Cobertura Reciente en los Medios

Staff Spotlight: Brittany Jones

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. As an Administrative Assistant at the Donor Alliance Recovery Center, Brittany Jones supports the facilities manager and clinical staff. Brittany says one of the best things about working at Donor Alliance is developing professional and personal relationships, with not only staff members, but Partners as well.

Name: Brittany Jones

Position: Administrative Assistant- Recovery Center

Years at Donor Alliance: 9 ½ years

Tell us a little about your role with Donor Alliance: I work at the recovery center, which can be a very busy place. I support the facilities manager and the clinical staff. I am responsible for receiving and releasing donors from our facility. I keep track of the supplies used during each case and I greet all vendors who visit the recovery center.

What is the best thing about working at Donor Alliance? I’m happy to know I am one of the last people who has the honor to care for our donors while also supporting our clinical teams. I enjoy developing professional and personal relationships, not only with DA staff but also our Partners with whom I interact with daily.

What does donation & transplantation mean to you? For me, donation is a selfless act that helps another person in need. Knowing that families trust me, as an employee of Donor Alliance, provides me a sense of purpose that I carry with me throughout my daily work. When I think of transplantation, I think of the vastly growing medical advancements obtainable to recipients and the new life experiences they will have.

When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun? I’m currently completing my pre-requisites for nursing school. So fun is only seldom. When I do have down time, I prefer to spend time with my three sons and my husband. I also enjoy cooking, crafting and barre workouts.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Be humble and always try your best.

Advocate Spotlight: Sandy Berg

[caption id="attachment_25830" align="alignright" width="397"] Sandy (right) with her husband and daughter[/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. This month, we're featuring Sandy Berg from Pine, CO. Sandy's son, Jack, passed away in 2012 and gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering for Donor Alliance? My favorite thing about volunteering at Donor Alliance is the people I get to meet and work with. The Donor Alliance staff and the Advocates all just feel like instant family. I just feel better about life and my purpose after spending time with like-minded and grateful people.

If you could have any superpower for 24 hours, what would you do? I am not sure if it is a super power but I would get everyone to be kinder to one another and hopefully, it would become a habit in most cases. People are so mean to one another – which reminds me of a piece of advice that my mother used to say “If you can’s say something nice, don’t say anything at all!”

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? The best piece of advice I ever received was from my father and it was, when angry - take a few deep breaths before reacting. This has gotten easier as I have gotten older. Sort of…

What is your favorite holiday and why? Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it reminds me to be grateful for my many blessings before the craziness of Christmas starts.

What is your favorite season and why? Winter is my favorite season! I love a good snowstorm if we are all safe at home with a fire going, there is homemade soup on the stove-top, the horses are dry with their blankets on and we have diesel for the plow once the snow stops.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishments are my kids. I think they are pretty good humans who do good things in this world.

What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it? I love to read and the most recent one that I didn’t want to end was, “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. A great movie that was not in the theaters long was “Yesterday”. If you love The Beatles, you will love this movie!

What song would you sing at karaoke night? At karaoke night I would sing anything by a band from Iowa called 'The Nadas.' If it had to be a song people recognized it would be, 'Sweet Caroline' because that one seems to make everyone smile.

What are some of your favorite hobbies? My favorite hobbies include reading, hiking with my husband and our dogs, fishing and floating down the Platte on tubes with friends on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

If you could take an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go? If I could take an all-expenses paid trip I would travel around Europe for a month. We went for two weeks last year and the beauty and history surrounding you is just incredible

Aftercare: Resources for Donor Families

(Part One of Three in our “Aftercare” Series)

Donor family members are the heart and soul of our mission at Donor Alliance. Through their cooperation and support during one of the most tragic times in their lives, donor families play a vital role in saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.

“The best part of my job is meeting and working with families who, on their worst day, chose to help another person,” said Joyleen Helcoski, Aftercare Coordinator at Donor Alliance.

