When Connor’s mom took her three-month-old son to the doctor for a cold, she learned that Connor had a condition called cardiomyopathy, a deadly heart disease that could only be remedied by a heart transplant. Connor spent nine weeks on the waiting list and received a transplant on Mother’s Day in 1992.

Ten years passed and Connor’s body started to reject the heart. He was placed back on the waiting list and more than a year later, Connor received his second heart transplant on July 18, 2005.

Connor thanks Donor Alliance for helping to improve the number of donors.

“If it weren’t for their work, I and many other recipients I know might not be alive,” he said.

About his family, Connor relates, “We didn’t always have that future to look forward to—but now, we do. And it’s a big deal.”

A record 463 people received lifesaving organ transplants in 2013 thanks to 148 selfless donors in Colorado and Wyoming, according to Donor Alliance, the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement organization and American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving the two-state region. Additionally, a record 1,177 tissue donors provided lifesaving and healing tissue, providing bone and skin grafts that will impact thousands of more lives. These milestones are a result of the high percentage of Colorado and Wyoming residents who have chosen to give the gift of life by registering as organ, eye and tissue donors.

Through the generous gifts of donors and their families, Donor Alliance facilitated 148 organ recoveries in 2013, resulting in 463 people in Colorado and throughout the country being removed from the transplant waiting list. The year yielded more transplants than ever before by 3.8%, exceeding the previous high set in 2011, and a 26% increase since 2009.

Similarly, the organization worked with more tissue donors than ever, representing a 32% increase since 2009. These generous individuals and their families gave the gift of lifesaving and healing tissues such as skin, bone and heart valves, which will help as many as 100,000 people to regain mobility and have active lives after disease or trauma.

“We are incredibly proud and grateful to have facilitated a record number of organ and tissue transplants in 2013, helping to save and enhance the lives of more patients than ever before,” said Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. “We never forget that our work is made possible by the selfless donors and their courageous families who make the powerful decision to give the gift of life.”

The Donate Life Colorado Organ and Tissue Donor Registry experienced the highest donor designation rate since the registry’s establishment in 2001. (This is the rate at which individuals join the state donor registry as a percentage of licensed drivers and ID card holders.) At the close of 2013, 67.3 percent of Colorado’s licensed drivers and ID card holders had joined the registry. Similarly, Wyoming’s registry improved to a 59.4 percent donor designation rate from 55 percent at the end of 2009.  Both states continue to hold two of the highest donor designation rates in the nation.

Donor Alliance’s authorization rates also remained among the highest in the country this year at 92% percent. The authorization rates track the number of families saying ‘yes’ to donation of their loved one’s organ and tissues when approached by Donor Alliance staff.

Source: Donor Alliance data

Despite the generosity of donor family members and the efforts of Donor Alliance staff and partner organizations, just over 2,400 people in the area continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant.

Join the 67 percent of Coloradans and 59 percent of Wyoming citizens who have registered to be organ and tissue donors. For more information about organ and tissue donation, please visit DonorAlliance.org. To register to be an organ and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org, DonateLifeWyoming.org or call 303-329-4747 or 1-888-256-4386 for more information.

This holiday season, Donor Alliance connected with communities throughout Colorado and Wyoming to share the life-saving message of organ, eye, and tissue donation. From twinkling tree lightings to festive parades, we reminded the community that the greatest gift we can give is the gift of life.

A season of connection and community

This December, our team and dedicated advocates participated in wonderful community events throughout Colorado and Wyoming, including the Cheyenne Christmas Parade, the Aurora Tree Lighting, a virtual presentation with Amigos de Mexico, and the spectacular 9News Parade of Lights in Denver. Each event gave us the opportunity to connect with families, share stories of hope, and spread awareness about the life-saving power of organ donation. Our incredible volunteer advocates, the heart and soul of our mission, braved the cold weather, engaged with parade-goers, and shared their personal stories with compassion and courage. Their commitment is what makes our message reach further and save more lives.

Meet Elita and Bryan Hester

Experiencing the gift of life firsthand, the entire family became registered donors. Bryan, Elita’s husband, is a cornea recipient who now sees the world clearly thanks to an extraordinary gift. In what they call the “miracle of Hester Street,” Bryan discovered that he had officiated the funeral of the very friend whose cornea he received, a connection he describes as his donor “getting to see his own funeral through the eyes he gave.” Most recently, the family was touched again by donation when Elita’s mother became an organ donor after her passing, giving hope and life to others. Elita shared that her mother’s gift brought comfort and healing during her grief journey. They’re using their story to help raise awareness and hopefully spread more hope throughout Colorado. Watch Elita and Bryan’s interview with Aurora TV. 

Looking forward with gratitude

As we reflect on this holiday season, we’re reminded that every event we attend, every story we share, and every person we reach brings us one step closer to less people waiting for a life-saving and healing donation. To our advocates – your dedication makes miracles possible every single day.

