There is no substitute for human tissue in the healing process. And for decades, we have aided in the recovery and distribution of healthy eye, non-ocular, and birth tissues to the people who need it most. Learn about our work.
Each year, eye banks throughout the U.S. provide eye tissue for over 70,000 transplants per year. Transplanted eye tissues include the cornea (the dome-shaped layer covering the front of the eye) and the sclera (the white of the eye). These tissues are crucial to the treatment of many eye diseases, disorders, and injuries.
When a death occurs, a referral partner will notify us to ensure donation wishes are fulfilled.
Our donation coordinators obtain consent from the donor family and conduct a medical history interview.
Within a few hours of death, the eye tissues are surgically recovered, preserved, and transported to our laboratory in Sioux Falls.
Corneas will then be screened for diseases, tested for viability, and processed according to surgeon specifications.
After processing, the donated tissue is sent directly to surgeons or other eye banks throughout the nation and world.
From skin grafts for burn victims to tendon replacement for sports injuries, non-ocular tissue transplants take many forms and do not require a blood match. The non-ocular tissues we recover include heart valves, skin, bone, tendons and ligaments, cartilage, and vascular tissues.
When a death occurs, a referral partner will notify us to ensure donation wishes are fulfilled.
Our donation coordinators obtain consent from the donor family and conduct a medical history interview.
Within 12 hours of death, the tissues are surgically recovered, packaged, and shipped to a nationally accredited and FDA-registered tissue processing organization.
The donated tissue is then processed into usable grafts that can be distributed to surgeons throughout the world.
Did you know the birth of a baby can help countless others? That’s because birth tissues — like the placenta, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid — contain special cells that stimulate healing. And when transplanted, they can support new cell growth anywhere in or on the body to heal burns, skin infections, surgery patients, and more. Plus, birth tissue donation is completely safe and painless for the mother and baby.
Following a scheduled C-section delivery, a mother can choose to donate the birth tissue — which would otherwise be disposed of. There is no cost.
Upon consent, the birth tissue will then be acquired by one of our recovery technicians in accordance with accepted medical and ethical standards.
The donated tissue is then processed into usable grafts that can be distributed to surgeons throughout the world.
