Organ Donation

Donor Alliance, which manages most organ and tissue donations in Colorado, can help you join the Organ and Tissue Donation Registry. Many people who wish to donate organs or tissue register when applying for, or renewing, a Colorado Driver's License or ID card.

If you’re a registered donor, a red heart will appear on the face of your license. It’s important to advise your family that you have registered as a donor.

When is Organ Donation Possible

Organ donation is typically possible only when brain death occurs in the hospital setting, often after trauma. Tissue donation, including skin and bones, can sometimes happen when the death of a registered donor occurs in or out of the hospital setting.

The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank works cooperatively with Donor Alliance. This agency recovers eye tissue that is principally used for corneal transplantation.

Legalities of Organ Donation

By law, organ and tissue donations from registered donors must be approved by a coroner after death so that the removal of tissue does not hamper a determination of the manner and cause of death.