Adilem, from Colorado Springs, received a life-saving liver transplant when she was just six months old. Although she was born seemingly healthy, by two months old, her skin began to turn a deep yellow. After a liver biopsy and further tests doctors discovered her liver was failing. Despite undergoing a procedure called the Kasai surgery, it was unsuccessful, and Adilem was placed on the transplant waitlist.

Four months later, thanks to the selfless generosity of a donor family, Adilem received a new liver. This remarkable gift changed her life forever, allowing her to grow up strong, healthy, and full of joy.

“Every day, I think about Jack, the donor, and his parents. There are no words to express my gratitude; they gave my daughter the gift of life,” says Milagros Estrello, Adilem’s mother.

Adilem’s transplant gave her the chance to grow, laugh, and live fully, reminding us all of the priceless value of organ and tissue donation.

Actualmente, cerca de 1,300 habitantes de Colorado esperan un trasplante de órgano que les salve la vida, mientras que decenas de miles más necesitan trasplantes de tejidos para sanar de traumas, enfermedades o ceguera.

This Privacy Notice has been updated and is effective as of October 31, 2024. Donor Alliance, Inc. (“Donor Alliance”) respects your privacy and preferences. This privacy notice (the “Privacy Notice”) describes how Donor Alliance and its affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Donor Alliance,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) collect, use, and disclose personal data in our day-to-day operations obtained through all channels of communication, including through https://www.donoralliance.org, any other Donor Alliance website or application that links to this Notice, or in person (collectively, the “Services”). Personal data is information about you through which you can be identified (including where you can be identified by combining the information with other information). Information We Collect We collect personal data about you from a variety of sources, including from you directly (e.g., when you contact us by email or request information through our website), data collected automatically about your use of the Services (e.g., data collected from cookies and other similar), and data we collect about you from other sources, including social media or commercially available sources, such as public databases (where permitted by law).

1. Contact Information. For example, first and last name, email address, postal address, phone number, or communication preferences.
2. Identifiers. For example, your driver’s license or state ID card number.
3. Donation Information. For example, payment card information, billing address, donation history, or information regarding intended bequests.
4. Demographic Information. For example, age, gender, ethnicity, or race.
5. Health Information. For example, any information you may choose to disclose to us regarding specific organs or tissues you wish to donate or your experience with organ or tissue donation.
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How We Use Your Personal Data We may process your personal data for the purposes outlined below.

How We Disclose Your Personal Data We share personal information with your consent, when you direct us to share it with others, as necessary to complete your transactions, or to provide the services you have requested or authorized. For example, when you provide credit card information to make a contribution, we will share that data with payment card processors and other entities as necessary for the processing of your payment and to prevent or detect fraud. We may disclose any of the categories of personal data described above to the following categories of entities:

• Our service providers, including vendors, consultants, and other service providers who perform services or functions on our behalf, for business purposes. For example, our service providers include companies who support us with fundraising, registering volunteers, marketing, consulting, communications, software maintenance and support, web services, analytics, social media, auditing, security, user verification, and payment processing.
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• Ad networks and advertising partners. We work with third-party ad networks and advertising partners to deliver advertising and personalized content on our Services, on other websites and services, and across other devices. These parties may collect information directly from a browser or device when an individual visits our Services through cookies or other data collection technologies. This information is used to provide and inform targeted advertising, as well as to provide advertising-related services such as reporting, attribution, analytics and market research.
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• Potential transaction partners, service providers, advisors, and other third parties in connection with the consideration, negotiation, or completion of a corporate transaction in which we are acquired by or merged with another company, or we sell or transfer all or a portion of our assets or organization.

As described above, in some cases we may share your information with third parties who may use your information for their own purposes, including for purposes of marketing and advertising. These disclosures may be considered “sales” or “targeted advertising” under applicable privacy laws. Information Security We implement technical and organizational measures designed to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk to the personal data we process. These measures are aimed at ensuring the ongoing integrity and confidentiality of personal data. We evaluate these measures on a regular basis to help ensure the security of the processing. Your Rights Over Your Personal Data We strive to communicate with you according to your preferences. In some instances, you can update your communication preferences directly through the communication channels where we can contact you, for example by clicking on the “Unsubscribe” link in the footer of our emails. Depending on where you reside, and subject to certain exceptions, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

• Right to Know and Access: Consumers have a right to request information about the personal information that we collect, use, disclose, share, and sell, including requesting the specific pieces of personal information we have collected about them.

• Right to Delete: Consumers have a right to request the deletion of personal information that we have collected from them, though we may be permitted to retain personal information for certain purposes.

