How Deceased Donors Are Helping to Redefine Treatment for Blood Cancers

Bone marrow transplants, also known as stem cell transplants, are a critical treatment for more than 75 diseases, including blood cancers and other diseases that affect the body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells. Replacing damaged marrow with healthy stem cells restores the body’s ability to generate red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

The Challenge of Finding a Match

Matching donors to recipients is crucial. Historically, receiving a bone marrow transplant relied solely on living donors who were registered and submitted a cheek swab kit to a database.

Matching is based on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers. The closer the match, the lower the risk of complications. Registries like NMDP (formerly Be the Match) help connect patients with suitable donors, but finding a perfect match is often difficult.

Innovative Cell Recovery Through Organ Donation

A ground-breaking partnership between Donor Alliance and Ossium Health is expanding the potential for bone marrow donation. The collaboration allows bone marrow recovery from deceased organ and tissue donors.

While traditional searches for a living donor can take 3-5 months (a wait many patients cannot afford), the partnership enables bone marrow transplants to be performed much quicker, often within just 72 hours.

This speed is achieved by recovering vertebral bodies (spine bones) from deceased organ and tissue donors. Ossium Health processes these donations to recover bone marrow from the interior of the bone, removing fat and tissue to isolate the vital cells.

Why it matters: This approach allows stem cells to be recovered from deceased donors and stored for future use. Historically, patients needed a perfect 8/8 HLA match to avoid rejection. However, thanks to advanced processing that depletes the specific cells that cause rejection and new post-transplant protocols, doctors can now perform successful transplants even with partial matches. This expands the pool of potential recipients, covering an estimated 95% of blood cancer patients at full scale.

Real-World Impact: A Historic Milestone at Ohio State

The power of this innovation was recently proven at Ohio State University (OSU) in what is likely the fastest bone marrow transplant ever performed.

In July, a leukemia patient at OSU was prepped for a transplant when their scheduled living donor had a sudden adverse reaction to medication and could not donate. With the patient in a critical state and a traditional search taking too long, the medical team contacted Ossium Health.

Because of a heroic donor in our region, Ossium Health located a match immediately. They physically drove the cells to the transplant center, and the transplant occurred within just two days of the request.

The results were remarkable. The patient began producing new blood cells in just 17 days and has remained cancer-free with no rejection episodes. The groundbreaking case study was presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) conference, demonstrating to the world that deceased donor bone marrow is a viable, life-saving reality.

Donor Alliance’s Role

As part of our mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation, Donor Alliance has expanded our impact by collaborating with innovative partners like Ossium Health. Through this partnership, we:

· Identify potential bone marrow recovery opportunities from deceased donors.

· Coordinate matching and delivery of preserved stem cells with transplant centers.

· Ensure ethical, respectful handling of every donation.

· Help transform a single donor’s gift into multiple life-saving outcomes.

Ethical Oversight

Every donation, whether it comes from a living volunteer or a deceased donor, is handled with deep care and responsibility. To ensure the highest quality of cells, strict criteria are followed, including:

· Fully informed consent from donors and their families.

· Recovery within strict time limits (usually under 8 hours) to ensure cell viability.

· Oversight by federal health agencies, including the FDA and HRSA.

At Donor Alliance, we treat each donation as an act of generosity. Every donation is handled with deep care, ensuring that a single donor’s gift is maximized to help patients who might otherwise have no hope.

Learn More or Get Involved

If you’re inspired to take action, here’s how to start:

· Join the NMDP Registry

· Register as an organ and tissue donor in Colorado

·Register in Wyoming

·Learn more about Ossium Health’s innovations

The Hesters know what it means to give and receive the gift of life.  Two family members have gotten organ transplants and a third became a donor after passing.

When Krystal and Tom lost their 5-year-old daughter, Aurora, in 2024, their world changed forever. Krystal describes Aurora as ‘joy-personified’. She was always singing, dancing, and finding a way to make the people around her feel loved. Even in her final moments, Aurora’s love and generosity lived on, carrying forward through organ donation. 

