Cobertura Reciente en los Medios
Black History Month and Raising Awareness for the Need for Minority Donors
As the achievements by black Americans and recognition of the important role of African Americans in our country’s history are celebrated during Black History month, more than 34 thousand people from the African-American community around the nation are waiting for a lifesaving transplant. In Colorado and Wyoming alone, there are nearly 250 (245) African Americans waiting for an organ transplant.
African Americans are the largest group of minorities in need of an organ transplant. In the U.S., 30 percent of those currently waiting on an organ transplant are African American, and almost 35 percent of people waiting for a kidney transplant are African American. While organs are not matched according to race or ethnicity, transplant matches made within ethnic groups can be more compatible. That is one of the reasons why it is important for people in minority communities to register their decision to be donors.
Just one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and save or heal more than 75 through eye and tissue donation. Colorado and Wyoming residents can register as an organ, eye and tissue donor anytime at DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.
Celebrate National Donor Day on February 14th
Observed annually on February 14th, National Donor Day aims to raise awareness of the lifesaving benefits of organ, eye and tissue donation while reminding us of the importance of discussing the topic with loved ones.
Here in Colorado and Wyoming there are over 2,500 patients on the waiting list to receive a lifesaving organ transplant, and thousands more could benefit from lifesaving and healing eye and tissue donations.
Donate Life Colorado and Donate Life Wyoming are encouraging individuals to set aside some time this National Donor Day to discuss organ, eye and tissue donation with their families. Sharing your decision to be a donor is one of the most important conversations you can have with your family. When you join the organ, eye and tissue registry in Colorado or Wyoming, your decision to be a donor ultimately takes priority over your family’s preferences.
Your family will be informed of your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at your time of death, and asked to provide information about your medical and social history. Making the decision for yourself in advance, and then sharing it with your family will make it easier for them during a very difficult time.
Don't wait. Start the conversation with your family now. They'll be glad you did.
You can learn more about the need for donation and how individuals can take action by visiting DonateLifeColorado.org or www.DonateLifeWyoming.org.
Donor Alliance 2016 Year in Review
Last year was another remarkable year for organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Colorado and Wyoming with 139 generous organ donors making 424 lifesaving transplants possible. Donor Alliance, the federally designated non-profit organization that facilitates organ and tissue donation in Colorado and most of Wyoming, also worked with the families of a record 1,710 tissue donors to recover lifesaving and healing tissue to provide bone and skin grafts to thousands of recipients in need.
The organization, which educates the public on organ and tissue donation and manages the state donor registries in Colorado and Wyoming, also announced that 971,982 names in Colorado and 89,111 names in Wyoming were added to the registries in 2016. The donor designation rate, or percentage of individuals joining the state donor registry, was at an all-time high this past year in Colorado with 69.32 percent of the state’s licensed drivers and ID card holders on the registry and 57.64 percent in Wyoming. The two states maintained some of the highest donor designation rates in the country.
“In reflecting on 2016, we continue to be incredibly thankful for our partnerships with the hospitals and transplant centers in our service area, as well as the Division of Motor Vehicles, whose 53 driver license offices continue to offer residents the chance to save lives through organ and tissue donation to the thousands of people they serve in both Colorado and Wyoming. Most importantly, we are grateful to the many Colorado and Wyoming residents that have made the decision to register as organ, eye and tissue donors,” said Sue Dunn, Donor Alliance president and CEO. “While we are encouraged by the strong donor designation rates that we have enjoyed in Colorado and Wyoming for a number of years, we are reminded that there are still more than 2,500 people in Colorado and Wyoming that continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant. As always, we will remain dedicated to our mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation, and look forward to another impactful year in 2017.”
2016 was another landmark year for tissue donation and transplantation, including bone, skin, heart valve and joint donations. Topping 2015’s record year of 1,674, Donor Alliance worked with the families of 1,710 generous tissue donors in 2016 and recovered enough tissue to heal or save the lives of tens of thousands in need. As medical technology advances and eligibility criteria expand it has become possible to utilize more types of tissue, which has allowed more people to give the gift of life through tissue donation. Additionally, Colorado and Wyoming’s increasing number of registered donors has translated into more tissue available for transplant.