• Right to Correct: Consumers have a right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information.
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• Non-Discrimination: We may not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

You may opt out of targeted advertising by clicking here and following the instructions. Where required, we also honor requests to opt-out submitted via privacy preference signals recognized under applicable local law, such as the Global Privacy Control (GPC). You may submit requests to exercise your other rights by contacting us at the information provided in the “Contact Us” section below. Please include the phrase “Personal Data Privacy Request” in the subject line. In order for us to verify your request, we need to verify your identity, so the request should include your name, address, and email address, along with a clear indication of the right(s) you wish to exercise. Please note that we may require additional information from you in order to honor your requests. Depending on where you reside, you may also use an authorized agent to act on your behalf to submit requests to exercise your rights. We will honor a request from an authorized agent provided that (i) you provide written authorization to the authorized agent to act on your behalf and we can verify your identity, and (ii) the agent submits proof of authorization. Authorized agents may use the same methods noted above to submit requests on your behalf. You may also have the right to appeal a refusal to take action on your request. You can submit an appeal using the same information provided in the “Contact Us” section below. Changes to This Privacy Notice If we update this Privacy Notice, we will notify you by posting a new Privacy Notice on this page. If we make any revisions that materially reduce the privacy protections related to your personal information, we will give you the opportunity to consent to such changes before applying them to that information. Contacting Us If you have questions or concerns regarding our processing of your personal data, please contact us: By Phone: 303-329-4747 By Email: public-relations-team@donoralliance.org By Mail: 200 Spruce Street, Suite 200 Denver, CO 80230

A Colorado nonprofit is using the holiday season to encourage Coloradans to consider becoming organ donors. Approximately 1,300 people in Colorado are waiting for organ transplants that could save their lives, according to Donor Alliance. Tens of thousands of others are waiting on tissue transplants too.

Organs are most commonly recovered after brain death, when all brain function has permanently stopped. Brain death is not the same as being in a coma or a persistent vegetative state, and a physician declares brain death independent from and regardless of organ donation status. No one has ever regained consciousness from or survived brain death, and medical care will cease after brain death regardless of a patient’s donor registry status.

Brain death occurs when all brain functions permanently cease, including those in the brainstem. The brain can no longer control essential life functions such as breathing or regulating heart rate. Unlike a coma or vegetative state, where some brain activity may persist, brain death is a total and irreversible condition, indicating a permanent loss of brain function. This distinction is vital for understanding end-of-life decisions and organ donation. 

Brain Death vs. Other States of Unconsciousness

• Coma: A state of profound unconsciousness where the person cannot be awakened and does not respond to stimuli. Some brain activity may still be present, and there might be a chance of recovery.
• Vegetative State: A condition where the person is awake but shows no signs of awareness. Basic bodily functions like breathing and heart rate are maintained, but no meaningful interaction with the environment exists.
• Brain Death: The complete and irreversible cessation of all brain functions, including those in the brainstem, also known as brain stem death. It is considered a legal definition of death, with no chance of recovery.

This distinction is vital for understanding end-of-life decisions and organ donation. Recognizing brain death as a legal definition of death allows healthcare providers and families to make informed choices about the next steps, which might include organ and tissue donation. Understanding brain death helps families navigate this difficult time with clarity, knowing the brain can no longer recover.

Historical Context and Development

The concept of brain death became crucial with advancements in medical technology, particularly with ventilators that can maintain bodily functions even when the brain is no longer active. Before these technologies, death was traditionally defined by the cessation of the heartbeat and breathing or when the heart stops beating. However, as medical technology advanced, it became clear that an additional understanding of death was necessary.

In 1968, the Harvard Medical School released a groundbreaking report introducing the first set of guidelines for diagnosing brain death. This report provided a framework for medical professionals to follow and established brain death as a recognized medical condition. Over the years, these guidelines have been refined and improved to incorporate new medical knowledge and ensure the accuracy and reliability of the diagnosis.

The Science Behind Brain Death

Diagnosing brain death involves a detailed medical evaluation, which includes both clinical examinations and, when necessary, additional tests to confirm it. The process begins with a hospital provider conducting a thorough neurological examination to confirm that the brain is no longer functioning. This exam checks for the absence of responses to stimuli, such as light, sound, or pain, and the lack of reflexes controlled by the brainstem, including the pupil’s failure to react to light and the gag reflex.

It is essential to rule out conditions that might mimic brain death, such as the effects of certain drugs or hypothermia (low body temperature), which can temporarily suppress brain function.

The apnea test is one of the tests used to diagnose brain death. During this test, the ventilator is temporarily turned off to see if the patient can breathe independently. If no breathing occurs, it confirms the brainstem, which controls automatic breathing, is no longer functioning.

