Cobertura Reciente en los Medios

Get the Facts: Does saying “yes” to becoming an organ donor affect the medical care I receive?

Many people that have never considered organ donation or have delayed registering to become a donor do so because of inaccurate information or assumptions about organ donation and transplantation.

One of the most common myths is that a person’s decision to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor affects the level of medical care they receive in case of an emergency. However, medical care is not affected in any way by your status as a registered donor. The doctors who care for a patient in the hospital are not associated with the doctors who perform the organ recovery and transplant surgeries. Medical professionals always exhaust all lifesaving measures and death is declared prior to and independent of donation.

Diane Eckert of Lakewood lived this situation when her brother Cody Crosby was in a terrible car accident in 2013. First responders on the scene did everything they could to save Cody’s life, and although he didn’t survive, Diane is forever grateful for their efforts. She even recently took the opportunity to publicly thank them.

“The outcome isn’t always what we want it to be but because of the fact that they worked so diligently and so hard on my brother, we were able to get some closure that day and also we were able to donate life,” Diane said.

In his death, Cody was able to save the lives of three people through organ donation. He healed countless others through the gift of tissue donation as well.

Get the facts on other common organ donation and transplantation myths by visiting Why Donate. For answers to other questions about organ donation and transplantation, visit our Donation FAQ page.

To register to become an organ, eye and tissue donor you can say “yes” at the driver license office, or anytime at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.

Video: Ellen Stoddard Keyes – Donor Mother

Have you ever donated a dollar or more to the Emily Keyes – John W. Buckner Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund? The fund bears the name of Ellen's daughter Emily. In the midst of an unthinkable tragedy, Emily was able to donate the gift of sight. It's a fact Ellen is very proud of. Emily's last text to her family inspired Ellen to co-found The I Love You Guys Foundation in Emily's' honor. Emily's legacy lives on!

Donor Alliance Community Outreach and Public Education Efforts Recognized with Local and National Awards

Last week, the Donor Alliance team was honored at the 2017 Donate Life America (DLA) Pinnacle Awards, taking home honors in the media and innovation categories for our National Donate Life Month Trees for Life initiative, and in the affinity category for our “Heroes Say Yes!” partnership with the Grand Junction Rockies.

The Trees for Life campaign commemorated National Donate Life Month in 2016 and encouraged residents to register as organ, eye and tissue donors while honoring those that saved lives through the gift of donation. Trees were planted and dedicated across Colorado and Wyoming by transplant recipients honoring their donors, living donors celebrating the life of their recipients and families of donors memorializing their loved ones who gave the gift of life.

Also celebrating the gift of life, our “Heroes Say Yes!” partnership with the Grand Junction Rockies brought supporters of organ, eye and tissue donation together at a themed Donate Life Night game. A Grand Junction family threw the first pitch in honor of their son, Tanner Denton, who was an organ donor after tragically losing his life in a car accident. Grand Junction Rockies players also wore special Donate Life jerseys, which were auctioned off to raise money for the cause.

Two other key Donor Alliance projects from the past year were also honored at last week’s Colorado Healthcare Communicator Gold Leaf Awards. This informational page, Donation Essentials, was recognized with a Silver Leaf and the Donor Alliance website overhaul took home a Bronze Leaf. Both Donation Essentials and the Donor Alliance website are integral in achieving our organization’s goal to educate and inspire Colorado and Wyoming residents to understand and support donation and ultimately join the donor registries.

Thank you to Donate Life America and Colorado Healthcare Communicators! Our team is extremely proud of these initiatives and honored to be recognized for the success of each achievement.

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Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles Awarded Donate Life America Silver Level Donor Designation Rate Award

This week, the Donate Life America Silver Level Donor Designation Rate Award was presented to Mike Dixon, Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles of Colorado. Every year, awards are given to the three states with the highest donor designation rates (DDR) in the country. DDRs are determined by the percentage of state ID, driver license and permit holders who say ‘yes’ to registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor at the Driver License Office. In 2016, Colorado’s DDR was 69.3%, the second highest in the nation for the second year in a row.

“DMV offices and their employees play an invaluable role in increasing the number of registered organ, eye and tissue donors,” said G. David Fleming, president and CEO of Donate Life America. “In the U.S., 98 percent of donor registrations come through DMV and driver license partner transactions. Our DMV partners are the people on the front lines of service who have helped register more than 136 million donors. The U.S. would not have reached this milestone of registered donors and lives saved without the partnership and support of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, DMVs and driver licensing partners.”

Congratulations and thank you to all of our DMV partners for helping to save lives every day!

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Donor Alliance Reports on 2016 Successes; Highlights the Staff and Volunteers That Made It Possible

Last month we published our annual report that takes an in-depth look at “The Faces of Donor Alliance.”

