Cobertura Reciente en los Medios
Presumed Consent or Opt-Out: What does it mean?
You may have been hearing the term “presumed consent” or “opt-out” lately when it comes to organ and tissue donation around the world. The UK is the most recent country to adopt legislation that supports this.
The United States operates under an opt-in, first-person consent system. This means individuals must personally, actively sign up on the donor registry and, upon doing so, no further authorization is required when the decision of the donor is legally documented.
The Opt-in System is Preferred and Works for Americans
The idea of a presumed consent system may sound logical and the perfect way to address the rising need for organs and tissues for transplant. However, before you start advocating for it, here are a few facts about how a presumed consent system works and why it may not be the best idea for organ and tissue donation in the United States.
No Systems Operate as True Presumed Consent Models
While presumed consent has been enacted in several Western European countries, in practice most of these systems are implemented as family authorization, with families effectively able to override the presumption of consent.
Presumed Consent Removes the Opportunity for Discussion with the Family
Under the current opt-in system, organ procurement organizations have the opportunity to discuss donation with the family of any potential donor. In our area, authorization rates for organ donation are near 90%. An opt-out system would remove that opportunity for family discussion.
Coloradans and Wyomingites Do Not Support a Presumed Consent System
National research commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2019 found that 34% of respondents would “opt-out” of a presumed consent system if the United States moved to this type of system. This supports local research which found that 62% of Wyoming and 56% of Colorado respondents were opposed to an opt-out system. Many respondents viewed this pronouncement as one deemed by the government, not one of their own choosing. This could spur many to opt out, not wanting to be mandated to be a donor, though not necessarily due to a lack of support or belief in organ and tissue donation.
Presumed Consent is Not in Alignment with American Legal Principles
Generally, laws in our country are built heavily on the core concepts of individual rights and liberties. Presumed consent may be contrary to these fundamental legal principles. Although the idea of presumed consent may sound promising, a change of this magnitude may affect the public’s trust of the organ and tissue donation system. However, it is important to continue to dialogue about this on a regular basis as was done last month at an event hosted by Harvard Law School: "Nudging Organ Donation: Tools to Encourage Organ Availability."
Opt-out or Presumed Consent Would Not Make More Organs Available for Transplant
Finally, data suggests moving to an opt-out system would not make more organs available for transplant in the U.S. Under our voluntary, opt-in system, more than 70% of Americans who meet the criteria to donate actually become organ donors after their death. This results in about 32 organ donors per million population, which is the fourth highest organ donation rate in the world, including countries with an opt-out system.
Presumed Consent or Opt-Out: What does it mean?
You may have been hearing the term “presumed consent” or “opt-out” lately when it comes to organ and tissue 
donation around the world. The UK is the most recent country to adopt legislation that supports this.
The United States operates under an opt-in, first-person consent system. This means individuals must personally, actively sign up on the donor registry and, upon doing so, no further authorization is required when the decision of the donor is legally documented.
The Opt-in System is Preferred and Works for Americans
The idea of a presumed consent system may sound logical and the perfect way to address the rising need for organs and tissues for transplant. However, before you start advocating for it, here are a few facts about how a presumed consent system works and why it may not be the best idea for organ and tissue donation in the United States.
No Systems Operate as True Presumed Consent Models
While presumed consent has been enacted in several Western European countries, in practice most of these systems are implemented as family authorization, with families effectively able to override the presumption of consent.
Presumed Consent Removes the Opportunity for Discussion with the Family
Under the current opt-in system, organ procurement organizations have the opportunity to discuss donation with the family of any potential donor. In our area, authorization rates for organ donation are near 90%. An opt-out system would remove that opportunity for family discussion.
Coloradans and Wyomingites Do Not Support a Presumed Consent System
National research commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2019 found that 34% of respondents would “opt-out” of a presumed consent system if the United States moved to this type of system. This supports local research which found that 62% of Wyoming and 56% of Colorado respondents were opposed to an opt-out system. Many respondents viewed this pronouncement as one deemed by the government, not one of their own choosing. This could spur many to opt out, not wanting to be mandated to be a donor, though not necessarily due to a lack of support or belief in organ and tissue donation.