Donor Alliance’s Aftercare department cares for donor families after the donation process, fostering continued communication and offering up useful resources along the way.

To kick off our “Aftercare” series, we’re diving into the resources available for donor families.

Tools and Resources for Donor Families

From events to online tools, we provide ongoing support for donor families once the donation process is complete. It’s important to note that these resources listed below are available for all families at any time on our donor family resources page.

• Memorial Event: the Donor Family Tribute is an event for Donor Alliance donor families to gather and honor the lives and legacies of their loved ones who were donors.
• Donor Family Quilt Project: the Rocky Mountain Threads of Life quilts are another way for donor families to remember their loved one who gave the gift of life. Donor Alliance donor families can create a quilt square in honor of their loved one, that will be sewn into a larger quilt and displayed at various events and gatherings across Colorado and Wyoming. To download a quilt square template and release form, click here.
• *NEW* Private Facebook Group: the goal of this new Facebook group is to have a place for donor family members to connect with and support one another along their grief journey. All Donor Alliance donor families are encouraged to join, whether it’s to participate in discussion or to simply quietly follow along. Donor Alliance donor family members can request to join the donor family Facebook group, here.
• Grief Resources: Donor Alliance can help connect donor families with grief support resources in their community, including support groups, as well as literature about loss and grief. Grief resources can be requested anytime, here.

For the next few posts in our “Aftercare” series, we’re breaking down how donor families and recipients can connect and we’re answering some of your common Aftercare questions.
Read Part Two: Connecting Donor Families and Recipients, here.

For more information and aftercare resources, please visit the donor family resources page. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor any time on our websites: DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.

Join us in celebrating the gift of life at events across Colorado and Wyoming this holiday season!

This season join us and residents across Colorado and Wyoming whose lives have been touched by organ, eye and tissue donation to celebrate the gift of life. With community parades across the two-state area, there are plenty of opportunities to show your support for donation and transplantation awareness by participating in these events!

Dec. 7: Donate Life Wyoming at the Cheyenne Christmas Parade

Wyoming residents are invited to join heart recipient Jeremy Smario and Donate Life Wyoming at this year’s Cheyenne Christmas Parade. Jeremy will ride this year’s Grinch-themed “How Big is Your Heart” float. At just 33 years old, Jeremy suffered from heart failure, and his only option for survival was a new heart. Now, thanks to a lifesaving transplant, Jeremy has returned to a happy, healthy life with his family and is sharing his transplant journey at the parade.

Coloradans have two opportunities to celebrate the season with us! Residents that have had a family member become a donor, or who have received a transplant themselves, will escort the Donate Life Colorado “Gift of Life” balloon in Denver’s 9News Parade of Lights and will also show support at the 35^th annual Festival of Lights Parade in Colorado Springs.

Dec. 6 & 7: Denver’s 45^th Annual 9News Parade of Lights

Head downtown to join Donate Life Colorado at the annual 9News Parade of Lights where the “Gift of Life” balloon will be featured. The jumbo balloon is in the shape of a gift box, honoring organ, eye and tissue donors and representing the hope made possible by donation. Families of donors and transplant recipients, including Denver resident and the mother of a heart recipient, Lisa Vallejos, and the mother of an organ donor, Kristen Adcock of Morrison, will lead the float along the two-mile parade route.

Kristen lost her son Connor in 2017 when he was just 19 years old. Kristen remembers her son as a giver throughout his life. He continued that legacy after his death by saving and healing the lives of up to 70 people.

Lisa’s son, Gabriel was born with a rare heart defect. In order to survive, he needed a transplant immediately after he was born. At 13 days old, Gabriel received a new heart. Thanks to his lifesaving transplant, Gabriel is now a healthy 12-year-old living his life to the fullest, playing video games and learning to code.

Attending the parade this year? Great! Remember to take a picture of the special “Gift of Life” balloon and share it on social with your #GiftofLife story. Be sure to tag Donate Life Colorado in your posts.

If you can’t make it out this year then join us on Facebook as we share the 9News live stream of the event.

