Cobertura Reciente en los Medios

Staff Spotlight: Cassie Hertert

[caption id="attachment_10031" align="alignright" width="271"] Cassie Hertert, Technology Solutions Engineer[/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: Cassie Hertert

Position: Technology Solutions Engineer

Years at Donor Alliance: Nearing two.

Why you chose to work at Donor Alliance: I’ve had a deep passion for our mission that was born long before I started working here. When my father began the journey toward a bilateral lung transplant, I learned of the widening gap between registered donors and those in need of a lifesaving organ. As he adjusted to his new pair of lungs, I was surprised to discover among my own family and friends a staggering lack of awareness about donation and their ability to participate. Witnessing the tremendous impact of such a sacred gift inspired me. At Donor Alliance, I am proud to have the opportunity to be part of the solution.

What does donation and transplantation mean to you: It means LIFE – the extension of the recipient’s, and the enduring legacy of the donor’s. It is honoring what has ended and celebrating what has begun.

Any direct connection to donation and transplantation: My dad received a lifesaving lung transplant in 2011. Through this profound gift, he met my two children, walked my sister down the aisle at her wedding, and savored every moment of life with his new lungs.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working (hobbies and such): I spend as much time as I can enjoying the outdoors with my husband, two toddlers, and our dog. When the weather forces us inside, I can usually be found knitting, reading, or strumming my dad’s guitar.

Teaching CO and WY Students the Importance of Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation

Students throughout Colorado and Wyoming are getting a new perspective on organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation through Transplantation Science, an award-winning free program for 7^th through 12^th graders. The program gives students a better understanding of what it means to be a registered donor and how transplantation works.

While Colorado and Wyoming have some of the highest donor designation rates in the country, there are still more than 2,500 people waiting for a lifesaving transplant. For this reason, early education is crucial - so young people who are getting ready to get their first driver licenses will be educated before getting asked at the driver license office whether they’d like to register as donors.

The 50 to 90-minute workshops are available to schools in the Colorado and Wyoming Donor Alliance service area. Students can expect a typical Transplantation Science workshop to be hands-on with various stations each set up to cover a different topic related to tissue or organ transplantation, including:

• Which organs are transplantable and how they function in the body
• Examining real, plastinated organ and tissue specimens from the human body
• The conditions leading to the need for a transplant
• How organ allocation works, along with exercises to match example donors and recipients

Donor Alliance is a great enhancement to anatomy, health and biology programs. To learn more about Transplantation Science, visit our program page.

Video: Babette – Donor Mother

Even at a young age, Babette's daughter Brianna knew that she wanted to save lives. Because of Brianna and her family's heroic decision, lives have been saved! You can be a hero too. Register as an organ, eye and tissue donor at the driver's license office or online today at DonateLifeColorado.org!

Video: I’m Registered! Now What?

So many times we speak to people who ask us, "I've registered as an organ, eye and tissue donor on my license. Now what?" There are so many ways you can help spread awareness about donation and transplantation! Here are a few ideas from us!

Vascular Composite Allograft: What is it?

A Vascular Composite Allograft (VCA) is the transplantation of a composite tissue that may include skin, muscle, bone and nerves and that requires blood flow in order to function after the transplant. The VCAs most likely to be transplanted are faces and limbs, like arms, hands, legs and feet. VCAs are currently rare, but have started to become a more common medical intervention of choice for patients suffering severe injury and disfigurement due to cancer, accidents, assaults, war injuries or other life-threatening illness, like double-hand transplant recipient, Zion Harvey. Last year, Zion became the first child to receive a double hand transplant. Today, he is thriving and smiling and recently shared his inspiring story with the Today Show.

Donor Alliance does not currently recover VCAs in Colorado and Wyoming. If we were to begin facilitating these types of transplants, VCA donation would only take place following a special conversation and authorization by the next of kin, as state donor registries do not pertain to VCAs. The VCA donor and potential recipient are first matched by blood and tissue type compatibility. In the case of face and limbs, transplant teams try to match the donor and recipient by skin color, body size, gender, and in some cases, by the age range appropriate for the recipient.

Click here to learn more about the different types of donation, or to learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and the reasons to say “yes” to deceased donation, visit our “Why Donate?” page, and to register to become a donor, visit Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.

Faith and Donation

Many religions consider organ donation to be a priceless gift and give their full support. Other religions leave the choice to the individual and fully support that decision. In Judaism, it is considered a great mitzvah and an honor to give the gift of life through organ donation. Followers of Islam are not only permitted to give their organs upon death or while living, but are encouraged to do so. The Vatican supports the act of organ donation for all Catholics and considers it an act of charity and love.

In fact, all major faiths support organ, eye and tissue donation. Donor Alliance has provided an online toolkit for you to share with your faith community. This includes: church bulletins, poster, seed packets and Pope cards for order, a sample sermon, talking points and ways to share information about the lifesaving gift of organ, eye and tissue donation.

Share these resources with your faith community at any time throughout the year or encourage your faith community to celebrate National Donor Sabbath in November.

Staff Spotlight: Noel Stout

Wyoming Donor Family Tribute: Lives Transformed

On Saturday, August 27^th the Wyoming Donor Family Tribute was held at Camp Wyoba on Casper Mountain. The beautiful and serene surroundings provided the perfect setting for us to gather with our wonderful Wyoming donor families to celebrate the lives of organ, eye and tissue donors in the Cowboy
State.