From all of us at Donor Alliance, thank you for being part of our community and helping us share the greatest gift we can give: the gift of life. Say yes to giving the gift of life at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.

This holiday season, Donor Alliance connected with communities throughout Colorado and Wyoming to share the life-saving message of organ, eye, and tissue donation. From twinkling tree lightings to festive parades, we reminded the community that the greatest gift we can give is the gift of life.

A season of connection and community

This December, our team and dedicated advocates participated in wonderful community events throughout Colorado and Wyoming, including the Cheyenne Christmas Parade, the Aurora Tree Lighting, a virtual presentation with Amigos de Mexico, and the spectacular 9News Parade of Lights in Denver. Each event gave us the opportunity to connect with families, share stories of hope, and spread awareness about the life-saving power of organ donation. Our incredible volunteer advocates, the heart and soul of our mission, braved the cold weather, engaged with parade-goers, and shared their personal stories with compassion and courage. Their commitment is what makes our message reach further and save more lives.

Meet Elita and Bryan Hester

Experiencing the gift of life firsthand, the entire family became registered donors. Bryan, Elita’s husband, is a cornea recipient who now sees the world clearly thanks to an extraordinary gift. In what they call the “miracle of Hester Street,” Bryan discovered that he had officiated the funeral of the very friend whose cornea he received, a connection he describes as his donor “getting to see his own funeral through the eyes he gave.” Most recently, the family was touched again by donation when Elita’s mother became an organ donor after her passing, giving hope and life to others. Elita shared that her mother’s gift brought comfort and healing during her grief journey. They’re using their story to help raise awareness and hopefully spread more hope throughout Colorado. Watch Elita and Bryan’s interview with Aurora TV. 

Looking forward with gratitude

As we reflect on this holiday season, we’re reminded that every event we attend, every story we share, and every person we reach brings us one step closer to less people waiting for a life-saving and healing donation. To our advocates – your dedication makes miracles possible every single day.

From all of us at Donor Alliance, thank you for being part of our community and helping us share the greatest gift we can give: the gift of life. Say yes to giving the gift of life at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.

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 Connor’s mom took her three-month-old son to the doctor for a cold, she learned that Connor had a condition called cardiomyopathy, a deadly heart disease that could only be remedied by a heart transplant. Connor spent nine weeks on the waiting list and received a transplant on Mother’s Day in 1992.

Ten years passed and Connor’s body started to reject the heart. He was placed back on the waiting list and more than a year later, Connor received his second heart transplant on July 18, 2005.

Connor thanks Donor Alliance for helping to improve the number of donors.

“If it weren’t for their work, I and many other recipients I know might not be alive,” he said.

About his family, Connor relates, “We didn’t always have that future to look forward to—but now, we do. And it’s a big deal.”

This holiday season, Donor Alliance connected with communities throughout Colorado and Wyoming to share the life-saving message of organ, eye, and tissue donation. From twinkling tree lightings to festive parades, we reminded the community that the greatest gift we can give is the gift of life.

A season of connection and community

This December, our team and dedicated advocates participated in wonderful community events throughout Colorado and Wyoming, including the Cheyenne Christmas Parade, the Aurora Tree Lighting, a virtual presentation with Amigos de Mexico, and the spectacular 9News Parade of Lights in Denver. Each event gave us the opportunity to connect with families, share stories of hope, and spread awareness about the life-saving power of organ donation. Our incredible volunteer advocates, the heart and soul of our mission, braved the cold weather, engaged with parade-goers, and shared their personal stories with compassion and courage. Their commitment is what makes our message reach further and save more lives.

Meet Elita and Bryan Hester

Experiencing the gift of life firsthand, the entire family became registered donors. Bryan, Elita’s husband, is a cornea recipient who now sees the world clearly thanks to an extraordinary gift. In what they call the “miracle of Hester Street,” Bryan discovered that he had officiated the funeral of the very friend whose cornea he received, a connection he describes as his donor “getting to see his own funeral through the eyes he gave.” Most recently, the family was touched again by donation when Elita’s mother became an organ donor after her passing, giving hope and life to others. Elita shared that her mother’s gift brought comfort and healing during her grief journey. They’re using their story to help raise awareness and hopefully spread more hope throughout Colorado. Watch Elita and Bryan’s interview with Aurora TV. 

Looking forward with gratitude

As we reflect on this holiday season, we’re reminded that every event we attend, every story we share, and every person we reach brings us one step closer to less people waiting for a life-saving and healing donation. To our advocates – your dedication makes miracles possible every single day.

From all of us at Donor Alliance, thank you for being part of our community and helping us share the greatest gift we can give: the gift of life. Say yes to giving the gift of life at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.