Dec. 7: 35^th Annual Colorado Springs Festival of Lights Parade

Colorado Springs residents are encouraged to join Donate Life Colorado at the annual Festival of Lights Parade. Loved ones of donors, transplant recipients, transplant candidates, advocates and their families and friends will walk in the parade in support of donation and transplantation. Liver recipient and Firestone resident, Tim Atkinson will be at the parade and share his transplant story with the community. Tim received a lifesaving transplant after being diagnosed with liver disease. Now in good health, Tim is grateful to his donor for giving him the gift of life and vows to live each day to the fullest.

Happy holidays and we hope to see you all there!

For more opportunities to get involved and raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation throughout the year, visit DonorAlliance.org/Volunteer-Opportunities. 

Celebrate organ and transplantation awareness this holiday season! 

Eye Donation Month: Honoring the Gift of Sight

The History:
Did you know that November is Eye Donation Month? The month was first proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. Eye Donation Month has since been used as an opportunity to educate the public about the importance of signing up to be an eye, organ and tissue donor, and about cornea donation and transplantation.

2019 Theme:

This year’s campaign is centered on the theme, The Power of You, which acknowledges the entire community of people who are involved in the journey of sight restoration. The campaign demonstrates the “power” that individuals have in building hope, restoring sight and changing lives. This includes healthcare professionals and partners, researchers, eye bank staff, corneal surgeons, and recipients and donor families.

The Mission:
Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank (RMLEB) is a partner to Donor Alliance and recovers eye tissue from donors in Colorado and most of Wyoming. The mission of the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank is to fulfill the wishes of eye donors and their families in order to help another overcome blindness through transplantation and research. Because so many said Yes to eye donation, in the last year in our service area:

• 2,727 eye donors gave the gift of sight.
• 2,514 eye tissues were used in sight-restorative transplants and reconstruction.
• 328 eye tissues were used by RMLEB or other research centers to advance surgery techniques and innovations to fight blindness.

Fast Facts:

• The first corneal transplant occurred way back in 1905.
• Corneal transplants are one of the most frequently performed human transplant procedures. The cornea is the eye’s outermost layer; a clear dome-shaped tissue that covers the front of the eye. Diseases and injuries of the cornea cause clouding and scarring which blocks light from entering the eye and diminishes vision.
• Anyone can become an eye donor. Cataracts, poor eyesight or age do not prevent someone from being an eye donor.
• Everyone is a universal eye donor. Blood type and eye color do not matter.
• It is important for individuals wanting to be donors to sign up! Also, inform your family members of your decision.

Get Involved:

• Getting involved this month is easy! Just visit the Eye Bank Association of America’s toolkit. There you can download FREE fact sheets and infographics.
• Also, share your eye donation story with us on social media, using #EyeDonationMonth, and encourage others to do the same.
• Lastly, you can help any time by signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor online at DonateLifeWyoming.org or DonateLifeColorado.org!

2018 Annual Report

2018 Annual Report - A Journey of Performance Excellence

2018 was a year of many accomplishments. We have been on a performance excellence journey for nearly a decade. We're very proud to have been named a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner in 2018. Through our efforts in continuing public education, fostering strong regional partnerships and keeping our mission-driven attitude, Colorado placed top in the country with the highest donor designation rate (DDR) of 69%. Wyoming also made the top 10 in the country with a DDR of 60%. We are grateful to the generous donors and their families who help us achieve our mission of saving lives every day. We are proud to share our many accomplishments with you in our 2018 annual report, below.

Mes del Recuerdo: Recordando a todos los Donantes de Órganos y Tejidos este Noviembre

Noviembre es también conocido como el "Mes de Recuerdo" por las comunidades cristianas, un tiempo para recordar a aquellos que han fallecido. A lolargo del mes, se conmemoran diferentes celebraciones en comunidades de todo el mundo dedicadas a mantener la memoria viva de aquellos que ya no están con nosotros.

