is included.
LifeCenter Northwest Organ Procurement Organization
Has information about organ donation, The site also includes information that residents in Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho need to become organ donors.
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)
The transplant network established by the United States Congress. OPTN links together all of the professionals involved in the donation and transplant system. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) oversees the OPTN.
Transplant Living
A project of the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS). The site has extensive information for patients, including news and a description of what happens during a transplant.
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
Established by Congress, is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization that matches organs with recipients and collects and manages data about every transplant occurring in the United States. The site offers extensive data on transplants, including information from every hospital that performs a transplant.
Access the Multiple Listings Resources brochure in English (PDF 1MB) and Español (PDF 1MB).
Washington Transplant Center
Contains data about donor organs and all solid organ transplants performed in Washington state.
Recommended reading
You can check out some of the following books from the Family Resource Center at Children’s or find them at your local library or bookstore. Each book we’ve listed includes either the Amazon.com Web page where you can read about and order the book, or the association that distributes it.
Organ Transplants: Making the Most of Your Gift of Life
Robert Finn
This book is a guide to organ transplants: what to consider, the system and the wait, different types of transplants (heart, lung, liver, kidney, intestine, pancreas and others), anti-rejection drugs, living donors, donors and recipients, traveling for treatment and a glimpse into the future of transplants.
Organ Transplants: What Every Kid Needs to Know
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
Information for children about their organs, and what to expect before and after an organ transplant.
Partnering with Your Transplant Team: The Patient’s Guide to Transplantation
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
This is a guide to help patients and their families through the process of organ transplant. It provides the information needed to make knowledgeable health care decisions and it has a place to keep a record of the process.
Transplants: Unwrapping the Second Gift of Life
Pat Stave Helmberger
The inside story of transplants as told by recipients, their families, donor families and health professionals.