Presumed Consent is Not in Alignment with American Legal Principles
Generally, laws in our country are built heavily on the core concepts of individual rights and liberties. Presumed consent may be contrary to these fundamental legal principles. Although the idea of presumed consent may sound promising, a change of this magnitude may affect the public’s trust of the organ and tissue donation system. However, it is important to continue to dialogue about this on a regular basis as was done last month at an event hosted by Harvard Law School: "Nudging Organ Donation: Tools to Encourage Organ Availability."
Opt-out or Presumed Consent Would Not Make More Organs Available for Transplant
Finally, data suggests moving to an opt-out system would not make more organs available for transplant in the U.S. Under our voluntary, opt-in system, more than 70% of Americans who meet the criteria to donate actually become organ donors after their death. This results in about 32 organ donors per million population, which is the fourth highest organ donation rate in the world, including countries with an opt-out system.
Advocate Spotlight: Jeremy Mares
Donor Alliance volunteers and advocates are the heart and soul of our efforts to inspire and inform our community about the importance of signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor in Colorado and Wyoming. Each of our volunteers and advocates has their own unique and inspiring story to tell. In this advocate spotlight, meet Jeremy Mares, a liver transplant recipient from Aurora
, CO.
Get to Know Jeremy Mares in this Month's Advocate Spotlight:
What's your favorite memory or event volunteering at Donor Alliance so far? So far my favorite event has been a virtual speaking event about my patient experience. It was pretty amazing to join a large group of people while still being safe at home. Hope to do more of those!
What is your proudest accomplishment? It's a dated accomplishment, but I had fully recorded a little instrumental song to a 16-track digital recorder in my early 20s. It had bass, guitars, keys, and drums. I burned the 1:45 tune to a CD and listened to it in my car while I drove around town.
What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it? I caught bits and pieces of Netflix's "The Trial of the Chicago 7" and goodness I was hooked. Definitely recommend seeing it.
If you could take an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go? I would go to New Zealand and do the walk from The Shire to Mordor.
What are some of your favorite hobbies? My hobbies are the same now at 38 as they were when I was 11, video games and playing music (mostly guitar). I'm just better funded now.
What is your favorite season and why? I used to work in retail fashion and have always enjoyed the fall lines the best. #SweaterWeather
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? When struggling through insecurity and depression in graduate school my professor and I had a heart to heart and she looked me square in the eye and said, "Never judge your insides but other people's outsides". I have recited these words to myself many times over the years.
What has been your favorite hobby in quarantine? Or, have you learned something new? Cooking, hands down. It was always a favorite, but much more so now. I have leveled up my hummus, instant pot chicken, and overall knife skills. I have also leveled up my waist line.
If you're interested in volunteering with us we'd love to have you join our Advocates for Life program! Get started.
Staff Spotlight: Lauren Abernathy
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Lauren and her husband, Brett, during a trip to South Africa in 2019.[/caption]
We’re so proud to work with each and every one of our staff members here at Donor Alliance. In our Staff Spotlight, we like to take a minute to share who we are and why we work at Donor Alliance. In this month's staff spotlight, meet Lauren Abernathy, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Compliance Coordinator. In this role, Lauren provides data on each organ donor case to the OPTN.
This Month's Staff Spotlight is on Lauren Abernathy:
Name: Lauren Abernathy
Position: OPTN Compliance Coordinator
Years at Donor Alliance: 20 years
Tell us a little about your role with Donor Alliance: My role is in Quality Systems. My role provides regulatory compliance with the OPTN. I provide data on each organ donor case to the OPTN (UNOS) following their guidelines for data submission and deadlines. I track all cultures performed on every organ donor case and follow those until they have finalized. I report any positive cultures to the appropriate transplant centers. Over the past two years, I served as the Donor Alliance research coordinator for a national study looking at the use of mild hypothermia during donor management.
What made you want to work for Donor Alliance? I have a background in nursing and was exposed to the world of donation when I worked in the surgical/trauma ICU at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX. I cared for numerous potential organ donors. I started in the OPO world at Southwest Organ Bank as an organ recovery coordinator, but also worked in hospital development and management. My husband and I moved to Denver in 1990. I was hired by Colorado Organ Recovery Systems at that time. I took some time off to raise a family, but found I wanted to re-connect with my career. I returned to Donor Alliance part-time helping the finance department with hospital billing audits as well as learning the tissue side of recovery as a QA coordinator. In all of my roles, I have felt connected to the mission of saving lives through organ and tissue donation. That is what called me back and that is what keeps me motivated.
