List of organ transplant donors and recipients

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This list of notable organ transplant donors and recipients includes people who were the first to undergo certain organ transplant procedures or were people who made significant contributions to their chosen field and who have either donated or received an organ transplant at some point in their lives, as confirmed by public information.

George Lopez had a kidney transplant.

Survival statistics

Survival statistics depend greatly on the age of donor, age of recipient, skill of the transplant center, compliance of the recipient, whether the organ came from a living or deceased donor and overall health of the recipient. Median survival rates can be quite misleading, especially for the relatively small sample that is available for these organs. Survival rates improve almost yearly, due to improved techniques and medications. This example is from the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), the USA umbrella organization for transplant centers. Up-to-date data can be obtained from the UNOS website.

Transplant Type	Median survival
Liver transplant	16 years
Heart transplant	10 years
Kidney transplant	16 years

Notable first procedures

Procedure	Doctor in charge of transplant	Name of recipient	Organ donated by	Comments	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
First corneal transplant	Eduard Zirm	Alois Glogar	Karl Brauer		December 7, 1905		[1]
First human kidney transplant	Joseph Murray	Richard Herrick	Ronald Herrick (twin brother)		December 23, 1954	Approx. 8 years	[2]
First human liver transplant	Thomas Starzl			First transplant was unsuccessful. The first successful liver transplant was performed by Starzl four years later.	1963		[3]
First human lung transplant	James D. Hardy			First transplant was unsuccessful. The first successful lung transplant was performed in 1983 by Joel Cooper.	1963		[3]
First human heart transplant	Christiaan Barnard	Louis Washkansky	Denise Darvall	Transplant was only good for 18 days. Washkansky died on December 21, 1967.	December 3, 1967	18 days	[4]
First Heart and Lung Transplant		Brenda Barber		1984 - UK's first successful heart and lung transplant	1984	10 years
First human hand transplant	Earl Owen and Jean-Michel Dubernard	Clint Hallam		The transplanted hand was removed at request of recipient after about two and a half years on February 2, 2001.	September 23, 1998		[5]
First human pancreas transplant	Richard Lillehei and William Kelly	Anonymous "young woman"		Patient survived for 4+1⁄2 months and died in May 1967 of a lung infection and pneumonia.	December 16, 1966		[6][7][8]
First partial human face transplant	Jean-Michel Dubernard and Bernard Devauchelle	Isabelle Dinoire		Dinoire's body rejected the transplant in 2015 and she lost part of the use of her lips. The daily immunosuppressive drugs she was required to take left her vulnerable to cancer which later claimed her life.	November 27, 2005	10 years	[9][10]
First transplant of a human organ grown from adult stem cells							[11][12][13][14][15]
First human penis transplant				Transplant was done to a 21-year-old male with penis amputation due to problem of circumcision before.	December 2014		[16]
First Human Heart Transplant with non human heart/XenoTransplantation		David Bennett Sr.		Genetically modified pig. Done At Maryland University Medical School.	January 2024	2 months	[17]

Notable recipients

Multiple organ transplant

Corneal transplant

Name	Life	Comments	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
Mandy Patinkin	(1952–)	Actor. He suffered from keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease, in the mid-1990s. This led to two corneal transplants; his right cornea in 1997, and his left in 1998.	1997, 1998		[18]
Nicholas Currie, also known as Momus	(1960–)	Scottish musician, journalist, and performance artist. Underwent transplant after infection from acanthamoeba keratitis, resulting in improved vision.	1999		[19]