Doctors may also use additional tests such as an EEG, which measures electrical activity in the brain. In addition, doctors do blood flow studies to ensure no blood is reaching the brain, thereby confirming the absence of brain activity when completing brain death testing.

Criteria for Diagnosing 

The diagnosis of brain death follows strict medical protocols designed to ensure the hospital’s diagnosis is thorough, accurate, and ethical:

• Clinical Evaluation: A detailed neurological exam confirms the absence of brain activity and brainstem reflexes. This includes testing the patient’s response to pain, light, and sound and checking for the absence of spinal reflexes.
• Apnea Test: This test assesses whether the patient can breathe independently when the ventilator is turned off. If spontaneous breathing is absent, it indicates brain stem failure, a critical component of brain death.
• Confirmatory Tests: In some cases, additional tests, such as an EEG, which measures brain activity, or blood flow studies, may be conducted to confirm there is no brain activity. These tests are beneficial in ruling out conditions that might mimic brain death. This includes the effects of certain drugs or extreme hypothermia, which can temporarily suppress brain function.

The Importance of Early Diagnosis

Early diagnosis of brain death is critical for several reasons:

• Emotional Closure: It provides clarity and understanding, helping families cope with losing their loved one.
• End-of-Life Decisions: It helps families decide about continuing or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments.
• Organ Donation: Timely diagnosis allows for potentially retrieving viable organs for transplantation, saving lives.

Ethical Considerations

The diagnosis of brain death comes with significant ethical responsibilities, particularly regarding organ donation. The diagnosis must be made with precision and care to maintain ethical standards. Doctors not involved in the organ donation or transplantation process conduct the diagnosis independently. Additionally, families must be fully informed about what this diagnosis means, and the opportunities associated with organ donation. Clear and compassionate communication is vital to helping families understand the situation and make informed decisions. Obtaining first person authorization from the potential organ donor or authorization from the family before proceeding with any organ retrieval is a crucial ethical consideration, ensuring their decision and those of the donor are fully respected.

Types of Organs and Tissues that can be Donated after Brain Death

Organ donation offers a remarkable opportunity to save lives. One person can potentially save up to eight lives through organ donation and heal up to 75 people through tissue donation. Here is a breakdown of the types of organs and tissues that can be donated.

Vital Organs:

• Heart
• Lungs
• Liver
• Kidneys
• Pancreas
• Intestines
• Vascular Composite Allografts

Tissues:

• Corneas
• Skin
• Bone
• Heart valves
• Veins
• Tendons
• Ligaments

The Positive Impact of Organ Donation

Organ donation can transform the lives of many:

• Saving Lives: It can provide a second chance at life for those awaiting organ transplants.
• Improving Quality of Life: It can enhance the quality of life for recipients, allowing them to live fuller and more active lives.
• Leaving a Legacy: It offers a way for families to honor their loved one’s memory by giving the gift of life to others.

Addressing Common Misconceptions

• Brain death is not the same as a coma: People in a coma may still have some brain activity and the potential for recovery. Brain death is irreversible.
• Brain death is not a “deep sleep”: There is no brain activity in brain death, and the person cannot wake up.
• Brain death is not the same as being on a ventilator or mechanical: A ventilator or mechanical support can maintain bodily functions, but it cannot restore brain function in brain death.

Legal Aspects of Brain Death

• Legal Definition of Death: In most countries, including the United States, brain death is legally recognized as a form of death.
• Implications for Organ Donation: This legal recognition allows organ donation to proceed with proper consent and ethical considerations.
• End-of-Life Care: It provides a framework for deciding to withdraw life-sustaining treatments.

Educational and Support Resources

Educational resources and support services are essential for helping families understand brain death and the organ donation process. Organizations like Donor Alliance offer comprehensive resources that explain brain death, how hospitals diagnose death, and what it means for organ donation. These resources help families make decisions during incredibly difficult and emotional times.

Support groups also play a crucial role, providing a space for families to share their experiences, ask questions, and receive guidance and emotional support. These groups can be invaluable in helping families cope with the complex emotions and decisions involved in brain death and organ donation. Families can find comfort and support by connecting with others who have gone through similar experiences as they navigate this challenging process.

Unique Aspects of Brain Death

Brain death is a unique medical and legal concept that differs from other forms of unconsciousness or coma. It is characterized by the complete and irreversible loss of all brain functions, including those in the brainstem. Understanding this concept is crucial for anyone involved in organ donation or end-of-life care.

As medical science advances, the understanding and protocols surrounding brain death will evolve. This ensures that brain death remains a critical and reliable part of modern healthcare, allowing for informed decisions that respect the wishes of the patient and their family while also potentially saving lives through organ donation.