Estas fechas tan especiales incluyen:

• Día de Todos los Santos: el 1 de noviembre es el Día de Todos los Santos, cuando los católicos recuerdan y honran a los santos que han sido conmemorados por la Iglesia Católica.
• Día de todas las almas: el 2 de noviembre es el día de todas las almas, un día para recordar a todos los que han fallecido y rezar por sus almas. Muchas parroquias invitan a los miembros a traer fotos de sus seres queridos para colocarlas en un altar para que todos puedan honrarlas y recordarlas durante todo el mes.
• El Día de los Muertos: en México y otras comunidades latinoamericanas, el 2 de noviembre también se conoce como el Día de los Muertos. En esta fecha, las familias visitan las tumbas de sus seres queridos y celebrar una vigilia de recuerdo en el cementerio. Algunas familias también construyen un altar u ofrenda en su hogar para honrar y recordar a sus seres queridos durante todo el mes.
• Día del Recuerdo: El Día del Recuerdo o “Remembrance Day” se celebra el 11 de noviembre en toda Europa, marcando el final de la Primera Guerra Mundial con la firma del Armisticio en Francia. Alternativamente, el 11 de noviembre es el día en que se honra y recuerda a los veteranos en los Estados Unidos.
• National Donor Sabbath: Celebrado del 15-17 de noviembre, es un momento para que los fieles de todas las denominaciones se reúnan y hablen sobre la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos con sus líderes y consideren dar el regalo de la vida. Algunas comunidades religiosas usan este tiempo para honrar a aquellos que han muerto y dieron vida a través de la donación. National Donor Sabbtah también sirve como un recordatorio de que todas las religiones principales apoyan la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos y muchos lo ven como un acto final de amabilidad.
• Día de Acción de Gracias: Por último, no debemos olvidar que el Día de Acción de Gracias o Thanksgiving es un día para recordar todas las bendiciones en nuestras vidas y dar gracias por todo lo bueno que ha sucedido durante todo el año.

Como puedes ayudar a recordar:

Habla sobre la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos con los miembros de tu comunidad religiosa. Tu puedes ayudar a mantener vivo el recuerdo de aquellos que dieron el regalo de la vida. Tenemos recursos educativos GRATUITOS a los que puedes acceder para iniciar la conversación. También puedes seguirnos en nuestra página de Facebook Done Vida Colorado y compartir nuestras publicaciones durante el mes de noviembre. Como siempre, puedes ayudar al registrarte para ser un donante de órganos, ojos y tejidos en DoneVidaColorado.org.

Aquí en Donor Alliance, recordaremos a todos los donantes de órganos, ojos y tejidos a lo largo de noviembre. Independientemente del idioma o la fe, ¡TODOS los donantes amorosamente dieron el regalo de la vida y eso es algo importante que hay que recordar y honrar este mes y siempre!

Month of Remembrance: Remembering Organ, Eye and Tissue Donors this November

The Month of Remembrance

November is often referred to as the “month of remembrance” in Christian communities, a time to remember those that have passed on. Sprinkled throughout the month are observances celebrated throughout different communities around the world dedicated to keeping their memories alive.

Many Observances

All Saints Day: November 1^st is All Saints Day, when Catholics remember and honor the saints who have been commemorated by the Catholic Church.

All Souls Day: November 2^nd is All Souls day, a day to remember all those who have died and pray for their souls. Many parishes invite members to bring in pictures of loved ones to place on an altar so all may honor and remember them throughout the month.

El Día de los Muertos: In Mexico and other Latin American communities, November 2^nd is also known as el Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Families take the time to visit the graves of their loved ones and hold a vigil of remembrance at the cemetery. They may also construct a small altar inside their home as a reminder of their loved one throughout the month or the entire year.

Remembrance Day: Remembrance Day is celebrated on November 11^th throughout Europe, marking the end of World War I with the signing of the Armistice in France. Alternately, November 11^th is the day we honor and remember our veterans in the United States.