“When she left, it felt like the only right decision was to donate,” Krystal shared. “In fact, one of her favorite movies, ‘Frozen 2’, has a song called ‘The Next Right Thing,’ and it’s something that helped me to make that decision along with her father.” 

In the hardest moment of their lives, they thought about Aurora and the way she always reached out to others. Choosing to help others felt like a meaningful way to honor her. 

Tom recalls sharing one of life’s important lessons with Aurora, saying, “Look out for the helpers in life. You will always find people who are helping,” inspired by Mr. Rogers. 

“She saved the life of a nurse,” shared Krystal. “It’s pretty powerful that my little girl got to help a helper.” 

Aurora’s generosity brought hope and healing to many families, and her legacy lives on in the lives she saved. She was honored by her family organizing the 2nd largest team at this year’s Wyoming Donor Dash 5K in Casper, walking alongside others whose lives have been touched by organ, eye, and tissue donation. Aurora’s legacy continues to shine in every life  she touched. 

When you say yes to registering as an organ, eye, and tissue donor at the Driver License Office, it’s more than a quick decision at the counter. It’s a decision that can carry forward long after your own life is over. But you might wonder: what organs can be donated?

Do you know what organs can be donated and transplanted?

Organ donation is giving the gift of life by providing one organ, multiple organs, or a partial organ for transplant into one or more people.

While the list of organs and tissues that can be successfully transplanted continues to grow with advances in technology, eight major organs can be transplanted after death. Living donation is another incredible way you can help save the life of someone waiting for an organ transplant.

Which Organs Can Deceased Donors Donate?

Deceased organ donation is giving the gift of life after you pass away by providing an organ, organs or a partial organ to be transplanted into one or more people. A deceased donor can donate and save up to eight lives by donating organs after death. The major organs that can be transplanted include the heart, intestines, kidneys, liver, lungs, and pancreas. In some cases, the liver can even be split to help two people.

Saying ‘yes’ to donation is saying yes to giving hope. It’s a way to make something meaningful out of loss and give someone a second chance at life.

To make your decision to sign up as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, register here in Colorado or Wyoming.

Which Organs Can Living Donors Donate?

Living donation is another option to give the gift of life to a person in need of a transplant. Living donation is not part of the Donate Life Colorado Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and should be discussed directly with a transplant center. Although Donor Alliance is not involved in this donation process, it’s an incredible way you can help save the life of someone waiting for a transplant.

A living person can donate a kidney or part of the liver, lung, intestine or pancreas to another person in need of a transplant. Each potential living donor must go through a full medical evaluation that includes lab tests, a physical examination, and a psycho-social examination. The decision about whether to accept the living donor is then made by the health care team at the transplant center.

Living kidney donation is the most common living donation and helps save thousands of lives each year. Donating a portion of one’s lung, liver, pancreas and intestine are more rare circumstances. You can learn more about living donation and transplant centers in our area to see if living donation is an option for you.

We encourage you to learn the facts about organ, eye and tissue donation so you can make an informed decision. Then, sign up anytime online, and each time you get your driver’s license or state ID at your local Driver Licenses Office in Colorado, we honor your most recent decision, so it is important to say ‘yes’ every time.

Remember to always share your heroic and lifesaving decision with your family and loved ones.

This holiday season, I want to thank a group of people who may not often hear how much their work matters: the dedicated employees at our Colorado DMV offices who help people register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.

Join Donor Alliance at this free, fun holiday event that includes fun activities, sweet treats, magical light displays, performances from Aurora Dance Hearts and the one and only Santa Claus.

In 2025, 60% of licensed drivers in the state were registered as organ donors. Colorado consistently ranks as one of the two states with the highest rate of organ donors.

There’s a moment at the DMV that holds more power than many realize. Between updating our address and choosing a photo, there’s a small box asking if we want to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor. For many Coloradans, that box represents something much bigger than a simple yes or no, it’s a chance to save lives.

We’re launching a powerful new campaign to remind residents just how meaningful that choice can be. The Donor Alliance “Check the Box” campaign brings together prominent voices from across our state, including former Denver Broncos player and NFL Super Bowl champion Ryan Harris alongside local college athletes, to inspire more people to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.