Heart transplants

See also Category:Heart transplant recipients

Name	Life	Comments	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
Robert Altman	(1925–2006)	Film Director. Announced the transplant at the 78th Academy Awards in 2005 while accepting his Lifetime Achievement Oscar. Altman said, "I'm here under false pretenses … Eleven years ago I had a heart transplant, a total heart transplant. I got the heart of, I think, a young woman who was in about in her late thirties. By that kind of calculation you may be giving this award too early because I think I've got about 40 years left."	1995	11 years	[20]
Kurtis Blow	(1959–)	Rapper. He received a heart transplant on December 6, 2020.	2020		[21]
Robert P. Casey	(1932–2000)	41st Governor of Pennsylvania. Announced that he needed a rare heart/liver transplant due to a rare genetic condition in which proteins invade and destroy major bodily organs. Shortly after the announcement, Casey received the heart and liver from a 35-year-old African-American male who was killed in an auto accident near Erie, Pennsylvania. The short time between the announcement and the operation lead to accusations that Casey was secretly placed on the top of the waiting list, along with sparking an urban legend that the donor was "killed" by the Pennsylvania State Police in order to "harvest" the organs.	1993	6 years
Dick Cheney	(1941–)	Vice President of the United States 2001–2009. Received his heart transplant on March 24, 2012, at Inova Fairfax Hospital	March 24, 2012		[22]
Erik Compton	(1979–)	American professional golfer	1992, 2008		[23]
Glen Gondrezick	(1953–2009)	American basketball player, formerly in the NBA, and broadcaster.	September 20, 2008	7 months	[24]
Jonathan Hardy	(1940–2012)	New Zealand actor. Starred as voice of Rygel on Farscape; wrote the screenplay for Breaker Morant and was nominated for an Academy Award.	1988	24 years
Billy T. James	(1948–1991)	New Zealand comedian and entertainer.	1989	2 years	[25]
Simon Keith	(1965–)	British Professional Footballer. Recognized as the first athlete to play a professional sport after undergoing a heart transplant.	1986, 2019	35 years
Eddie Large	(1941–2020)	British comedian. One half of the comedy duo Little and Large.	2002	18 years
Mussum	(1941–1994)	Brazilian actor, singer and comedian.	July 12, 1994	17 days	[26] [27]
Norton Nascimento	(1962–2007)	Brazilian actor.	December 19, 2003	4 years	[28] [29]
Kelly Perkins	(1961–)	Author and noted world-class mountain climber who has set world records as the first ever heart transplant recipient to scale the most famous mountains in the world.	1995		[30]
Jerry Richardson	(1938–)	American businessman and principal owner of the NFL's Carolina Panthers.	February 1, 2009		[31]
Sandro	(1945–2010)	Argentine singer and actor. He died after complications of a heart–lung transplant.	November 20, 2009	45 days	[32]
Carroll Shelby	(1923–2012)	American entrepreneur famous for his race car driving and automotive developments in designing the cult-classic Shelby Cobras and Ford's Shelby Mustang. Carroll Shelby received a heart transplant in 1990, then in 1996, a living donor kidney transplant from his son. Carroll died May 10, 2012, at the age of 89.	Heart: 1990; Kidney: 1996	Heart: 22 years; Kidney: 16 years	[33]
Cal Stoll	(1923-2000)	American football player and coach.	Heart: 1987	Heart: 13 years	[34]
Frank Torre	(1931–2014)	American baseball player, brother of Joe Torre.	Heart: 1996; Kidney: 2007	Heart: 18 years; Kidney: 7 years

