Did You Know: You Might Be A Tissue Recipient?

What is Tissue Donation?

Many people understand the importance of being an organ donor, but did you know you can also save and heal lives through tissue donation? In fact, you might have already benefited from a tissue donation without even realizing it!

Tissue donation is an incredible gift that allows one person to save and heal up to 75 lives! That’s right, by choosing to be a tissue donor after you pass away, you can help tens of thousands of people suffering from trauma, disease or blindness. Tissue donation includes the cornea, heart valves, skin, veins, tendons, and bones.

Donated Tissue Heals in Many Ways

Through Donor Alliance’s community outreach, the nonprofit organization is able to educate and inspire Coloradans and Wyomingites about the importance of checking the box to register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor on the Donate Life Colorado and Donate Life Wyoming registries. Donor Alliance also shares Stories of Hope from across our communities to connect people to the mission. It is amazing how big the circle of connection grows with each donor, donor family and recipient.

Often, Donor Alliance meets people who do not even realize they are tissue recipients. From healing tendons for ACL and other sport injuries, to bone for dental procedures, to healing skin for burn victims, tissue donation heals in numerous ways.

Check out some of the ways tissue donation can benefit others!

Local Stories of Tissue Donors & Tissue Recipients

Jaime, Cornea Recipient

At just six years old, Jaime developed aggressive cataracts that clouded both his eyes. The disease caused Jaime to go nearly blind within a month. After having surgery on both eyes, Jaime suffered from cornea damage on his right eye. A transplant was his only hope.

After months of waiting, Jaime received the gift of sight from a generous donor. This incredible gift not only saved his vision, it opened a world of possibilities. With his restored sight, Jaime went on to achieve milestones he once thought impossible—like getting his driver license and graduating from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.

Jaime Tellez, tissue recipient

Julie, Donor Mother of Son, Evan, an Organ, Cornea and Tissue Donor

Julie lost her son, Evan when he was 19 years old in an accident. He was known for his beautiful smile, the mischievous “Irish” twinkle in his eye, his contagious laugh, his loyalty, and his kind, giving nature. The pain of losing a child is immense, yet Julie found a rare positive amid her grief because of Evan’s decision to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor.

“Through his tissue donations Evan healed 33 people and gave two people sight. His decision to register to be an organ and tissue donor has impacted so many lives, including my own. A month after Evan’s accident we traveled to Ireland to scatter his ashes, he was so proud of his Irish heritage and had always hoped to visit one day. We returned home to find a letter with the status of Evan’s cornea recipients, halfway down the page I read, “Evan’s left cornea was placed with a man residing in Ireland and his sight was successfully restored.” There are no words to adequately describe how reading that letter impacted me, even today as I reflect on that moment. The legacy he has left is profound and I honor it every day, he is my hero.”

Mary, Tissue Recipient and Spouse of a Tissue Donor

Mary was an active person, often hiking and running with her husband, Eric. After several ACL injuries requiring surgery and deceased donor tissue, Mary was facing another repair in 2020. Months after her husband’s sudden and tragic passing, Mary requested that her husband’s donated tissue be used to repair her damaged ACL.

“As much as I would rather have my husband with me, now I have a piece of him forever with me.”

Are You A Tissue Recipient?

At Donor Alliance, we often hear from the community, “I had no idea I’m a tissue recipient!” Now, it’s time to express our gratitude and honor the selfless tissue donors and their families who make these life-changing gifts possible.

If you or a loved one are a tissue recipient, or if someone you know gave the gift of life through tissue donation, we’d love to hear from you. Donor Alliance is eager to share your story to inspire others and help save and heal more lives across Colorado and Wyoming.

You can also register today to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at DonorAlliance.org. Once you make your decision, it’s important to discuss it with your family.