What do you enjoy most about your role/what’s the most rewarding aspect of your role? I love the critical thinking involved in completing reports for UNOS. I enjoy learning about policy and how that process works for change. I feel connected to our transplant centers through the relationships I’ve developed. Through the culture-reporting process I hope I am providing valuable information that contributes to better recipient outcomes.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun? I love spending time with my family and friends. I love to read, needlepoint, and especially travel.
What piece of advice would you give your younger self? I think I would tell my younger self: “Relax – You’re going to have a great life!”
Thanks for reading our staff spotlight!
Quick Organ and Tissue Transplant History
With the advances of science over recent years, it may be surprising to learn that the first successful organ transplant was in 1954. The first skin transplant was performed in 1869. That’s right! Organ and tissue donation and transplantation have been going on for over 150 years in the USA. Much has changed over the years of organ transplant history, so here are a few highlights.
Tissue Transplants Came First
Did you know that before we were able to transplant organs, the U.S. Navy established the first tissue bank in the USA in 1949? Although there are clinical records of tissue transplantation happening as far back as the 1800s, storage of transplantable tissues didn’t begin until the U.S. Navy Tissue Bank was created. Thanks to this advancement, tissues were able to be stored, saving and healing people when they needed a graft. Today, there are more than 120 accredited tissue banks across the USA who are continuously developing new processes for storing tissue. They are also creating innovative ways of saving and healing millions of people across the country and internationally.
Organ Transplant History: Living Donation Preceded Deceased Donation
The first successful kidney transplant was performed in Boston in 1954 when a living donor gave one of his kidneys to his identical twin brother. This was followed by kidney donations/transplants between fraternal twins and siblings who weren’t twins. Because of these pioneering transplants over 50 years ago, there have been more than 162,000 kidney transplants since 1988.* Almost 28% of these transplants continue to be between siblings. With more than 85% of candidates on the waiting list needing a kidney, living donation continues to be an important possibility for donation. Learn more about how to become a living donor.
Organ Transplant History: Deceased Donation Quickly Followed
Organ transplant history is not linear. The advent of deceased organ donation and transplant had some of its beginnings in Colorado. Successful organ recoveries from deceased donors began in 1962 with the first deceased donor kidney transplant in Boston. However, it wasn’t until 1967, when Dr. Thomas Starzl performed the first successful liver transplant at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. With deceased donors able to donate lifesaving organs to up to eight different individuals, deceased donation quickly overtook living donation in the number of transplants. In 2019, there were more than 32,000 transplants from deceased donors and just over 7,000 from living organ donors. Colorado’s four transplant centers continue to be among the most innovative in the field of transplantation.
Regulation Needed: Uniform Anatomical Gift Act Enacted
With all of this activity within the field of organ and tissue donation and transplantation, it was clear that laws needed to be established in order to govern the processes involved. In 1968, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) was enacted as a federal law in all 50 states. Since then, it has been revised twice and the current 2006 version has been adopted in both Colorado and Wyoming. The adoption of the UAGA:
- allows individuals to make an anatomical (or bodily) gift to be effective after death
- establishes donor registries (like signing up on the Donate Life Colorado or Wyoming donor registry) as a valid document of gift (official, sworn statement confirming the gift);
- makes registries first-person authorization, advance directives (like a will);
- creates a list of legal next of kin who may authorize for donation if the donor is not on the donor registry;
- prohibits trafficking in human organs for profit from donations for transplant or therapy.
Read the entire Colorado UAGA and Wyoming UAGA.
Where is your dot on the timeline?
With more than 826,000 organ transplants performed since 1988* and millions of tissue grafts transplanted, countless lives have been affected by the history of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. It doesn't matter whether you registered to be a donor the minute you got your driver permit or you were inspired to register yesterday! The simple act of saying Yes to donation and signing up to save lives anchors your spot in a unique community.
Check out these resources to learn more about organ transplant history, as well as that of tissue transplantation.
*up to date data can be found here: https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3495391/#ref11
https://unos.org/transplant/history/
https://www.organdonor.gov/about/facts-terms/history.html
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/learn/about-transplantation/history/
Ryan Harris, Super Bowl 50 Champion, Shares the Profound Impact Organ Donation has Had on His Family
Ryan Harris, Super Bowl 50 Champion, shared how organ donation has impacted his family and encouraged the community to consider signing up to be organ donors after death.
