World Organ Donation Day 2025: History, significance, theme
World Organ Donation Day is here—August 13, 2025—reminding us how organ donation can literally change lives.
This year's theme, "Answering The Call," gives a nod to the doctors and teams making transplants possible and encourages everyone to work together so more people get the help they need.
History of organ donation
The first successful kidney transplant happened way back in 1954, setting off a medical revolution.
In India, National Organ Day on August 3 honors the country's first deceased-donor heart transplant from 1994.
Even with these milestones, there's still a huge gap: nearly 104,000 people in the United States are waiting for organs right now.
Spain leads with about 49 donors per million people; India lags behind at less than one donor per million—even though just one donor can save up to eight lives.
Why is it important?
It's simple: organ donation is about giving someone another shot at life—and it doesn't take much to make a difference.
Whether you're talking with friends or thinking about signing up yourself, every bit of awareness counts.