In addition to the increase in tissue donors, Donor Alliance, which educates about organ and tissue donation and manages the recovery of tissue and organs, facilitated organ recoveries from 139 donors in 2016, helping make 424 lifesaving transplants possible.
Despite the generosity of donor family members and the efforts of Donor Alliance staff and partner organizations, just over 2,500 people in the area continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant. To register as an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org or DonateLifeWyoming.org.
| ORGAN Donation | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Local Organ Donors | 126 | 148 | 109 | 134 | 139 |
| Kidney Transplants | 203 | 241 | 176 | 226 | 233 |
| Liver Transplants | 84 | 109 | 72 | 79 | 84 |
| Heart Transplants | 47 | 43 | 37 | 54 | 54 |
| Lung Transplants | 34 | 45 | 42 | 59 | 44 |
| Pancreas Transplants | 21 | 24 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
| Small Intestine Transplant | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total Local Organs Transplanted | 390 | 463 | 337 | 428 | 424 |
| TISSUE Donation | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Local Tissue Donors | 1017 | 1,177 | 1,590 | 1,674 | 1710 |
| Bone Donors | 555 | 660 | 830 | 911 | 822 |
| Skin Donors | 934 | 1076 | 1,386 | 1401 | 1320 |
| Heart Valve Donors | 105 | 111 | 114 | 117 | 168 |
| Joint Restoration Donors | 83 | 106 | 112 | 119 | 89 |
| Donor Designation Rate | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Colorado | 66.53% | 67.27% | 67.70% | 67.82% | 69.32% |
| Wyoming | 59.11% | 59.35% | 59.58% | 58.56% | 57.64% |
Hospital 101: Donation Ambassador Workshop
By Kim Robuck, Hospital Development Manager
Last year, 151 critical care nurses, respiratory therapists, and other professionals key to the donation process attended a Donor Alliance ambassador training workshop. Hospital ambassadors are provided with in depth education on all aspects of the organ donation process, from the referral through organ & tissue recovery. Following the workshop, they facilitate communication and serve as a resource to their peers. Last year, Donor Alliance collaborated with ambassadors and other healthcare professionals to facilitate 139 organ donations in order to provide 424 lifesaving organs for transplantation.
Coroner’s Corner: Emma Hall, Boulder County Coroner
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Emma Hall, Boulder County Coroner[/caption]
Q&A with Boulder County Coroner, Emma Hall
When did you know you wanted to become coroner?
When I was a young child, only four years old, there was a murder that occurred near my home. At the time this incident left me with so many unanswered questions; however, one question always remained with me. Were the family’s questions answered? That question and this case inspired me to take an interest in becoming a coroner.
Do you have a personal tie to organ and/or tissue donation?
I have a cousin whose daughter was hit and killed by a car just one week prior to Christmas many years ago. She was only sixteen at the time; she passed away several days later in the hospital. Multiple discussions were had with many mixed emotions and opinions amongst various family members; although, in the end the final wishes of her parents were to proceed with donation. Her gift to other children helped her parents have some closure in their great loss. These are the types of cases that remind me how important the gift of donation can be to the family.
Tell us about the first time your work involved organ and/or tissue donation.
When I first started working in this field, donation was a high priority for the Coroner’s Office where I was employed. That exposure provided a great opportunity for a lot of education and experience with families and decedents who went through the donation process. There are too many cases to select just one or even a first. They have all left a lasting impression on me and will continue to do just that.
What about organ and/or tissue donation makes you committed to helping facilitate the donation?
I think in this field it’s important to find the positive things when we can. One of the areas that I find very rewarding is working with families to help facilitate the last wishes of their loved ones. I believe, anytime we can ensure their wishes are met we should do just that. When those include donation, I am always committed to help facilitate the donation while still balancing the responsibility to determine manner and cause of death. Although I know we could never heal a loss, I know we can make the interaction less impacting by assisting the families in any way we possibly can.
What is the one thing you would want others to know about your work?
I would want them to know just how rewarding this role can be. I wouldn’t define it as work. Although it may seem odd to some, I find the role of a coroner extremely rewarding. It takes special people with passion to fit into that role, and it’s a very important role. We definitely meet people at the most difficult times of their lives, this is inevitable. However, knowing that we can fulfil the role of assisting families through the process of losing a loved one is extremely rewarding. That’s why it is so much more than just work that I do or a job I currently have.
