Organ donations declined in Greater Cincinnati in 2001.

        Last year, the LifeCenter, the agency that coordinates organ donations in Greater Cincinnati, collected 115 organs from 41 donors.

        That's down nearly 17 percent compared with 138 organs from 47 donors in 2000.

        Part of the decline occurred because there were fewer potential organ donors last year.

        In 2001, 66 percent of Caucasian families that were asked agreed to organ donation, compared with 50 percent of African-American families, said David Lewis, LifeCenter's executive director. The consent rate among African-Americans declined slightly from 53 percent in 2001.

        The LifeCenter enjoys higher-than-average consent rates compared with similar organizations nationwide, but the agency wants to avoid losing any potentially transplantable organs.

        “It's very important to increase the overall consent rate,” Mr. Lewis said.

        While many donated organs wind up going to patients in other cities, local residents waiting for transplants benefit or suffer directly from the ups and downs in organ donation rates.

        Of the 115 organs provided by local donors, 57 were transplanted at local hospitals, including two hearts, 16 livers, and 34 kidneys, the center reported.

        Twenty people in Greater Cincinnati died waiting for an organ transplant last year, down from 30 who died in 2000.

        As of Tuesday, 271 Tristate residents were waiting for organ transplants.

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