American Liver Foundation Launches First-Ever Living Donor Network to Increase Liver Transplants

Database will connect living liver donors with transplant centers nationwide 

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Liver Foundation (ALF) is excited to announce the launch of the ALF Living Donor Network, the first-ever non-directed donor (formerly called altruistic donor) database created to connect individuals who wish to donate part of their liver with transplant centers nationwide to help patients in need. The ALF Living Donor Network is a pivotal step in addressing the critical shortage of liver donors in the U.S. It not only increases the donor pool but also offers a lifeline to children and adults who might otherwise face prolonged wait times on a deceased donor list leading to potential decline in health or even death.

ALF Living Donor Network is a pivotal step in addressing the critical shortage of liver donors in the U.S.

"There are nearly 9,300 people in the United States waiting for a liver transplant and the need for donors is so great," said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO of ALF and a caregiver to a transplant recipient. "Approximately 25% of people on the liver transplant list will die waiting due to lack of available organs and this is unacceptable. ALF's Living Donor Network offers non-directed living liver donors a secure way to connect with transplant centers across the country in an effort to save lives."

Most living donors know the person they would like to donate part of their liver to; this is called directed donation. There is, however, an increasing number of individuals who would like to provide the gift of life to someone in need, whom they do not know. These individuals are known as non-directed donors (NDD), formerly called altruistic or anonymous donors.

To ensure that the ALF Living Donor Network meets the needs of liver patients and transplant centers alike, the foundation has collaborated with members of its transplant workgroup, national board, American Society of Transplantation (AST), American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), and transplant professionals representing centers throughout the country.

"Since the inception of the ALF Transplant Workgroup nearly three years ago, our primary objective has been to leverage the insights gained from kidney transplantation to increase the availability of livers for transplant," stated Ari Cohen, MD, MBA, MSc, FRCSC, FACS, Director of the Multi-Organ Transplant Institute and Director of Transplant Research at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, Louisiana. "I am immensely proud to announce that the ALF Living Donor Network for non-directed donors will address this critical need. I urge every transplant center performing living donor liver transplants to join this extraordinary initiative so that together we can save more lives," added Dr. Cohen, who is also chair of the ALF Transplant Workgroup and formerly served as an ALF board member.

The goal of the ALF Living Donor Network is not only to increase the number of living donor liver transplants for adults and children in the United States but also to eliminate the pediatric liver candidate waitlist.

"In recent years we have seen an inspiring increase in the number of individuals coming forward interested in living liver donation, particularly non-directed donors that want to help anyone in need of transplant, especially children," stated Christopher Sonnenday, MD, MHS, Transplant Center Director of the University of Michigan Health Transplant Center and Surgical Director of the University of Michigan Living Donor Transplant program. "The ALF Living Donor Network is a critically important initiative that quickly connects these generous individuals with transplant centers with expertise in living liver donation for comprehensive evaluation and education."

The ALF Living Donor Network is open to adult U.S. residents who wish to become non-directed donors. Donors register through a secure portal and complete a health history screening assessing 13 core clinical areas. Eligible donors will be referred to a participating transplant center of their choice for further evaluation. This effort is powered by MedSleuth's BREEZE platform. A transplant center does not need to be a current BREEZE user to participate; if they are, donor referrals will integrate into their existing dashboard. The Living Donor Network will be available to transplant centers at no cost. Transplant centers may use this interest form to receive additional information: https://liverfoundation.org/ldninterest/.

"MedSleuth is honored to support the American Liver Foundation's groundbreaking effort to expand access to living donor liver transplantation," said Ben Nightingale, CEO of MedSleuth. "By powering the ALF Living Donor Network with our BREEZE platform, we're creating a secure, seamless experience for non-directed donors and simplifying coordination for all transplant centers. This initiative advances our mutual goals of increasing access and saving lives, while reducing barriers for non-directed donors and their care teams."

"Despite an annual increase in the total number of liver transplants and a corresponding decrease in waitlist mortality, we are still unable to provide this life-saving surgery to approximately 2,000 to 3,000 candidates each year. Unfortunately, the growth in deceased donor liver transplantation has not been matched by a sustained increase in living donor liver transplantation, and our rate of living liver donation continues to lag behind that of most other countries with established expertise in the field. A robust living donor network, as the one being proposed by the American Liver Foundation, would help match potential donors with their corresponding candidates, thereby helping to close the gap in organ availability," said Andres Duarte-Rojo, MD, Medical Director, Liver Transplantation, Northwestern – Feinberg School of Medicine and American Society of Transplantation (AST) representative to the ALF Living Donor Network project.

"ALF is to be highly praised for the thought and process placed to create the Living Donor Network. In the US, living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) significantly lags compared to LDLT practice in many other countries," stated Sameh A. Fayek, MD, PhD, FACS, Clinical Professor of Surgery WVU and Multi-Organ Transplant Surgeon at Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, WV. "As a society we look forward to the transformative impact of this endeavor to save more lives by facilitating a secure, safe process guiding and linking interested heroes to transplant centers," added Dr. Fayek who serves as the vice chair of the Living Donor Committee at American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS).

For more information about the ALF Living Donor Network, including Frequently Asked Questions and a Quick Start Guide, please go to LivingDonorNetwork.liverfoundation.org.

About the American Liver Foundation
American Liver Foundation (ALF) is a national community of patients, caregivers and medical professionals dedicated to helping people improve their liver health. Providing guidance and life-saving resources, we are a beacon for the 100 million Americans affected by liver disease. We advocate for patients and families, fund medical research and educate the public about liver wellness and disease prevention. We bring people together through our educational programs and events and create a network of support that lasts a lifetime. ALF is the largest organization focused on all liver diseases and the trusted voice for patients and families living with liver disease. For more information visit www.liverfoundation.org or call: 1 800 GO LIVER (800-465-4837).

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Media Contacts:
Julie Kimbrough
JKimbrough@liverfoundation.org
Direct dial: 646-737-9409
Karla Thomas
KThomas@liverfoundation.org
Direct dial: 773-575-9477

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SOURCE American Liver Foundation