This substantial logistics operation has to take place in a maximum of five or six hours to ensure the organ does not begin to deteriorate.

"It is a complex process, which sometimes needs over 100 people to take part, including the donor's hospital, the recipient hospital, police, transport, and aircraft etc." said Matesanz.

The year 2010 saw the work of the ONT was rewarded with the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.

"I think that transplant in Spain is an honor of national pride. We have been leading the world in the percentage of donors and number of transplants for 22 years," commented Matesanz, who believes his organization will have even more work in the future.

"Transplants are a technique which needs constant renewal. When we started 25 years ago, we didn't expect it would grow to be like what it is now. We are introducing new techniques everyday, such as on preserving organs," he said.

He said he believes that transplantation technique is going to continue evolving and growing. "It's reasonable to foresee that in five to ten years we will be doing new things and we will have more activity than at the present."

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