WALTHAM, Mass. — New England Donor Services reported a record number of life-saving organ transplants in 2025, coordinating donations from 640 deceased donors that resulted in 1,692 transplants across the New England region.
The total marked the fifth consecutive year of growth in organ transplants for the organization and placed New England Donor Services among the nation’s top three organ procurement organizations by donor and transplant volume. Since 2020, the organization has increased the number of life-saving organ transplants from New England donors by 65 percent.
In addition to organ donation, New England Donor Services coordinated the recovery of donated tissue from 1,861 donors in 2025, a record year for tissue donation in the region. Each donor can contribute multiple tissues, including cornea, bone, skin, heart valves, and other tissues used in medical procedures. Tissue donated through the organization is used in more than 100,000 tissue transplants each year.
“Because of donors, courageous families, and the unwavering dedication of NEDS’ staff, generosity becomes legacy and hope lives on for thousands of transplant recipients – turning loss into healing and the gift of donation into life,” said Alexandra K. Glazier, President and CEO of New England Donor Services.
While the number of organ donors remained steady compared to the previous year, the organization increased the number of transplants resulting from those donors by 8 percent. The increase was driven in part by the expanded use of advanced organ perfusion devices and techniques. The adoption of abdominal normothermic regional perfusion, combined with transportable ex vivo organ perfusion devices, has improved the function of donated organs, particularly those from older or more medically complex donors.
“Previously, these organs may not have been accepted for transplant, but now they are used routinely to the benefit of transplant patients and offers the opportunity for donation to more families,” Glazier said.
Ashley Stanger of East Haddam, Conn., said her five-year-old son, Lincoln, received a heart transplant in March 2025 after spending 327 consecutive days in the hospital being treated for dilated cardiomyopathy.
“My five-year-old son, Lincoln, now has a second chance at life thanks to his life-saving heart transplant,” Stanger said. “Lincoln received a new heart in March 2025, thanks to the generosity of his deceased donor. We extend our deepest gratitude to Lincoln’s donor. Thanks to this selfless choice, Lincoln is now able to attend kindergarten, spend time with his younger sister, and dreams of becoming a firefighter one day.”
Sean Moore of Grafton, Mass., who received a kidney transplant in July 2025, also shared his experience.
“I am incredibly grateful and humbled to have received the gift of life,” Moore said. “I am thankful beyond words to my deceased organ donor who selflessly saved lives by choosing to become a donor. My transplant has given me renewed health and the opportunity to spend many more years with my wife and three children.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Glazier warned of potential disruption to the donation and transplant system due to proposed federal performance metrics.
“Poorly designed federal regulatory metrics may force the closure of up to half of the community-based non-profits coordinating organ donation for transplant in the United States with no clear plan for how the system will deliver services for these areas,” she said. “Despite this looming uncertainty, NEDS is positioned to continue providing the stable, high-quality performance it is known for as a national leader in the field, which is necessary to ensure life-saving donation and transplants remain reliable in the New England region. We urge policymakers in Washington, D.C. to take the steps necessary to swiftly reform and modernize the current regulatory structure that could threaten patients that are on the organ donation wait list.”
According to the organization, one person can save up to eight lives as an organ donor and heal as many as 75 people as a tissue donor.