Kidney transplants

See also Category:Kidney transplant recipients

Name	Life	Comments	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
Erma Bombeck	(1927–1996)	Comedian. Diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. She was on the transplant list prior to her diagnosis with breast cancer, and was removed from the list while being treated as is standard procedure. She was placed back on the list after her treatment was completed, and died from complications of the transplant surgery.	April 3, 1996	20 days	[citation needed]
Steven Cojocaru	(1965–)	Fashion critic and member of Entertainment Tonight. In November 2004 he announced that he was suffering from polycystic kidney disease and would require a kidney transplant. He underwent transplant surgery on January 14, 2005, after his friend Abby Finer donated one of her kidneys. Later, the kidney became infected by a virus, and in June 2005 he underwent a second operation to have the new kidney removed. On August 17, he announced that his body was free of the viral infection and that he was ready to find a new transplant. He then received a second kidney transplant, which was donated by his mother.	2005		[35][36]
Natalie Cole	(1950–2015)	Singer-songwriter	May 20, 2009	6 years	[37]
Gary Coleman	(1968–2010)	Actor who played Arnold on Diff'rent Strokes. Received two separate kidney transplants, one in 1973 and another in 1984.		26 years (from second transplant)	[38]
Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland	(1973–)	Prince of Sweden, husband of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden and former personal trainer and gym owner. Underwent a kidney transplant at Karolinska University Hospital, his father was the donor.	May 27, 2009		[39]
Lucy Davis	(1973–)	Actress best known for playing the character Dawn Tinsley in the BBC comedy, The Office. Kidney received in 1997, which was donated by her mother.	1997		[40]
Kenny Easley	(1959–)	Former NFL player	June 7, 1990		[41]
Aron Eisenberg	(1969–2019)	Actor, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	December 29, 2015	4 years[42][circular reference]	[43]
Sean Elliott	(1968–)	NBA basketball star. The kidney was donated by his brother. Elliott made history by returning to play in the NBA following his surgery.	August 16, 1999		[44]
Selena Gomez	(1992–)	Actress and singer. The kidney was donated by Gomez's best friend, actress Francia Raisa.	2017		[45]
Jennifer Harman	(1964–)	Poker player; only woman to win two open events in the World Series of Poker. Had two separate kidney transplants.			[46]
Ken Howard	(1932–)	English artist who was president of the New English Art Club from 1998 to 2003.	2000		[47]
Ivan Klasnić	(1980–)	Croatian international footballer. After kidney failure in late 2006, he underwent an unsuccessful transplant in January 2007, followed by a successful one from his father two months later. He returned to action with Werder Bremen in November, and played at Euro 2008, becoming the first kidney transplant patient to play in a major football finals.	March 13, 2007		[48][49]
Jimmy Little	(1937–2012)	Australian country/rock artist.	February 2004	8 years	[50]
Jonah Lomu	(1975–2015)	New Zealand All Blacks rugby union player. The kidney was donated by Wellington radio presenter Grant Kereama. Lomu came back to professional rugby in 2005, though not with his past success.	July 28, 2004	11 years	[51]
George Lopez	(1961–)	Actor-comedian and star of the George Lopez TV series. Kidney transplant from his wife, Ann Lopez, in April 2005	April 2005		[52]
Sarah Hyland	(1990–)	American actress.	April 13, 2012		[53]
Tracy Morgan	(1968–)	American actor and comedian.	December 2010		[54]
Alonzo Mourning	(1970–)	NBA basketball star. Like Elliott, Mourning returned to play in the NBA following his surgery; he retired in January 2009, not having played since 2007 due to a serious leg injury.	December 19, 2003		[55]
Kerry Packer	(1937–2005)	His long-serving helicopter pilot, Nick Ross, donated one of his own kidneys to Packer for transplantation.	2000	5 years	[56] [57]
Charles Perkins	(1936–2000)	Australian soccer player, Aboriginal activist and government minister.	1972	28 years	[58][59]
Billy Preston	(1946–2006)	An American soul musician from Houston, Texas, raised mostly in Los Angeles, California.	2002	4 years
Neil Simon	(1927–2018)	His long-time publicist, Bill Evans.	2004	14 years	[57]
Ron Springs	(1956–2011)	Former NFL player. Kidney donated by former Dallas Cowboys teammate Everson Walls.	February 28, 2007	See footnote[60]
Tina Turner	(1939–2023)	Singer and Actress. Kidney donated by husband Erwin Bach.	2014	May 24, 2023

Liver transplants

See also Category:Liver transplant recipients

Name	Life	Comments	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
Eric Abidal	(1979–)	French footballer.	April 10, 2012		[63]
Gregg Allman	(1947–2017)	American musician best known as the leader of The Allman Brothers Band.	June 23, 2010	7 years	[64]
George Best	(1946–2005)	Northern Irish football player.	July 30, 2002	3 years	[65]
David Bird	(1959–2014)	American journalist; underwent transplant as a result of contracting hepatitis	2004	10 years	[66]
Jack Bruce	(1943–2014)	British musician most famous as a member of the 1960s band Cream. Diagnosed with liver cancer several months before the transplant.	September 19, 2003	11 years	[67]
Robert P. Casey	(1932–2000)	41st Governor of Pennsylvania. Received new liver during same operation in which he received a new heart.	1993	6 years
David Crosby	(1941–2023)	Rock-folk musician most famous as a member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, & Nash.	November 1994	28 years	[68][69][70]
Gerald Durrell	(1925–1995)	Founder of Jersey Zoo, author, television presenter, conservationist	28 March 1994	9 months approx	[71]
Shelley Fabares	(1944–)	Actress and singer who starred on the sitcom Coach.	2000		[72]
Freddy Fender	(1937–2006)	A country, and rock and roll musician. Diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2000.	2004	Approximately 2 years	[73][74][75]
Superstar Billy Graham	(1943–)	A former professional wrestler. Had a liver transplant after his was destroyed by hepatitis C, which he suspects was caught through blood spilt during a match.	2002		[73][76]
Larry Hagman	(1931–2012)	Actor, best known for playing J.R. Ewing on the soap opera Dallas	1995	17 years	[77]
Steve Jobs	(1955–2011)	American businessman; cofounder and CEO of Apple Inc. and former CEO of Pixar. In 2004, he had a cancerous tumor removed from his pancreas.	April 2009	2 years	[78]
Chris Klug	(1972–)	Professional snowboarder who received a liver transplant to treat primary sclerosing cholangitis. Went on to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. This was the first, and so far only time, a transplantee had competed in the Olympics, either the Winter or Summer Olympics.	2000		[79]
Evel Knievel	(1938–2007)	A stuntperson, best known for his public displays of long distance, high-altitude motorcycle jumping. He had a liver transplant as a result of hepatitis C, which he believed was contracted during an operation.	January 29, 1999	Almost 9 years	[73][80][81]
Phil Lesh	(1940–2024)	A musician and a founder member of the band the Grateful Dead, in which he played bass guitar. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1992.	1998	26 years	[73][82]
Linda Lovelace	(1949–2002)	A pornographic actress, most notable for the movie Deep Throat (1972). She contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion after an automobile accident in 1969.	1987	15 years	[73][83]
Mickey Mantle	(1931–1995)	Hall of Fame baseball player. Mantle died a couple of months later of liver cancer, which spread to his new liver.	1995	2 months	[84]
Jim Nabors	(1930–2017)	Actor-singer-comedian, best known for playing Gomer Pyle in The Andy Griffith Show and its spinoff Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.	1994	23 years	[85]
John Phillips	(1935–2001)	Singer, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as founder and leader of The Mamas & the Papas.	1992	Approximately 9 years	[86]
Lou Reed	(1942–2013)	American rock musician and songwriter.	2013	5 months	[87][88][89][90]