National Donor Sabbath: Observed two weekends before Thanksgiving, this year November 15^th-17^th, National Donor Sabbath (NDS) is a time for the faithful from all denominations to come together and raise awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation. Some faith communities use this time to honor those who have died and gave life through donation and transplantation. NDS is also a great reminder that all major religions support organ, eye and tissue donation and many view it as a final act of kindness.

Thanksgiving: Lastly, we mustn’t forget that Thanksgiving is a day to remember all of the blessings in our lives and give thanks for all the good that has happened throughout the year!

How YOU Can Help Remember:

Talk about organ, eye and tissue donation within your faith community! You can help keep the memory of those who gave the gift of life, alive, through donation. We have FREE educational resources you can access to help start the conversation. You can also follow us on social media (Colorado, Wyoming) and share our posts throughout November to raise awareness.

As always, you can help by signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor when you obtain or renew your driver license or state ID, or sign up anytime online at DonateLifeColorado.org, DoneVidaColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.

Here at Donor Alliance, we will remember our organ, eye and tissue donors throughout November. Regardless of background, language or faith ALL donors selflessly gave the gift of life and that is something important to remember and honor this month and beyond!

Reconociendo a aquellos que ayudan a hacer la diferencia: Semana Nacional de Apreciación del DMV

Sobre la Semana Nacional de Apreciación del DMV:

La Semana Nacional de Apreciación del DMV, celebrada la semana del 23 de septiembre del 2019, es un momento para reconocer y agradecer a las oficinas de Licencias de Conducir (Driver Licenses Ofices) del Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados (DMV) en Colorado y a Servicios al Conductor (Driver Services) en Wyoming por su compromiso para apoyar la misión de Donor Alliance de salvar vidas a través de la donación y el trasplante de órganos y tejidos.

El impacto:

En el 2018, Colorado obtuvo el primer lugar en la nación por la mayor tasa de designación de donantes (DDR), y Wyoming solidificó el sexto lugar en la nación. En lo que va del año, un sorprendente 69% de los habitantes de Colorado y el 62% de los residentes de Wyoming han tomado la decisión de registrarse para ser donantes de órganos, ojos y tejidos. Esto simplemente no hubiera sido posible si no fuera por el trabajo duro, la dedicación y la sólida asociación entre Donor Alliance y los empleados del DMV y los Servicios de Conductores. Los empleados trabajan con Donor Alliance durante todo el año, en capacitaciones, en el Mes Nacional de Done Vida y durante el Día Azul y Verde, todo como un esfuerzo por educar e inspirar al público a registrarse para ser donantes de órganos, ojos y tejidos.

También es importante tener en cuenta que, según datos recientes, más del 99% de los registros de donantes en Colorado y Wyoming se realizan a través de las transacciones de licencias de conducir. Donor Alliance valora sus asociaciones con el DMV y los Servicios de Conductores.

Formas fáciles en las que PUEDES participar:

Donor Alliance mostrará su agradecimiento a nuestros Socios de Licencias de Conducir agradeciendo al personal de trabajo y a los líderes a través de eventos locales, ¡y tú también puedes participar! Así es cómo:

• ¡Pónte en contacto con tu oficina local de licencias de conducir y diles gracias! Para encontrar la oficina más cercana a ti, haz clic aquí para Colorado y aquí para Wyoming.
• Publica un comentario positivo en sus páginas de redes sociales: facebook- @ColoradoRevenue @WyomingDeptofTransportation (mencione los Servicios para conductores); twitter- @CO_Revenue
• ¡Escríbeles una carta expresando tu agradecimiento por todo lo que hacen! Para encontrar la oficina más cercana a ti, haz clic aquí para Colorado y aquí para Wyoming.

Recuerda decir Sí a la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos la próxima vez que renueves u obtengas tu licencia de conducir o identificación estatal. También puedes registrarte como donante en cualquier momento en línea en, Done Vida Colorado o Done Vida Wyoming.

