Transplantation is no longer considered experimental. It has become an accepted medical treatment for many life threatening diseases. Because of this, many patients are on the national waiting list for a life-saving transplant. Every 14 minutes another person's name is added, and there are currently over 104,000 adults and children in the United States awaiting the gift of life. Thousands more are in need of life enhancing tissue implants.

However, the numbers of donors has not grown as fast as the number of people that need organs and tissue. Sadly, 16 to 18 people die every day in the United States waiting for organ transplants. The need far exceeds the supply.