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A former Denver Bronco and practicing Muslim, Ryan Harris is passionate about educating the community on organ donation.[/caption]
My Father's Life was Saved by Organ Donation
My father has been a lifelong inspiration, supporting my dreams of being a professional athlete and Super Bowl champion – and he would not be here today if not for the generous gift of organ donation. Each year, during this month of gratitude, I make sure to take the time to reflect on how such an incredible act has profoundly impacted my entire family.
As a Muslim, this month is particularly meaningful because National Donor Sabbath is celebrated every year two weekends before Thanksgiving. National Donor Sabbath is a time for Colorado faith leaders, families of organ donors, transplant recipients and faith communities to come together to learn and share more about the lifesaving gift of donation and transplantation. I’ve been so inspired by seeing the impact that our donor hero had on my father, that I’ve become a passionate advocate for organ donation.
Coming Together to Celebrate National Donor Sabbath
All major faiths support organ donation, including the Islamic faith. Moreover, many faiths recognize organ donation as a selfless act of compassion and charity. Since many people often look to leaders in their faith for guidance on matters of both life and death. National Donor Sabbath gives faith communities the opportunity to share their views and join the conversation.
Organ Donation is Permissible within the Islamic Faith
I recently spoke with Dr. Omar Suleiman about the Islamic stance on donation and transplantation, and organ donation being permissible within the Islamic faith. I invite members of the Colorado community to share the facts of donation with your own faith community and encourage them to consider signing up to be an organ donor after death.
I Encourage all Colorado Residents to Say Yes to Organ Donation
In sharing the impact that a living donor has had on my father, and my family, I am hopeful that I can help inspire others. Coloradans interested in becoming living donors should contact their local transplant center for more information. I realize that not everyone can be a living organ donor, but I encourage all residents to say Yes to being an organ donor at the time of their death.
DonateLifeColorado.org is a great resource with the facts you need to make this informed decision about organ donation and to sign up to become a donor online. You can also sign up when obtaining or renewing your driver license or state ID at the driver license office.
Ryan Harris, Super Bowl 50 Champion & Muslim
Denver, CO
National DMV Appreciation Month: Celebrating Partners Making a Difference
September was National DMV Appreciation Month. Earlier this year, many driver license offices across the country were closed for COVID-19 safety reasons. To allow more time to recognize and support our DMV partners, Donate life America extended National DMV Appreciation Week to the entire month of September. We spent the month celebrating our Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Driver License Office partners in Colorado and Driver Services partners in Wyoming. Their commitment to supporting our mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation is vital in building the incredible amount of support we see in our region.
The Impact
The number of organ transplants in the U.S. has increased every year for seven years. This is a remarkable, lifesaving achievement. So much so that this month, Alex Azar of the Department of Health and Human Services sent a letter thanking DMV employees for their critical role in registering the American public to be organ donors.
Additionally, in 2019, Colorado once again earned the top spot in the nation for highest Donor Designation Rate (DDR). Wyoming also jumped to 3rd in the nation. These achievements simply wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the hard work, dedication and strong partnership between Donor Alliance and the team members at the DMV and Driver Services.
How We Celebrated (and YOU can too!)
We showed appreciation for Driver License partners by thanking the hard-working staff and leadership through local events and outreach. Here are some photos from our visits:
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We participated in a special podcast with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to discuss driver licensing partners, Donate Life America and organ, eye and tissue donation. Check out the AAMVAcast here.
We're also very excited to have been a part of several award presentations celebrating the work of the remarkable DMV and Driver Services team members throughout the month.
Renee Krawiec, Deputy Program Manager, Wyoming Department of Transportation & Driver Services, was selected as the Donate Life America DMV Innovation Award winner both nationally and for AAMVA Region 4.
Renee championed the implementation of online education training on organ, eye and tissue donation for all Driver Services staff. Collaborating with Driver Services, Donor Alliance developed the new digital training module and achieved a 100% completion rate - showing the commitment of Wyoming Driver Services to understanding the facts of donation and transplantation and saving lives.
La Junta driver license manager, Christina Salas was awarded the Donate Life America Lifesaver Award for AAMVA Region IV.
Christina was presented the award in recognition of the positive changes she affected in her community. She went beyond her duties in helping raise awareness for donation and transplantation after the tragic death of a local teenager she had advised at the La Junta Driver License Office.
It’s Not Too Late to Show Your Appreciation, Too!