What are you most proud of?
I am very honored to be able to serve my community as the Boulder County Coroner. As a child it was one of my dreams to make a difference in my community, and I truly feel with my role as a Coroner I have accomplished that. I am proud of the service that I have provided for the community and the improvements I have been able to make to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office as a whole.
What book is on your nightstand?
Live Happy! A book of inspirational thoughts on love, life and laughter.
Staff Spotlight: Alison Gillum
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Alison Gillum, Wyoming Community Relations 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: Alison Gillum
Position: Community Relations Coordinator - WY
Years at Donor Alliance: 9 months
Why you chose to work at Donor Alliance: It is very important for me to know that the work I do every day makes a positive impact in the lives of others. I knew that coming to DA would allow me the opportunity to do just that. My job provides me with the privilege of getting to know the most amazing donor families and recipients, all while working alongside some of the most talented, passionate, dedicated people I’ve ever met.
What does donation and transplantation mean to you: Donation and transplantation represents hope and possibility to me. Donation provides hope to donor families at one of the hardest times of their lives, and every time someone new joins the organ, eye and tissue registry, it brings hope to someone in need of a lifesaving transplant. Donation and transplantation provides people with so much possibility through a second chance at life. There is no greater gift that anyone could give or receive.
Any direct connection to donation and transplantation: I don't have a direct connection, but donation and transplantation is a cause I'm very passionate about.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working (hobbies and such): I enjoy spending time with my husband getting out and exploring Wyoming! There is so much natural beauty to appreciate here. We’re still discovering all the hiking trails and parks. Additionally, I’m kind of history nerd, so I really enjoy visiting all of the great historic sites around the state as well.
Advocate Spotlight: Cary Galvin
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Cary Galvin, 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 Cary Galvin, a Donor Sister from Casper, Wyoming.
What has been your favorite memory volunteering for Donor Alliance?
I recently volunteered at the Casper Coyotes game and had an older lady stop at the table to talk to me it was just one of those conversations that you feel comfortable telling your story.
What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it?
The last book I read was Turbo Twenty Two by Janet Evanovich. I would definitely recommend all of her books, she is an amazing author and keeps you wanting more.
If you could have lunch with anyone, who would you choose?
If I could have lunch with anyone it would be Abraham Lincoln.
What is your favorite thing about fall?
My favorite thing about fall is the changing leaves and cooler air.
What is your favorite holiday & why?
My favorite holiday is Halloween. I love to carve pumpkins and to see the kids dressed in their costumes.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Remember that you are only one person and you need to breathe.
“My Hero Said Yes!”
You may have seen our “My Hero Said Yes!” transplant recipients sharing their stories around Colorado and Wyoming. These “My Hero Said Yes!” stories are a localized representation of the lifesaving impact of organ, eye and tissue donation.
Each sign, poster or television spot that you have seen tells the inspiring, real-life story of a transplant recipient right here in our area while also honoring their donors who made a selfless and heroic decision by saying “yes” to registering as organ, eye and tissue donors. The campaign features ten amazing transplant recipients from around Colorado and Wyoming doing the things they have been able to return to thanks to their transplants: their jobs, hobbies, favorite sports, and more.
To learn more about the transplant recipients featured in the “My Hero Said Yes!” campaign, visit the Our Stories page. For more information on how you can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, visit www.DonateLifeColorado.org or www.DonateLifeWyoming.org.
Celebrating the Gift of Life This Holiday Season
This time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and forget to take a moment to be grateful for what you have. As the sister of an organ donor who passed away in 2004, I like to take time around the holidays to remember my sister’s heroic gifts of life, and be grateful for the second chance she gave to so many others.
I remember my sister Kenzie’s sweet laugh and freckles. She was the glue that did and still does hold my family together. Kenzie was a good student; a typical teenage girl that enjoyed driving around in her little Honda Civic listening to music with her friends. Kenzie tragically passed away in October 2004, just four days before her 18th birthday. As a registered organ, eye and tissue donor, Kenzie was able to save the lives of five transplant recipients after her death.