Each member of our team is dedicated to maximizing the gift of life. Our organization and our staff adhere to the highest medical and ethical standards: respectfully working with the families of organ and tissue donors, maintaining partnerships with hospitals and educating Colorado and Wyoming residents on the lifesaving benefits of donation while also inspiring them to sign up on their state’s donor registry.

In recognition of the employees and volunteers who make our lifesaving work possible, the report highlights and celebrates the individuals and departments of Donor Alliance. In sharing their stories, we were also able to provide an in-depth look at our organization’s process and our key achievements in 2016.

Check out the full report here.

‘Skip the Trip’ with new online services from Colorado DMV

Did you know, you can not only renew your driver license or ID online, twice, but you can schedule an appointment to visit the DMV or even submit a subpoena? The Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Motor Vehicles recently introduced MyDMV.colorado.gov, including 11 new online services, and the expansion of existing online offerings from seven to 18 total services. Since the new services went into place on February 21, 2017, more than 915 thousand Colorado residents have used DMV online services, with more than 122 thousand individuals renewing a driver license or ID.

Those wishing to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor can still make their designation through the online driver license or identification card renewal tools. When you say “yes” to organ and tissue donation, a gray-scaled heart with a “Y” in the middle will appear below the photograph on your driver license or ID card.

With the DMV’s new online services, there are now even more ways to skip the trip. Eligible residents can renew their driver license up to two consecutive times online, meaning that they may not need to visit a physical location more than once every 15 years.

A full list of online service offerings includes:

To learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and the reasons to say “yes” to donation, visit our “Why Donate” page.

Staff Spotlight: Diane Bacino

[caption id="attachment_14705" align="alignright" width="299"] Diane Bacino - Hospital Development Coordinator[/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 let you learn more about who we are and why we work at Donor Alliance.

Name: Diane Bacino

Position: Hospital Development Coordinator

Years at Donor Alliance: 15 years

Why you chose Donor Alliance: While working at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science ‘Hall of Life’ as a Health Educator, I developed the Transplantation Science Outreach Program for high school students obtaining their driver’s license. That program was then adopted by Donor Alliance and has now successfully expanded to reach thousands of young people in our community each year. A Hospital Development position opened at Donor Alliance which turned my love for teaching into rewarding life’s work.

Why do you like working at DA: Working predominantly in a pediatric setting in donation and transplantation, I’m reminded of the fragility of life and how things can change for a family in a split second. Involvement with the courageous families who, in the midst of unspeakable grief, find strength to help others in need has been life-altering for me. My work at Donor Alliance reminds me to never take life and loved ones for granted and to appreciate life’s beauty during times of both tragedy and celebration. The profound realization that one family’s loss becomes another family’s miracle gives new meaning of the ‘circle of life’. Helping to develop relationships within the hospital setting with physicians and the health care team has given me a greater inspiration to share a common collaborative process during end of life care.

What does donation and transplantation mean to you: It’s a privilege to be part of something that is bigger and far reaching than that of my own little world. I am so fortunate to wake up every morning with a passion and a purpose knowing that what I do directly impacts humankind! I have met some of the greatest people who have become like family to me who do such amazing work….it’s all so humbling!

Any direct connection to donation and transplantation?: Yes, my brother was a corneal donor. Knowing he gave sight to two people gave me hope and comfort through my loss. In addition, my 5 year old cousin went into sudden kidney failure and needed an immediate life-saving transplant. His mom gave him the Gift of Life for a second time and became his living donor.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working (hobbies and such): I fix and flip homes, garden, spend time in Steamboat visiting my daughter, bike and hike. When time permits, I’m a dog walker for the neighbors.

Celebrating Wyoming DMV Appreciation and Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week

Governor Matt Mead has signed a proclamation declaring this week, Sept. 25-29, 2017 as DMV Appreciation Week and Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week in the state of Wyoming. As part of the celebration, and to say thank you to the Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), administrators and licensing partners across the state for their partnership and commitment to asking each customer to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor, we have awarded each Wyoming Driver License Office with a copy of the proclamation.

“The Wyoming Division of Motor Vehicles does a great job educating people during the process of obtaining or renewing a Wyoming driver license. A decision to be an organ and tissue donor is reflected on the license,” said Governor Mead. “Being a donor helps save lives—48 Wyomingites received lifesaving organ transplants in 2016. Being a donor is something everyone should consider.”

All week, we will be showing appreciation and saying thank you to staff and leadership of DMVs and driver licensing partners in our community through local events and outreach. Thank you to our DMV partners for helping to save lives every day!