In all, 16 donor families and a total of 51 people came together to celebrate the lives of their loved ones Guests enjoyed a delicious barbeque lunch and also heard from double lung recipient Caydence and her grandmother Pattei of Cheyenne. The beautiful Wyoming day included flower pot decorating, roasting s’mores around a campfire and walking through a special memorial garden. The day ended with a tree dedication ceremony, in which the name of each donor was read as their families paid tribute to them by hanging special hand-written notes on the tree. "It means so much for us as Donor Alliance staff to be able to come together with Wyoming donor families to remember their incredible loved ones." says Donor Alliance Volunteer and Special Events Coordinator, Mandy Bock, "We're so grateful to them for the precious gift of healing and life that has been given to those in need of a lifesaving and healing transplant."
We received the sweetest note from Cayde that she wanted us to share with all of you. Cayde would like to thank all Wyomingites that have chosen to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. You are heroes to those waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Cayde is a happy and thriving little girl today because her hero said yes!

2016 Ending the Wait Awards Honor Colorado Hospitals for Organ and Tissue Donation Achievements

University of Colorado Hospital, Penrose Hospital, McKee Medical Center and Avista Adventist Hospital were recognized with Ending the Wait awards today for their outstanding achievements in facilitating the gift of life through organ and tissue donation in Colorado. The awards, now in their eighth year, are presented annually by Donor Alliance and the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA).

The organizations created the awards to recognize the commitment of Colorado hospitals, medical centers and healthcare professionals to saving lives through organ and tissue donation. The selections are based on hospital size, trauma center designation, total number of donors and organs transplanted and are awarded annually to hospitals that demonstrate extraordinary efforts in organ and tissue donation.

Last year, organ donors from Penrose Hospital donated more than four organs per donor, which resulted in 30 lives saved through organ transplantation in 2015. University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) has long been a leader in organ and tissue donation and transplantation. UCH led the way in tissue donation for a facility of its size with 96 tissue donors in 2015, a 48 percent increase over the previous year. McKee Medical Center is being honored for its hand in helping 22 tissue donors fulfill their wishes to help others. Avista Adventist Hospital also earned recognition for its dedication to fulfilling family wishes surrounding organ and tissue donation.

Each donor has the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal more than 50 through the gift of tissue donation. There are currently nearly 2,700 people in Colorado waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. To register to be an organ and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org or call 303-329-4747 for more information.

Volunteer Spotlight: Yvette Matthews

[caption id="attachment_9815" align="alignright" width="300"] Yvette with all of her medals from the Transplant Games[/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 Yvette Matthews who recently returned home from competing in the Transplant Games, where she brought home 8 medals:

You recently participated in the Transplant Games and brought home 8 medals! Congratulations! What events did you bring home medals in?

The 5k and 20k cycling, long jump, high jump, discus, shot put, softball throw, and 5k run

What was your favorite event at the Transplant Games?

The 20k cycling event because I hadn’t planned on riding in it, but it was a chilly morning. I decided to race the 20k because I figured it would get me warm and I came in 3^rd place.

What has been your favorite memory in volunteering with Donor Alliance?

Walking in The Parade of Lights parade.

What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it?

I’m reading The Fireman by Joe Hill. The book I just finished is The Eighty Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts. Both books are really good.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Never give up. Be patient. Relax!

If you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would you go and why?

I would go to The World Transplant Games in Malaga, Spain. I would like to compete internationally and I would love to meet people from other countries who are part of the transplant community. I also would also love to travel to Costa Rica so I can see the rain forest. It’s supposed to be beautiful.

If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?

That’s a hard question because I kind of like the way I am. I guess I’d like to be able to fly because I could save money on airfare.

Who is your favorite superhero?

Wonder Woman

What is your favorite vacation memory?

Driving from Colorado through Wyoming, to Glacier Lake, to Canada, to Alaska, and then back to Colorado through the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and back through Wyoming. I drove for 4 weeks in the fall with no real agenda. I was lucky enough to find a hotel to stay in every night. After this vacation I can now say that I’ve been to all 50 states.

Donor Alliance Reports on 2015 Successes

Last month we published our annual report reflecting on key activities and successes of 2015.

One of our noteworthy accomplishments last year was receiving the Peak Performance Award from Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence (RMPEx), a nonprofit helping organizations improve performance and achieve results. This is the highest level of excellence, as recognized by RMPEx, and we are only the second organ procurement organization to achieve this state-level recognition. This striving for operational and organizational success is crucial to the lifesaving work that we do.

In line with this achievement, our annual report is themed “Improving Performance, Achieving Results.” In it, we detail how our performance excellence journey impacted every area of the organization last year, and each of our core value areas: Integrity, Leadership, Excellence, Accountability and People First.

Check out the full report here.

Eric Studesville, a coach for the Denver Broncos, offers much more than running back advice

Eric Studesville running back coach for the Denver Broncos, and Jackie Prybella, the fiancé of a donor who passed away in April 2015, shared their powerful stories with 9News and spoke about how they are working with Donor Alliance to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation. You can watch the full interview click here to watch it on 9news.com.