Our biggest year yet for saving lives
02/28/2025Arizona organ donors saved the most lives in a single year in 2024 with a record-breaking number of organ donors and total organs transplanted as a result.
RECORD-BREAKING GENEROSITY
Arizona organ donors saved 899 lives last year. Not only is it a new record, but it’s also the first time that number has rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was the 371 selfless organ donors, and their families, from across the state who made that possible—another record.
More than 210,000 people registered as organ and tissue donors in Arizona for the first time last year.
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
These records are more than just numbers. Every donation has an impact, whether a donor hero, donor family member, recipient, caregiver or a waiting list candidate who needs this lifesaving medical intervention. They all have a story. Keep reading to learn the story of Erin Gall, a donor hero.
Erin “ErBear” Gall was known for her sweet, fun and at times, competitive nature. A loving friend, daughter and mother, she always found ways to lift others up. On her social media pages, she had proudly written “Aspiring Superhero” under her name—a title that would later take on deeper meaning.
In March 2023, shortly after the birth of her daughter, Melody, Gall suffered an asthma attack and did not survive. Her family learned that she had previously registered as an organ and tissue donor, and as devastated as they were to lose her, they felt comfort in knowing that she had made the decision to save lives.
“It was in her nature to help others,” said her mother, Sally Flatland. “But she was humble and would probably say, ‘That’s what anybody would do.’”
Her mother says she truly lived out her dream by being a donor. In fact, her decision saved three young girls’ lives. No longer aspiring—Erin is a true superhero.
Flatland has since made it her mission to keep Erin’s memory alive by volunteering with Donor Network of Arizona, the state’s organ procurement organization, and telling her story, remembering her love and passions for music, soccer, travel and a good carne asada burrito.
“We never want Erin to be forgotten, and I believe that she never will because of her selfless act of being a donor,” says Flatland. “Losing my daughter is the most devastating experience, but the pain is lessened just a bit knowing she gave a part of her to allow others to live. Erin is a true superhero!”
WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE
The record-breaking generosity we saw in 2024 was possible with the selflessness of donors and their families just like Erin’s story, the tireless efforts of our clinical and support teams, collaboration with hospitals and transplant centers and of course, the 4.8 million registered donors in Arizona.
Were you one of the 210,000 people who registered as an organ and tissue donor for the first time last year? If not, you can sign up right now on DonateLifeAZ.org or next time you visit an Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division or authorized third-party office.