LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — By the numbers, 2025 was a record year for organ donation in Michigan.

Gift of Life Michigan reported more than 1,200 organs transplanted statewide, alongside hundreds of organ donors and increases in tissue donations. 

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One driver of that growth was the Check Your Heart Act, which allows residents to register as organ donors when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state ID, while also expanding public education about donation.

“Registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor is one of the simplest ways people can make a lasting difference for patients and families in need,” Dorrie Dils, president and CEO of Gift of Life Michigan, said. 

Some of the largest gains came from a lesser-known corner of the system. Specifically, Gift of Life reported 1,416 placenta donations in 2025: the highest total since the program launched in 2019. 

By year’s end, more than 186,000 Michigan residents were listed on the state’s Organ Donor Registry, reflecting both rising participation and a system that relies heavily on public trust to function.