National DMV Appreciation Week: Recognize Those That Help Make a Difference

The Observance:

National DMV Appreciation Week is a time to thank and recognize and those that help make a difference at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Driver License offices in Colorado and Driver Services partners in Wyoming for their commitment to supporting Donor Alliance’s mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The observance is celebrated the week of September 23^rd, 2019,

The Impact:

In 2018, Colorado earned the top spot in the nation for highest Donor Designation Rate (DDR), and Wyoming solidified the sixth spot in the nation. So far this year, an amazing 69% of Coloradans and 62% of Wyomingites have made the decision to sign up to be organ, eye and tissue donors. This simply would not have been possible if it weren’t for the hard work, dedication and strong partnership between Donor Alliance and the employees at the DMV and Driver Services. Employees work with Donor Alliance throughout the year, in trainings, during National Donate Life Month and for Blue and Green Day, all in an effort to educate and inspire the public to sign up to be organ, eye and tissue donors.

It’s also important to note that according to recent data, more than 99% of donor registrations in Colorado and Wyoming come through driver license transactions. Donor Alliance greatly values our partnerships with the DMV and Driver Services.

The Easy Ways YOU Can Get Involved:

Donor Alliance will show appreciation of our Driver License Partners by saying thank you to the hard-working staff and leadership through local events and outreach, and you can too! Here’s how:

• 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 them a letter expressing your appreciation for all that they do! To find the address for the location nearest you, click here for Colorado and here for Wyoming.

Remember to say Yes to organ, eye and tissue donation the next time you renew or obtain your driver license or state ID. You can also sign up anytime online at, Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.

Transplantation Science: New Resources This School Year

[caption id="attachment_25135" align="alignright" width="701"] Students working at a Transplantation Science Station[/caption]

School is in full swing in Colorado and Wyoming and our Transplantation Science Program has some new resources for teachers this school year! At Donor Alliance, we know that teachers have been working hard for weeks: setting up classrooms, planning curriculum and looking for new and innovative ways to teach students about their content.

For those innovative teachers looking for more interactive ways to engage their students while teaching practical information, Donor Alliance has a FREE school curriculum program, Transplantation Science, which teaches the science behind organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation to students in grades 7-12. Simply submit a request here and we will send an educator and materials to your school to teach your students.

New Transplantation Science Resources Available:

• New Website Resources: We spent the summer making updates to the FAQs and Educational Resources pages on our website. An outline of the Transplantation Science curriculum is now available to download as well as easy access to our warm-up activities and intro videos.
• Sheltered Instruction Workbooks for English Language Learners (ELLs): Whether you have a whole class of Sheltered Biology students or a few ELLs in some of your classes, we have new workbooks available for these students. The workbooks are based on the Middle School workbook content with simplified texts to read and scaffolded activities. When requesting a class, include the number of books you would like in the Notes section and we will let your educator know.
• Transplantation Science Traveling Trunk: If your school is located more than 100 miles from Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, or Casper and you teach less than 50 students, consider signing up for the Transplantation Science Traveling Trunk We will ship all the materials for the class to you, you set up and run the class and we will schedule an educator to video conference with your students.

  [caption id="attachment_25137" align="alignright" width="481"] Transplantation Science Traveling Trunk[/caption]

• High School Medical Careers Program: If Transplantation Science doesn’t fit your school’s needs, consider requesting a speaker through our Donor Alliance Staff Speakers Bureau The Medical Careers presentation includes an overview of the donation process and the facts about donation combined with a review of the careers available at Donor Alliance. This is ideal for students who are interested in medical careers and a great way to invite students to explore what is available in the fields of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

Learn more about Transplantation Science including any of the new facets mentioned here, or request a class visit, here!

Colorado gana 1er lugar en el país por la mayor tasa de designación de donantes, Wyoming en el Top 10

Colorado es ahora el número uno en la nación con la tasa más alta de donantes registrados y Wyoming también consolida un lugar en el top 10.

