LifeShare Carolinas

What LifeShare Carolinas does

LifeShare Carolinas is a nonprofit organ procurement organization (OPO) operating under the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, a government state entity. It is one of only 56 federally designated OPOs in the United States, holding exclusive rights to recover and coordinate organ, eye, and tissue donation across 23 counties in southwestern North Carolina, a service area encompassing more than 3 million residents. The organization coordinates deceased and living organ donation (heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, small intestine), tissue donation (bone, tendons, ligaments, heart valves, veins, skin), and eye/corneal donation, working with a referral network of 40+ hospitals and downstream transplant centers. In 2024, LifeShare recovered organs from 244 donors (saving 517 lives), tissues from 356 donors (producing 749 grafts), and eyes from 455 donors (enabling 561 transplants).

The organization's technology footprint is non-digital: its "platform" is a human-coordinated logistics and clinical workflow connecting hospital referral systems, the NC DMV registration channel (which captures 99% of donor registrations), online self-registration via registerme.org and Apple Health, and downstream tissue processors and transplant centers. Supporting programs include the Bridge to Healing grief counseling service for donor families, the Living Donation Program with Atrium Health Transplant Center, and research partnerships with Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), IIAM, LifeNet Health, Ossium Health, University of Miami, and Promethera for regenerative medicine and transplant research.

LifeShare is funded primarily through Medicare/Medicaid organ acquisition cost reimbursements paid by transplant centers and insurers, plus tissue/eye procurement payments, philanthropic contributions, and planned giving. It does not charge donor families and covers all costs directly related to donation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization operates from a Charlotte headquarters (since 2023) and an Asheville regional office, with a workforce of 101-250 employees. It has earned Tier 1 OPO status (top 25% nationally per CMS) for five consecutive years.

Name

LifeShare Carolinas

Legal name

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a LifeShare Carolinas

Website

https://lifesharecarolinas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

LifeShare Carolinas is a federally designated nonprofit organ procurement organization serving 23 counties in southwestern North Carolina. It coordinates deceased and living organ, eye, and tissue donation through 40+ hospital partnerships, recovering organs from 244 donors and saving 517 lives in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organ Procurement and Donation Coordination Services

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ)

Keywords

• Organ procurement services
• Tissue donation coordination
• Eye donation services
• Donor family support
• Transplant coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions and Memorial Gifts: Financial gifts from donors and community members to support public education efforts and donor family support programs. Contributions can be made as memorial gifts in honor of donors, birthday/anniversary memorials, or general support.
2. Planned Giving (Wills and Trusts): Testamentary gifts through wills or trusts, allowing donors to name LifeShare as beneficiary of a dollar amount, percentage of estate, or residue of estate.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LifeShare Carolinas is one of 56 federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the US, coordinating the recovery of organs, eyes, and tissues from deceased donors across 23 counties in southwestern North Carolina. It partners with 40+ hospitals, transplant centers, DMVs, and research institutions to facilitate donation logistics, provide grief support to donor families through the Bridge to Healing program, and support medical research using non-transplantable organs.