- Reach out to your local Driver License office and thank them! To find the location nearest you, click here for Colorado and here for Wyoming.
- Post a positive comment on their social media pages: Facebook- @ColoradoRevenue @WyomingDeptofTransportation (please mention Driver Services); twitter- @CO_Revenue
- Write a letter expressing your appreciation for all that they do! Share your connection to donation & transplantation with the staff. To find the address for the location nearest you, click here for Colorado and here for Wyoming.
Say Yes to organ, eye and tissue donation every time you renew or obtain your driver license or state ID. You can also sign up online anytime at DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.
Prevenir el Rechazo de Órganos y Tejidos
Uno de los últimos problemas que un paciente o su familia quieren preocuparse después de recibir un trasplante de órganos o tejidos es si el trasplante será rechazado. Sin embargo, es importante reconocer que el rechazo no es lo mismo que perder el órgano o tejido trasplantado, y las tasas de supervivencia de los órganos siguen mejorando. Sigue leyendo para obtener más información sobre el rechazo de trasplantes de órganos y tejidos, estadísticas de rechazo y cómo promover la tolerancia a los órganos y tejidos.
Estadísticas de rechazo de trasplantes de órganos y tejidos:
Cada sistema inmunológico reacciona de manera diferente a los órganos trasplantados, por lo que no hay una fórmula establecida para determinar si un órgano será rechazado por tu cuerpo o no. Sin embargo, continuamente se desarrollan nuevos medicamentos para reducir el riesgo de rechazo del trasplante en los pacientes. Con estos nuevos medicamentos, las tasas de rechazo son tan bajas como el 10-15 % de los pacientes y la supervivencia del órgano trasplantado a un año ha mejorado al 95%. En la actualidad, el rechazo del tejido es poco común.
Lee mas sobre las preguntas Frecuentes de la Donación aquí
¿Por qué ocurre el rechazo de órganos y tejidos?
El rechazo de órganos y tejidos ocurre porque el sistema inmunológico es capaz de reconocer los trasplantes como algo extraño al cuerpo. Normalmente, se perciben las entidades extrañas como amenazas, y en el caso de virus, bacterias o parásitos, ¡esto es algo bueno! Reconocer y destruir rápidamente la infección evita que se desarrollen síntomas graves.
En el caso de los trasplantes, debemos engañar al sistema inmunológico para que tolere un objeto extraño en el cuerpo. Es importante destacar que con cada trasplante, hay algún nivel de "rechazo" del sistema inmunológico, pero en la mayoría de los casos, el grado de rechazo no será clínicamente significativo. Aunque el rechazo de tejidos es bastante poco común, aún existe un bajo riesgo de rechazo en el caso de los trasplantes de órganos. Afortunadamente, hay muchas formas diferentes en que los equipos de atención médica y los pacientes pueden reducir el riesgo de rechazo tanto antes como después de un trasplante de órganos.
¿Cómo se Podemos Prevenir y Promover la Tolerancia Inmunológica de un Trasplante?
El rechazo de órganos puede clasificarse de dos maneras: rechazo agudo y rechazo crónico. El rechazo agudo generalmente ocurre al menos dentro del primer año después del trasplante, si ocurre. El rechazo crónico ocurre a lo largo de meses o años, llevando a la pérdida lenta de la función del órgano, generalmente sin culpa del paciente siempre y cuando se tome la medicación contra el rechazo de manera consistente.
- Para reducir las posibilidades de rechazo del trasplante y pérdida del mismo, se toman los siguientes pasos antes de que ocurra el trasplante:
- Asegurarse de que el receptor y el donante tengan tipos de sangre compatibles.
- Realizar pruebas genéticas para garantizar coincidencias compatibles entre el receptor y el donante.
En el caso de donantes vivos, se prefieren órganos de familiares.
Los siguientes pasos se pueden tomar después de que ocurra el trasplante:
Los resultados de laboratorio deben monitorearse con frecuencia durante el primer año después del trasplante.
- Se deben tomar consistentemente medicamentos contra el rechazo, según las indicaciones del equipo de trasplante.
- Se pueden recetar diferentes medicamentos para reducir los efectos secundarios adversos.
- Los receptores de órganos también deben ser educados sobre los posibles signos de rechazo del órgano y alertar a su proveedor de atención médica si experimentan alguno de los siguientes síntomas.