La tasa de designación de donantes o DDR, por sus siglas en inglés, es la medida en el que las personas se unen al registro estatal de donantes como un porcentaje de los residentes conductores con licencias de conducir y titulares de tarjetas de identificación estatal.

Sorprendente, el 69.1% de los habitantes de Colorado ha dicho Sí a la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos y el 60.6% de los residentes de Wyoming ha dicho Sí a la donación; ambos estados superan el promedio nacional del 58%, según Donate Life America (DLA).

Para reconocer los esfuerzos de Donor Alliance para aumentar el DDR tanto en Colorado como en Wyoming, DLA en asociación con la American Association of Motor Vehicle Associations (AAMVA), otorgó a Colorado el Gold Award (Premio de Oro) al DDR más alto en la región y en el país.

"Los miembros de nuestro equipo de primera línea trabajan diligentemente para registrar tantos donantes como sea posible", dijo Robert Baker, Director Interino de la Oficina de Licencias de Conducir "Todos en el DMV se dan cuenta de la importancia de nuestra asociación con Donor Alliance, y nos complace hacer nuestra pequeña parte para ayudar a salvar vidas".

Wyoming también fue reconocido con el Bronze Award (Premio Bronce) por el tercer DDR más alto de la región.

"Con el 99% de los residentes de Wyoming inscribiéndose para ser donantes de órganos, ojos y tejidos en Driver Services, valoramos la asociación con WYDOT", dijo Ryea 'O’Neill, Coordinadora de Relaciones Comunitarias de WY para Donor Alliance. "La asistencia que los empleados brindan para proporcionar materiales educativos e información al público es invaluable".

Donate Life America Premio a la Innovación DMV

Además de ser reconocido por tener una de las tasas de designación de donantes más altas del país, el personal de capacitación del DMV de Colorado también recibió el Donate Life America Premio a la Innovación del DMV por su colaboración con Donor Alliance.

En los últimos dos años, Rhonda Reichel y el Departamento de Capacitación de la División de Vehículos Motorizados han trabajado estrechamente con Donor Alliance en una forma innovadora de medir la efectividad de la capacitación y la retención de información sobre la donación de órganos y tejidos presentada en la capacitación de nuevos empleados. Los nuevos técnicos de licenciamiento reciben un bloque de instrucción de 90 minutos durante la clase intensiva de una semana de Fundamentos de Licencia de Conductor del DMV. Durante la clase, los técnicos aprenden: quién es Donor Alliance, cómo funcionan el registro de donantes y el proceso de donación, cuáles son los hechos sobre la donación y cómo responder las preguntas de los clientes.

Antes del bloque de instrucción, el personal de capacitación en licencias de conducir realiza una encuesta a los nuevos empleados para evaluar su conocimiento sobre la donación y los hechos sobre este tema. Los técnicos de licencias nuevos suelen responder correctamente alrededor del 79% de las preguntas. Después de aproximadamente cinco meses, el equipo de capacitación en licencias de conducir envía otra evaluación para que sea completada por los técnicos de licencias. Los resultados muestran una marcada mejora y retención de la información con aproximadamente el 94% de las preguntas respondidas correctamente.

Donate Life America y AAMVA identificaron el proceso de colaboración entre Donor Alliance y el DMV de Colorado como innovador. "Este premio es un honor", dijo Rhonda Reichel, supervisora ​​de capacitación en licencias de conducir. “Nuestro personal de capacitación busca constantemente formas de mejorar y nuestro trabajo con Donor Alliance es parte de esa motivación. Me alegra que tengamos un socio que es tan dedicado a su misión como nosotros somos a capacitar a quienes sirven a los habitantes de Colorado ".

Únase al 69.1% de los habitantes de Colorado y al 60.6% de los residentes de Wyoming y diga Sí a la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos cuando renueve u obtenga su licencia de conducir o identificación estatal o regístrese como donante en línea en cualquier momento en donevidacolorado.org o donevidawyoming.org.