189 awards. Ministry of Health honors deserving organ donors

On Friday, June 13, Minister Izabela Leszczyna honored 189 people with the “Meritorious Transplant Donor” distinctions.

- You gave a part of yourself to save someone's life. You are heroes of transplant medicine and I thank you very much for that - the head of the Ministry of Health addressed those honored during the ceremony.

- This is a special ceremony, because the people invited are also special. We honor those who are organ donors for loved ones, as well as cells or tissues for anonymous recipients. I am aware of the incredibly difficult decision you made, the emotions that accompanied it - fear, uncertainty about health and life, but these emotions were overcome by love, empathy, solidarity - said the minister.

She also thanked all those who work in transplantation on a daily basis.

The badges of "Meritorious Transplant Donor" are awarded at the request of the Organizational and Coordination Center for Transplantation "Poltransplant".

- Thank you for giving a chance and hope for a second life to your loved ones, but often also to anonymous recipients. It is much more difficult to make decisions when you do not know who the person who is receiving a piece of you is. Despite everything, you decide to donate cells and tissues - said Prof. Artur Kamiński, director of "Poltransplant", who cited the story of one of the central coordinators - a transplant beneficiary.

- This lady is a recipient of a kidney from a living donor, and after three months she returned to work. This shows that you give patients a chance to return to normal functioning - he noted.

Prof. Michał Grąt, national consultant in the field of clinical transplantology, emphasized that transplantation a few decades ago remained in the realm of since fiction. - This beautiful field of medicine actually translates into thousands of saved lives. Without you, this would not have been possible - he emphasized.

In turn, Prof. Roman Danielewicz, chairman of the National Transplantation Council operating at the Ministry of Health, appealed to those gathered to be ambassadors for the idea of ​​transplantation.

- Transplant medicine makes sense and is safe for the donor. There are fears around this in society. Help us fight them. So that the number of donors increases. This is the best way to treat kidney or liver failure - he explained.

In 2024 , over 2,100 organs were transplanted in Poland. Most often, these were kidneys. Last year, as many as 1,132 were transplanted (i.e. 16 percent more compared to 2023 – 973). The number of liver transplants is also constantly growing – in 2024, it was 615, while a year earlier it was 16 percent less, i.e. 523.

In turn, 201 people received a new heart (in 2023 – 179, or 12 percent more). We also see an increase in lung transplants from 98 in 2023 to 147 in 2024 (an increase of 50 percent). By May 2025, more than 996 organs had been transplanted.

Over the course of almost 60 years, over 40,000 lives have been saved in Poland thanks to transplants. Currently, around 1,905 people are still waiting for an organ.

In Poland, organs used in transplants come primarily from deceased donors. Those that are taken from living donors are kidneys and liver fragments. After death, not only organs can be taken for transplantation - kidneys, pancreas, liver, heart or lungs, but also corneas and other tissues (skin, bones, heart valves). This can save the lives of at least six patients.

Although there is no need to declare consent to transplantation after death, many people additionally register in donor databases of various non-governmental organizations or wear bracelets or donor cards confirming their consent.

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