¿Interesado en más datos sobre la donación de órganos y tejidos?
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Fuentes:
Staff Spotlight: Colin Larkin
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Colin with his wife, Julie.[/caption]
We’re so proud to work with each and every one of our staff members here at Donor Alliance. In our Staff Spotlight, we like to take a minute to share who we are and why we work at Donor Alliance. In this month's staff spotlight, meet Colin Larkin, a Regional Donation Consultant based in Grand Junction. In that role, Colin partners with hospitals on the Western Slope to help facilitate the donation process through education and continued partnership.
This Month's Staff Spotlight is on Colin Larkin:
Name: Colin Larkin
Position: Regional Donation Consultant - Grand Junction
Years at Donor Alliance: 12 years
Tell us a little about your role with Donor Alliance: In my role as Regional Donation Consultant I have several responsibilities. I partner with hospitals on the Western Slope with respect to their role in the donation process. This relationship is developed through education and working with hospital staff to ensure that we maximize every donation opportunity. I also have been asked to speak about organ and tissue donation within the larger community. Often, I work with donor families in the local hospitals to help them honor their loved one’s decision to help others through donation.
What made you want to work for Donor Alliance? Prior to working for Donor Alliance, I participated in a hospital chaplain residency. In this role I was exposed to the great work of Donor Alliance. I was impressed by Donor Alliance’s mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation and felt my background in chaplaincy and medical research would be a good fit for advancing that mission.
What do you enjoy most about your role/what’s the most rewarding aspect of your role? Guiding donor families through the donation process is the most rewarding work I have ever done in my life. It is a humbling privilege to walk with families through their grief in the hopes of helping others through donation.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun? Living on the Western Slope of Colorado is a wonderful fit for my wife, Julie, and me. We love to hike with our dogs, cross country ski on the Grand Mesa, and take our teardrop camper up into the surrounding mountains and desert.
What piece of advice would you give your younger self? I would tell myself to hold on to plans for the future loosely and to always try and be present and grateful for every day that I have in the work I do and for the time I have with family and friends.
Thanks for reading our staff spotlight!
Advocate Spotlight: Kristen Atkinson
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Kristen with her husband, Tim.[/caption]
Donor Alliance volunteers and advocates are the heart and soul of our efforts to inspire and inform our community about the importance of signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor in Colorado and Wyoming. Each of our volunteers and advocates has their own unique and inspiring story to tell. In this advocate spotlight, meet Kristen Atkinson, a recipient's wife and caregiver from Firestone, CO.
Get to Know Kristen Atkinson in this Month's Advocate Spotlight:
What's your favorite thing about volunteering at Donor Alliance? I love giving back to an organization and a cause that’s given me so much. My husband wouldn’t be here today without organ donation. I enjoy meeting people who don’t know how the process works, and also meeting those that know far more than I do. It’s been such an engaging experience all the way around.
What is your proudest accomplishment? Going back to college. I’ve never gotten a degree, but it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do. It’s been slow going but has been a lot of fun! I love learning new things.
What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it? Avengers: Endgame. It was great! The Marvel universe is so different, and we loved watching all the movies.
If you could take an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go? Probably Alaska. There’s so many National Parks I would love to see up there, and glaciers and northern lights are things I’ve always wanted to see.
What are some of your favorite hobbies? My husband and I do 5K charity runs pretty frequently. I also like doing crafts, like jewelry making, knitting, and journaling. I also like reading.
What song would you sing at karaoke night? I’m definitely not a good singer – so anything where I’m not the only person on the stage!
If you could have any super power for 24 hours, what would it be? I’d want the ability to change anything about anyone. Imagine all the good things you could do for people in 24 hours!
What's your favorite holiday and why? Halloween! I love the costumes and the fun of the Halloween. And I loved dressing up and candy as a kid. Okay, even still as an adult. 😊
What's your favorite season and why? 100% Fall. I love the cooler weather.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? “Remember who you are.” Sometimes it’s hard to remember who we are, especially in hard situations. If I step back and take a moment to remember who I am, my perspective often changes.
Book Discussion: “The Organ Thieves” – Lessons Learned, Shaping the Future Actions within Donation & Transplantation
With the recent publication of the book The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South, we must acknowledge the past transgressions within the healthcare system and donation and transplantation field in the United States.