For more information about the organ and tissue donation process, visit donoralliance.org.

You can register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor at DonateLifeColorado.org and DonateLifeWyoming.org.

Improving the Organ Donation System with On-Site Recovery Centers

Every 8 minutes, someone is added to the transplant waiting list. Right now, in Colorado and Wyoming, nearly 1,300 people await a lifesaving organ transplant. Nationwide, more than 100,000 people are on the transplant waiting list. The need for lifesaving organ donations is urgent. Unfortunately, widespread concerns have some people asking, “why is the organ donation system being broken?” This perception is causing people to remove their names from the donor registry. Organ procurement organizations (OPOs), such as Donor Alliance, recognize these concerns and are toward improving the organ donation system. Donor Alliance applauds our transplant colleagues who join us by concentrating resources and efforts to strengthen the U.S. transplantation system. This joint effort honors organ donors and their families while ensuring those in need can receive a lifesaving and healing transplant.

Of the 56 OPOs, Donor Alliance was among the first to utilize on-site recovery centers. Opening in 2011, this center significantly improves efficiency throughout the organ donation process by freeing up operating room (OR) space and optimizing medical staff time. On-site organ recovery centers focus solely on donor care and organ preservation. By centralizing resources and eliminating competing hospital priorities, these facilities reduce delays, improve organ viability, and ensure a more compassionate environment for donors and their families. They also free up hospital resources such as operating rooms and medical staff, streamlining donation processes.

Challenges in the Current Organ Donation System

OPOs serve the United States as a unique area of healthcare. OPOs are regionally based non-profit organizations that act as a compassionate and essential connection between organ and tissue donors and patients in need of lifesaving and life-healing transplants.

In 1984, the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) established the framework for a national organ recovery and allocation system in the private sector. The result is a fair and ethical way to distribute organs based on organ matching through established criteria. This Act assigned one OPO in each designated service area. By designating one OPO per area, NOTA eliminated competition between organizations. This allowed OPOs to allocate resources and focus on maximizing education and awareness efforts throughout their designated area.

The traditional organ donation system relies on hospital-based recovery, balancing urgent patient care with the complex organ recovery process. This includes assessing potential donors, conducting necessary medical evaluations, and managing the logistics. Though effective in many ways, the traditional hospital recovery model is constrained by competing priorities. Organ recovery demands specialized resources that must be balanced with emergency care, leading to transport issues that can diminish organ viability and impact transplant outcomes. Prioritizing immediate patient needs often delays organ donation, critically impacting transplant candidates. For those awaiting a transplant, such delays can mean the difference between life and death. These complexities highlight the urgency for more efficient solutions in organ donation.

A New Approach: On-Site Recovery Centers

An on-site recovery center offers a powerful solution to the challenges faced in traditional organ donation systems. These specialized facilities, dedicated solely to organ recovery, distinguish themselves from hospital-based systems, focusing exclusively on donor care and organ preservation. This concentration of resources and expertise streamlines the recovery process, ensuring faster organ recovery and better coordination with transplant centers.

In addition to enhancing operational efficiency, on-site recovery centers offer substantial operational benefits. Dedicated recovery centers help free up critical care beds, nursing staff, and other hospital resources while minimizing delays in the organ recovery process caused by busy donor hospital elective surgery schedules and unpredictable surgical emergencies that can result in organ recovery procedures being postponed. Avoiding these challenges through on-site recovery centers also creates a more compassionate and respectful environment for donors and their families during an incredibly difficult time.

Transplant recipients benefit greatly from improved organ viability, quicker access to transplants, and a smoother process overall. On-site recovery centers help meet urgent patient needs, transforming the organ donation system and enhancing outcomes for everyone involved.

Donor Alliance’s Recovery Center: Leading the Way in Organ Donation Innovation

Donor Alliance opened its state-of-the-art on-site recovery center in June 2011. Equipped with three ORs, a donor care unit (DCU), a family room, a donor resource center, and state-of-the-art equipment, the recovery center is a pivotal part of the organ donation process. 

By the Numbers:

• Donor Alliance’s Recovery Center was one of the country’s first four free-standing organ recovery facilities. Today, 11 free-standing organ recovery facilities exist in the U.S., and development occurs annually.
• Nearly all eligible organ and tissue recovery cases occur at the facility.
• Since its opening in 2011, Donor Alliance has honored the decisions of nearly 800 organ donors and more than 21,000 tissue donors.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Organ Donation with On-Site Recovery Centers

Today, the U.S. recovery and organ donation and transplantation systems are among the best in the world. Thanks to innovation and continuous improvement, more transplant patients than ever continue to receive lifesaving gifts from generous donor heroes. The widespread adoption of on-site organ recovery centers promises to redefine the organ donation landscape. These centers set the stage for a system where every donation opportunity is honored, organs are preserved with optimal care, and more lives are saved daily.

