New York among the worst states for organ donation

9WSYR News Channel

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Central New Yorkers waiting for an organ transplant might need to be patient. New York state is among the worst states in organ donation in the US, ranking at No. 48.

268 people are waiting for kidneys alone at the transplant program at Upstate University Hospital.

For all organs, 10,000 people on the waiting list in New York state and 111,000 are waiting for organs nationwide, according to the New York Organ Donor Network.

Patricia Baker is among the lucky ones.

“It’s kind of weird thinking you’re walking around with someone else’s kidney,” she said. “But I’m very, very grateful to the family.”

Baker has had a new kidney for three months. She had been on the waiting list for seven years, living with kidney failure.

“You're really restricted and you're just sick so much that it's just awful,” she said.

The Upstate University Hospital Transplant center only performs 30 to 40 kidney transplants a year.

Read more: http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/New-York-among-worst-states-for-organ-donation/7PEXHn8RC06HwEG9WbI45g.cspx