Lung transplants

See also Category:Lung transplant recipients

Name	Life	Comments	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
Sandro	(1945–2010)	Argentine singer and actor. He died after complications of a heart–lung transplant.	November 20, 2009	45 days	[32]
Ann Harrison	(1944–2001)	Recipient and long term survivor of the world's first human double-lung transplant	November 26, 1986	15 years	[91]
Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick	(1983–2019)	American soprano.	September 2009	10 years	[92]

Uterine transplants

Name	Life	Comments	Date of Transplant	Survival	Reference
Lili Elbe	(1882–1931)	A Danish painter and transgender women, she hoped to be able to conceive kids with her cis male partner. She received a uterus transplant and vaginoplasty, but died from cardiac arrest after post-surgical infection.	1931	3 months	[93]

Notable donors

Name	Life	Comments	Organ(s) donated	Date of transplant	Survival	Reference
Zell Kravinsky	(1954–)	American Investor known for donating over $45 million of his personal wealth to charity. Donated kidney to a stranger.	Kidney			[94]
Dick Cass	(1946–)	President of the Baltimore Ravens football team, donated kidney to law school friend	Kidney			[95]
Jake Garn	(1932–)	U.S. Senator/Space Shuttle specialist, donated a kidney to his daughter	Kidney	September 1986		[96]
Nicholas Green	(1987–1994)	American boy who was killed in Italy. His parents chose to donate his organs.	Various	October 1994	N/A; organs donated upon death	[97]
Jon-Erik Hexum	(1957–1984)	American model and actor.	Heart, kidneys and corneas	October 1984	N/A; organs donated upon death	[98]
Virginia Postrel	(1960–)	Donated kidney to her friend Sally Satel	Kidney	March 2006		[99][100]
Dr. Rajkumar	(1929–2006)	Popular Indian film personality who donated his eyes after death and inspired thousands others to pledge their eyes.	Eyes	April 2006	N/A; organs donated upon death	[101]
Oscar Robertson	(1938–)	Basketball Hall of Famer. Donated kidney to his daughter Tia.	Kidney	1997		[102]
Neda Soltan	(1983–2009)	Iranian martyr, a bystander at a political protest, her death was recorded by cell phone cameras.	Various	Circa June 20, 2009	N/A; organs donated upon death	[103]
Angélico Vieira	(1982–2011)	Portuguese actor and singer.	Pancreas, liver and kidneys	Circa June 2011	N/A; organs donated upon death	[104]
Everson Walls	(1959–)	Former NFL player, donated kidney to former Dallas Cowboys teammate Ron Springs.	Kidney	February 28, 2007		[61]
Olle Westling	(1945–)	Swedish socionom and municipal civil servant, donated kidney to his son Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland.	Kidney	May 27, 2009		[39]
Justin Wilson	(1978–2015)	British racing driver.	Various	Circa August 2015	N/A; organs donated upon death	[105]