The beginning of my re-building process after Kenzie’s death was the moment I learned of the news of her donation. Since then, my family and I have spoken with nearly all of Kenzie’s recipients, and have met her heart recipient, Dylan, and his family. Dylan has had Kenzie’s heart for 12 years and I can’t imagine anyone more deserving.
In July 2016, Dylan, his wife, brother and parents met me and my family at a coffee shop. After sharing stories and pictures and shedding many tears, we decided to go to “Kenzie’s tree.” Before our father passed away, he planted a tree and installed a bench with a plaque in a park near the home where we grew up. It was there that Dylan asked us if we wanted to hear his heart, Kenzie’s heart. After placing our hands over his heart and feeling it beat, we all sobbed. The best way I can put the experience into words is that I was overwhelmed with familiarity. In that moment, Dylan was no longer a stranger and wouldn’t be again.
The gift of donation truly weaves in and out of your grief for your loved one as the years go on. It has become part of the yin and yang of the story of my sister. In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang – dark and light – describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected and interdependent in the natural world. How these forces may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. The stories of Kenzie’s recipients are the light in my dark.
In sharing Kenzie’s story this holiday season, I am hopeful that I can help to inspire others to say “yes” to organ, eye and tissue donation. DonatelifeColorado.org is a great resource with the facts you need to make an informed decision about donation and to register as a donor online. You can also register while obtaining a driver’s license or state ID.
Video: Kate Geer – 2017 Rose Parade Float Rider
We're honored to have Kate Geer and her family represent us at the Tournament of Roses Rose Parade. Kate will travel from Grand Junction to ride on the Donate Life Rose Parade Float on Monday, January 2 in honor of her husband Derek Geer, a Mesa County Sheriff's Deputy who was killed in the line of duty in early 2016. Derek saved four lives through organ donation after his death. The float has become the world’s most visible campaign to inspire donation. Kate will be joined on the float by 23 other individuals from around the country whose lives were impacted by donation and transplantation.
Since her husband’s passing, Kate has been an active advocate for donation. Leading up to her appearance in the Rose Parade, Kate participated in a Donate Life flag raising and pinning ceremony on December 6 at St. Mary's Medical Center in Grand Junction, CO. In addition to a Donate Life flag being raised at the hospital in honor of Derek, as a symbol of thanks, Kate pinned Donate Life pins onto members of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office that worked alongside her husband.
The 128th Rose Parade will start at 8 a.m. PST on January 2, 2017 and be broadcast live in the U.S. by broadcast partners ABC, NBC, HGTV, Hallmark Channel, Univision and more. Check local broadcast listings for more information. For more information about the 2017 Teammates in Life Donate Life Rose Parade Float, visit http://www.donatelifefloat.org.
Casper Coyotes Host Donate Life Weekend
Donor Alliance teamed up with the Casper Coyotes hockey team this year for the first ever Donate Life Weekend to promote Donate Life Wyoming - the organ, eye and tissue registry for Wyoming. It was an action packed weekend as the Coyotes took on their rivals from the south, the Colorado Eagles. Fans with hearts on their driver's licenses had the opportunity to enter to win an autographed Coyotes jersey. By the end of the weekend over 150 registered donors were in the running to win the jersey.
The Yotes rolled out the red carpet on Saturday night for Casper native, heart recipient, and Donor Alliance Advocate for Life, Jason Wynia, who started the game out with a ceremonial puck drop. "We are so grateful to be able to partner with the Casper Coyotes to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation. Their support has really enabled us to get the word out about the nearly 200 Wyomingites currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and why it's so important to register to be a donor," said Donor Alliance Community Relations Coordinator, Alison Gillum. The Coyotes will be promoting Donate Life Wyoming all season long. If you're interested in catching a game, please visit their website for more information: http://www.caspercoyotes.com/.
“Gift of Life” Balloon Dazzles at Parade of Lights
On December 2nd and 3rd, donor families and recipients came together to celebrate the Gift of Life at the 42nd Annual 9News Parade of Lights in Downtown Denver. Donor Alliance's Gift of Life balloon delighted the crowd! Surrounded by donor families, recipients and their families, the Parade of Lights and our balloon is a touching tribute to the gifts that donation and transplantation bring to the community and families. See all of the photos from the parade below!