The Organ Thieves is about Bruce Tucker, a Black man who suffered a head injury in 1968 and was taken to a top research hospital in Virginia to be treated. Tucker passed away from his injury and hospital staff moved forward with recovering his organs for donation, and he became the first heart donor in the segregated South. The book highlights how hospital staff failed to communicate with Tucker’s family and get proper authorization before going forward with the donation process, a continuation of medical practices that marginalized and mistreated Black people at the time.
Woven into the history of donation and transplantation in the U.S. is a painful reality of the injustices people of color have faced. We must learn from past experiences and use them to inform future actions. Here we take a look at how the system has evolved since the Bruce Tucker case outlined in The Organ Thieves.
The Organ Donation Process Today: Authorization
Our mission at Donor Alliance is to save lives through organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation. It is our duty as a federally-designated organ procurement organization to ensure organ donation is optimized and executed in the fairest and most ethical manner possible.
We’re committed to saving and healing lives through our work, regardless of background, race or ethnicity. This hasn’t always been the case in our field or in medicine at large, which is why processes have been put in place to ensure transparency and stringency in the authorization process.
Today, we have discussions with each family of a potential organ donor to make sure that they are in-the-know and to ensure that their loved one’s decision is honored.
The following authorization process is followed during every case, regardless of the race of the donor:
- Local organ procurement organization (OPO) personnel are notified that a potential donor faces imminent brain death or has passed away.
- OPO personnel search the registry database for the potential donor.
- If the potential donor is identified within the database as a registered donor, the family is notified of their loved one’s donor designation status.
- If the potential donor is not registered as a donor at the time of death, his or her family can give authorization for their loved one to be a donor. The donation process proceeds only after the family has granted authorization.
- A medical evaluation then takes place, including obtaining complete medical and social history from the family.
Authorization and the family discussion are just one step of the organ donation process, and happens separately and independently from the diagnosis of the patient and the declaration of death.
Apart from a fair and transparent allocation process, we work to ensure education about donation and transplantation is accessible to people of color in our region, including outreach targeted at the Black community in particular.
Looking for more facts on donation and transplantation? Visit our Colorado facts page or our Wyoming facts page.
To sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, simply say Yes at the DMV or driver license office the next time you obtain or renew your license or state I.D. You can also sign up anytime online at DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.
Is Coronavirus a Rule-out for Organ Transplants?
When it comes to rule outs for organ transplants, it's important to get the facts, especially when discussing coronavirus and other diseases.
Active coronavirus continues to be a rule out for both organ and tissue donors as well as recipients. However, once recovered, donation and transplantation are both possible, as is the case with many other viral illnesses.
Exposure Does Not Prevent Future Donation: Recovered Coronavirus Patients May Be Eligible to be Organ Donors
A person who is through the acute phase of the disease may be eligible for organ donation now and in the future. Just
as with other viral diseases, like the flu or Epstein Barr, historical exposure is not a rule out for donation.
Anyone, regardless of age, lifestyle or medical condition, can sign up to be a donor. Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hepatitis and cancer can also potentially save and heal lives through donation. Eligibility for organ, eye and tissue donation is medically evaluated at the time of death. Even donors who are HIV+ may now be eligible to be organ donors through the Hope Act.
Please do not rule yourself out. If you support organ, eye and tissue donation, we encourage you to sign up to be donor now and let the medical professionals determine eligibility at that time.
Only Active COVID-19 is Currently a Medical Rule-out
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Picture Courtesy: CDC[/caption]
With no existing treatment or cure, acute or active COVID-19 is currently a medical rule out for both organ and tissue donation. However, as with many other illnesses, medical science is likely to change that over time and even active coronavirus is not expected to be a rule out for donation in coming years, much like the flu.
The decision to utilize donor organs ultimately rests with transplant surgeons who manage complex decisions around patient care.
Living Organ Donation
The information on this page pertains to deceased organ donation. Living donation is facilitated directly through the transplant centers. Please contact one of the four transplant centers in our area for more information.
COVID-19 Information and Resources
- United Network for Organ Sharing information regarding COVID-19
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- The American Society of Transplantation: COVID-19 information for transplant recipients, candidates and professionals
- The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO): COVID-19 Bulletin
- Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN): Information for transplant programs and OPOs regarding 2019 Novel Coronavirus
- American Association of Tissue Banks: COVID-19 Updates
- State of Colorado Information on the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Wyoming COVID-19 Info & Updates
- Wyoming Department of Health