To learn more or to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, please visit DonorAlliance.org.

How Are Transplant Patients Selected? Understanding U.S. Organ Allocation Policy

Who decides where donated organs go and how matches are made? The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) does just that. This nonprofit manages the national transplant system, working 24/7 to connect donors with patients waiting for a second chance at life. The organization’s policies and computerized network match donated organs with transplant candidates in order to save as many lives as possible while providing recipients with the best chance for long-term survival. Here’s how the process works.

UNOS uses a collaborative process to develop policies for the allocation, procurement, and transport of deceased organs, inviting input from the public and all parts of the transplant community. This approach promotes equity among patients on the waitlist and ensures policies stay current with medical science. 

The resulting allocation criteria is programmed into the UNOS computer system. Using a combination of donor and candidate medical data—including blood type, medical urgency and location of the transplant and donor hospitals—UNOS’ system generates a rank-order of candidates to be offered to each organ. This match is unique to each donor and each organ.

While many factors are used to match organs with patients, only medical and logistical factors are taken into consideration for all organs. While various medical and logistical factors guide organ matching, personal or social factors, such as fame or income, have no influence on priority.

Before an organ is allocated, all transplant candidates on the waitlist that are incompatible with the donor because of blood type, height, weight and other medical factors are automatically screened out. Proper organ size is critical to a successful transplant. For instance, children often respond better to child-sized organs. Pediatric candidates have a unique scoring system, giving them priority for organs from other children. Geographic location also matters, especially for hearts and lungs, which must be transplanted quickly, making proximity to the donor hospital essential.

There are nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting to receive a lifesaving organ transplant, with nearly 1,300 in Colorado and Wyoming. Learning how patients are selected to receive transplants and checking the box to register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at the DMV is quick and easy to do. You can also register today at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming. One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal up to 75 more through tissue donation. Learn more from Donor Alliance.

Organ donation stories weave us together across the country. Tony of Parker, Colo., never would have imagined sharing such a special bond with a woman named Robin who lives in Texas. 

When Tony was 25-years-old he had his first heart attack. Then he suffered another one when he was 30. In 2020, Tony was added to the transplant waitlist for a heart. He was told he couldn’t leave the hospital without one. In March 2020, as Coloradans were still in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, Tony received the news he was anxiously awaiting. He was receiving the gift of life.

Donor stories always have a hero. In this story, Robin’s daughter, Sicily, was that heroic donor who saved Tony’s life. He received her heart and kidney. Robin turned the pain of losing her daughter into an opportunity to save and heal lives through organ and tissue donation.

“I’m eternally grateful to them and all other donor families,” Tony said. “Thanks to my donor (Sicily) I’m finding joy being able to do simple things that most people take for granted. I’m cooking, grocery shopping and driving my car again. One of the best things though, has been being able to get back to one of my favorite hobbies, drumming. I started drumming in 4th grade and played in marching bands, jazz bands, gospel groups, rock bands and even recorded a few albums. It feels so good to be able to pick it back up again.”

In October 2024, Tony had the honor of playing the drums with a few fellow heart transplant recipients in the Desert Drum Rumble in Phoenix. The annual event raises money for Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers. With every drumbeat, Tony honored the heart that gave him life. The beat of his drum also recognized the mother who said “yes” to donation during the worst moment of her life and raised awareness for other real life organ donor stories in our community.

“It was a great way for us on transplant row to share the message and show our gratitude for our gifts, especially the ability to get back to doing something that we love and has been a part of our lives for so long,” Tony shared.

Donor Alliance is proud to be a part of the annual Colorado Springs Festival of Lights! The parade features nearly 100 beautifully lighted and decorated entries. Local companies and organizations, large and small, create holiday fantasies to share with children of all ages! Find more information on the parade route here: Festival of Lights Parade Colorado Springs Downton on Tejon

Join us at the Aurora Holiday Tree Lighting! Donor Alliance will set up our stunning Gift of Life box. Come take a festive photo and learn how you can make a difference this season. We’ll be there to inspire the community to check one important item off their holiday list—registering to give the gift of life through organ, eye & tissue donation. The event will also feature holiday-themed activities, sweet treats, performances from Aurora Heart Dancers and The Original Dickens Carolers and special appearances from Ana and Elsa, as well as the one and only Santa Claus!