Product overview

LifeShare Carolinas is an organ procurement organization (OPO) providing organ, eye, and tissue donation coordination services across southwestern North Carolina. The organization operates as a unified service platform connecting donors, hospitals, transplant centers, and recipients. Core services include organ donation coordination, tissue and eye donation services, and living donation programs. Supporting these core functions are family support programs such as the Bridge to Healing grief counseling initiative, tribute programs including Wall of Hope, Hero Highlight, Brick Dedications (Eli's Garden), and Quilt of Life, plus educational programs like Hope Through Faith and the NC Champions for Life volunteer initiative. Communication services include the LifeShare Link newsletter and community events such as Donor Remembrance Celebration, Seeds of Hope, and Hope for the Holidays.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organ Donation Services Coordinates organ donation from deceased donors, including recovery, matching, and transplantation logistics for heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, and small intestine, in partnership with 40+ hospitals and transplant centers.
• Tissue and Eye Donation Services Coordinates tissue and eye donation including bone, tendons, ligaments, heart valves, veins, arteries, skin, and corneas for transplantation and medical research.
• Living Donation Program Facilitates living organ donation, primarily kidney donations, including directed, paired, and non-directed donation options, in coordination with Atrium Health Transplant Center.
• Donor Registration Services Facilitates organ, eye, and tissue donor registration through online forms, NC DMV connections, and Apple Health app integration.
• Medical Research Donation Program Facilitates donation of organs unsuitable for transplant to medical research institutions, including WFIRM, IIAM, LifeNet Health LifeSciences, Ossium Health, University of Miami, and Promethera, for studies on heart disease, diabetes, liver diseases, respiratory conditions, and blood cancers.
• Bridge to Healing Program Provides ongoing support and grief counseling to donor families through the first year after donation, including structured follow-up communications and counseling sessions.
• Donor in Spirit Program Provides communications, supportive resources, and event invitations to donor family members following a loved one's donation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 244 organ donors saved 517 lives in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on groundbreaking regenerative medicine research including therapies for wounded military personnel (hand and arm transplants) and fertility treatments. Organs that cannot be transplanted are used for medical research through this partnership.
• Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary research partner for organ donation and medical research programs. Collaborates on transplant procedures and recovery surgeries.
• IIAM (International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine)majorTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner for organ donation, providing organ recovery services for medical research when organs cannot be transplanted.
• LifeNet Health LifeSciencesmajorTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner supporting organ donation for medical research purposes when transplantation is not possible.
• Ossium HealthmajorTechnology or IntegrationPartner for bone marrow and organ research applications, contributing to treatment development for blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.
• University of MiamimajorTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner collaborating on organ donation research and medical advancements.
• 40+ Hospital PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospitals in the service area notify LifeShare when patients meet medical criteria for donation. LifeShare works with hospital staff throughout the donation process to care for donors and support families.
• Transplant CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransplant centers around the country receive matched organs and coordinate transplantation. LifeShare assists with logistics and recovery surgery coordination.
• NC DMVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor99% of donor registrations occur at DMV locations when residents get or renew driver's licenses. This partnership is critical to donor registration growth.
• Tissue ProcessorsmajorTechnology or IntegrationPartner organizations that receive recovered tissue and process it into transplantable grafts for surgeons and medical procedures.
• Hospice FacilitiesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHospice facilities refer patients for tissue and eye donation when patients die in their care. Timing is critical as donation must occur within 24 hours of cardiac death.
• EMS AgenciesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmergency medical services call LifeShare to refer patients who die before reaching hospitals for tissue and eye donation.
• Medical ExaminersmajorTechnology or IntegrationWork with medical examiners investigating causes of death to ensure donation processes do not interfere with investigations.
• Funeral HomesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFuneral homes receive educational materials about donation for pre-planning programs and client education.
• Community OrganizationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity groups, health fairs, and employee wellness programs partner with LifeShare for educational outreach about donation.
• Faith OrganizationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFaith organizations receive Hope Through Faith program materials to address religious concerns about organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Donor Network West: California-based OPO serving northern and central California with organ and tissue donation services. Direct regulatory peer operating under the same CMS OPO designation framework.
• LifeNet Health: Virginia-based nonprofit organ and tissue procurement organization providing allograft recovery and research services. Directly comparable to LifeShare Carolinas as a federally-designated OPO with tissue banking operations.
• Midwest Transplant Network: Kansas and Missouri-based OPO providing organ, tissue, and eye donation services. Direct regulatory peer with similar hospital referral network and community education programs.
• LifeCenter Organ Donor Network: Ohio and Kentucky-based OPO with organ, tissue, and eye recovery services. Same federally-designated OPO model serving a comparable mid-size metropolitan population.
• Gift of Life Donor Program: Largest OPO in the United States, serving eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. Same federal OPO designation model with organ, tissue, and eye donation services; benchmark for OPO scale performance.
• Donor Alliance: Colorado and Wyoming-based federally-designated OPO. Comparable organ and tissue recovery mission under the same CMS regulatory framework with similar hospital partnership model.
• Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE): Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia-based OPO providing organ, tissue, and cornea donation services. Direct regulatory peer operating under the same federal OPO designation framework.
• Carolina Donor Services: North Carolina-based OPO serving a different geographic service area within the state. Same regulatory model (one of 56 designated OPOs) and similar organ, eye, and tissue recovery mission.

Broad incumbents

• Versiti: Multi-state blood, organ, and tissue services organization with broader scope than LifeShare. Overlaps with LifeShare's tissue recovery operations but also operates blood banks and broader transfusion services as a larger, more diversified player.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lifesharenc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LifeShare Carolinas