Rocky Mountain Strong: A Community Built on Compassion

“Rocky Mountain Strong’ reflects the strength, compassion, and resilience of the Coloradans that make life-saving organ, eye and tissue donation possible,” said Jennifer Prinz, our president and CEO. “‘Check the box’ is how we put that spirit into action. By making the decision to check the box ‘YES,’ you’re giving hope to the more than 1,300 neighbors waiting for a life-saving transplant right here in Colorado.”

The campaign’s tagline, “Check the Box,” emphasizes just how simple—and powerful—this decision really is. One box checked can create a ripple effect of hope throughout our community. The numbers tell the story: for every YES box checked, there are 75 neighbors who have a chance to heal. These are people who ride down the same streets as you, root for the same teams, and call Colorado home. Simple for you. Life-changing for them.

Celebrating Those Who Make It Possible

Throughout November, we’re hosting events and ribbon cuttings at DMV offices across Colorado to unveil the new campaign materials and honor the DMV employees who play a vital role in saving lives every single day.

“The Division of Motor Vehicles is proud to partner with Donor Alliance on the ‘Check the Box’ campaign” said Electra Bustle, Senior Director of the DMV. “Every day, our dedicated team witnesses the profound impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation. By simply checking ‘YES’ at the DMV, you are making a life-saving decision that offers hope and healing to countless individuals and families in our community. It’s a small action with an immeasurable impact.”

The campaign will reach Coloradans through billboards, digital advertising, social media, and community partnerships. You’ll also notice refreshed materials at DMV locations throughout the state, making it easier than ever to understand the impact of your decision.

How You Can Help

Everyone can register to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor. Whether you’re renewing your license at the DMV or want to register online, the process is straightforward. Visit DonorAlliance.org or DonateLifeColorado.org to learn more and register today.

Right now, more than 1,300 of our Colorado neighbors are waiting for a life-saving transplant. Your decision to check the box could give them the chance they’ve been waiting for. That’s Rocky Mountain Strong in action.

Denver, CO — November 12, 2025 — Donor Alliance, the federally designated organ procurement organization serving Colorado and Wyoming, today announced the rollout of its “Check the Box” campaign in Colorado. The campaign features prominent local voices including former Denver Broncos player and NFL Super Bowl champion Ryan Harris and local college athletes, encouraging residents to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.

The comprehensive campaign will reach Coloradans through billboards, digital advertising, social media, and community partnerships, all bringing to life the organization’s refreshed Rocky Mountain Strong brand theme. Residents will also see refreshed materials at Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations throughout Colorado, where more than 60% of residents have made the life-saving decision to become organ and tissue donors.

“The updated look and feel for our new campaign truly embodies the spirit of our community” said Jennifer Prinz, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. “’Rocky Mountain Strong’ reflects the strength, compassion, and resilience of the Coloradans that make life-saving organ, eye and tissue donation possible. ‘Check the box’ is how we put that spirit into action. By making the decision to check the box ‘YES,’ you’re giving hope to the more than 1,300 neighbors waiting for a life-saving transplant right here in Colorado.”

To celebrate the rollout of the new campaign, throughout the month of November, Donor Alliance will host in-person events and ribbon cuttings at DMV offices across the state to unveil the new campaign and honor the DMV employees who play a vital role in saving lives through donation every day.
“The Division of Motor Vehicles is proud to partner with Donor Alliance on the ‘Check the Box’ campaign” said Electra Bustle, Senior Director of the DMV. “Every day, our dedicated team witnesses the profound impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation. By simply checking ‘YES’ at the DMV, you are making a life-saving decision that offers hope and healing to countless individuals and families in our community. It’s a small action with an immeasurable impact.”

The “Check the Box” campaign emphasizes that everyone can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, and when you check the box YES, one day you may save someone’s life. The campaign’s tagline, “Think Inside the Box,” underscores how one simple decision at the DMV can create a ripple effect of hope. For every YES box checked, there are 75 neighbors who have a chance to heal. Someone who rides down the same streets. Roots for the same team. Simple for you. Life-changing for them.