Wyoming Driver Services Employee Shares Personal Connection to Donation

During DMV Appreciation Week, we join our counterparts around the country to honor the staff at Colorado and Wyoming Driver License offices for all of their hard work and efforts towards raising awareness of and increasing registrations for organ, eye and tissue donation. Nearly 200 Wyomingites await a life-saving transplant. Kely Nelson, staff member at Worland, Basin and Thermopolis Driver License offices, has a special connection to donation and that tie motivates her to educate others. To Kely, registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor is what Heroes do!

Kely's Story

"In 1986, my Grandpa was on the waiting list for a kidney for a number of years. As a kid, we made the hour trip with him 3 days a week to the hospital to go to his dialysis treatments. He had numerous surgeries due to his kidney disease and we prayed often for a donor to make life better for him. One day the call came and my Grandpa was air lifted to Minneapolis, MN (4 1/2 hours away by car), my mom and my aunt were allowed to go with. I was ten at the time but it was the most exciting and scary thing ever at that point in my life."

"We then made multiple trips to see my Grandpa, as he was in Minneapolis for recovery for many months after that. I even got to be in Minneapolis to see the party in the streets when the Twins won the 7th game of World Series in 1987. I stood outside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome with my Grandpa, when Kirby Puckett hit the game winning home run...memories I never would have had without that donor!! Because of the selflessness of that person my Grandpa lived another 6 years. I am grateful for every extra day we had with him."

To support organ, eye and tissue donation in Wyoming, please register here. On average, 98% of donor registrations in the U.S. come through the DMV and Driver License partner transactions. We thank all Driver License staff for their continued work towards increasing the number of registered organ, eye and tissue donors.

Celebrating National DMV Appreciation Week

We are taking this week, September 25-29, 2017, to say thank you to Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), administrators and licensing partners across the region for their partnership and commitment to asking each customer to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor.

During the one-week celebration, we will be showing appreciation and saying thank you to staff and leadership of DMVs and driver licensing partners in our community through local events and outreach. Thank you to our DMV partners for helping to save lives every day!

Advocate Spotlight: Gaby Landeros

[caption id="attachment_14483" align="alignright" width="277"] Gaby Landeros, Donor Sister[/caption]

Donor Alliance volunteers and advocates are the heart and soul of our efforts to inspire and inform our community about the importance of registering as organ, eye and tissue donors in Colorado and Wyoming. Each of our volunteers and advocates has their own unique and inspiring story to tell. This month, we are featuring Gaby Landeros, a Donor Sister from Denver, CO.

What has been your favorite thing about volunteering with Donor Alliance?

My favorite thing about volunteering is meeting new people and hearing their stories, from living donors to recipients to donor families. We all share a bond and that’s what makes this so special. It also makes me feel closer to my sister which helps me heal.

If you could meet anyone for lunch or coffee, who would you like to meet and why?

If I could meet anyone for lunch it would be Selena Quintanilla. Being Hispanic I grew up listening to her, it made me look up to her. I also love her music.

What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?

For fun I love to do arts and crafts. I also love to go hiking! to many peoples surprise I also enjoy cleaning for fun!

If you could take an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go?

I would definitely take a backpacking trip and explore New Zealand, I think its so beautiful. Going there is one of my goals in life.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest moment was when I graduated from MSU Denver. I was the first one in my family to attend and graduate college.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“ Be like a sunflower, so that even on the darkest days you can stand tall and find the sunlight.” It’s more like a quote but the quote was my advice.

What song would you sing at karaoke night?

I would sing anything by Beyonce. I am slightly obsessed with her!

Colorado Moves to Yes-Carryover Process for Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registry

Colorado is adopting the yes-carryover process for the state’s organ, eye and tissue donor registry with changes to the process beginning September 15, 2017. This process ensures that the rights and responsibilities of those who have made their decision to join the Colorado Donor Registry known are in line with current state law. When a Colorado resident registers as a donor, that decision no longer needs to be proactively renewed and will remain in effect unless they change it. Previously, residents were required to confirm the choice to register each time they renewed their license or state ID because prior decisions on organ, eye and tissue donation were not carried over.

The yes-carryover process will ensure that the registry process meets the intent and requirements of the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA), allowing residents who have made the choice to register as organ, eye and tissue donors to remain on the donor registry, without the hassle of renewing that choice repeatedly throughout their adult lives. The change is also expected to help increase the number of registered donors in Colorado, therefore resulting in more lifesaving transplants, which will be a great public health benefit to all.

The move to yes-carryover designation does not change residents’ ability to remove their names from the donor registry at any time. This can still be done easily by visiting DonateLifeColorado.org or when visiting the driver license office.

We continue to encourage residents to learn the facts and make an educated, lifesaving decision to register as organ, eye and tissue donors, and to discuss that decision with their families. For more information on organ, eye and tissue donation, visit the About Donation section of our website.