European Donation Day 2026: Honouring the gift of life and advancing transplantation across Europe

On European Donation Day 2026, ESOT joins the international community in recognising the generosity of organ donors and their families, while highlighting the importance of equitable access to life-saving transplantation.

Organ transplantation continues to transform thousands of lives every year. In 2025, 44,863 organ transplants were performed across 1,017 transplantation centres in Council of Europe member states.¹ Yet the need remains significant, with 96,401 patients waiting for an organ transplant at the end of the year.

These figures demonstrate both the remarkable achievements of transplantation medicine and the ongoing challenges in ensuring that patients have timely access to the care they need.

Building a more sustainable future for transplantation

For ESOT, honouring the gift of donation also means ensuring that every donated organ has the greatest possible impact. Through the ESOT Agenda on Sustainable Transplantation, published on ESOT Action Day earlier this year, we are championing a more resilient, equitable and sustainable approach to transplantation, recognising that long-term progress depends on strong healthcare systems, supported professionals and international collaboration.

The Agenda outlines four key commitments:

1. Sustainable Clinical Practice: Strengthening clinical pathways and improving the long-term resilience of transplantation services.
2. Equity and Access: Reducing disparities through aligned standards, greater transparency and cross-border collaboration.
3. Education and Workforce Sustainability: Supporting the professionals and multidisciplinary teams who make transplantation possible.
4. Sustainable Governance and Events: Embedding sustainability into ESOT’s own operations and measuring progress.

Together, these priorities reflect our commitment to protecting the future of transplantation while maximising the impact of every donated organ.

As Europe marks this important awareness day, ESOT reaffirms its commitment to advancing transplantation science, strengthening international collaboration and supporting sustainable systems that deliver the best possible outcomes for patients, today and for generations to come.

 

Learn more about the ‘ESOT Agenda on Sustainable Transplantation’: https://esot.org/esot-action-day/

Learn more about European Donation Day: https://www.edqm.eu/en/european-donation-day-2026

 

References:

1. European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM), Council of Europe. (2026). Newsletter Transplant 2026 – Measuring progress, inspiring action. Published 8 October 2026. Available at: https://www.edqm.eu/en/-/newsletter-transplant-2026-measuring-progress-inspiring-action