A Quarterly Newsletter of LifeShare Of The Carolinas

VOLUME 20

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ISSUE 1

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SPRING 2017

IN THIS ISSUE:

1 Saving Lives, SettingRecords

2 Celebrating NationalDonate Life Month

3 Josh’s Tree of Life

4 Heart to Heart

6 More New Changes andFaces

7 Donor Statistics byHospital

8 April is National DonateLife Month

A Donate Life Organization

LifeShare Of The Carolinas isSaving Lives, Setting Records!FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR 46-YEAR HISTORY, LIFESHARE RECOVERED ORGANS

FROM OVER 100 DONORS IN 2016. AS A RESULT, 304 ORGANS WERE SUCCESSFULLY

TRANSPLANTED AND MORE LIVES THAN EVER WERE SAVED.

Jerome Menendez, LifeShare’s Executive Director, said there were several reasons

that the number of donors went up from 79 in 2015 to 104 last year. They include an

increase in the number of eligible donors, new clinical reforms, continuous support

from our hospital partners, heightened community awareness and the tremendous

giving spirit of the people of North Carolina.

“Without a doubt, this milestone can be attributed to the incredible generosity of

our donors and their families. During one of the most difficult and emotional times

in their lives, these families made the unselfish decision to donate their loved-one's

organs so that others might live,” Menendez said.

It is no coincidence that the number of NC residents who have designated themselves

as donors through the NC Organ Donor Registry has also reached an all-time high.

The number of state residents who have designated themselves as donors is rapidly

approaching five million.

LifeShare’s record year is consistent with

national statistics. According to preliminary data

from the United Network for Organ Sharing

(UNOS) organ transplants performed in 2016

reached a record high for the fourth consecutive

year. 33,606 organ transplants were reported in

the United States last year, an 8.5 percent increase

over 2015 and an increase of 19.8 percent since 2012.

Despite the increase in the number of donors,

the demand for organ transplants continues to far

outpace the supply. Nationwide, there are

approximately 118,000 people on the waiting list

for an organ transplant. Thousands of others are

in need of donated tissue to restore sight, improve

mobility and to heal burns.

From all indications thus far, LifeShare will

break records again in 2017. There are approximately

2,900 North Carolina residents in need of a

transplant, who are hoping and praying that we do.

2 L I F E S H A R E O F T H E C A R O L I N A S

LifeShareOf The Carolinas

1-800-932-GIVE

www.lifesharecarolinas.org

Editor

Debbie Gibbs

Associate Editor

Ben Martin

O U R M I S S I O N

Improving lives through organ,

eye and tissue donation.

OU R V I S I O N

We envision a day when everyone

who needs a transplant will be

able to get one.

C E L E B R A T I N G

National Donate Life MonthEvery April, LifeShare joins the donation community in observing National Donate

Life Month. The artwork for this year’s national observance features a pinwheel

which is symbolic of an instrument that turns obstacles into opportunities.

The pinwheel reminds us that we all have the potential to capture and pass on life,

comfort others and offer hope registering as a donor. For transplant recipients,

donation can turn sickness and injury into a second chance at life. For donors, their

decision to register can turn a sorrowful time into a source of comfort for family as a

result of renewed life for others.

The four sails represent organ, eye, tissue and living donation, the four ways one

person can save and heal more than 75 lives through organ, eye and tissue donation,

and even save a life through the gift of living donation. The one stem symbolizes the

power of one person to save and heal lives through donation.

One of the highlights of NDLM each year is National Blue and Green Day which

will be celebrated on Friday, April 21, 2017. As usual, LifeShare encourages everyone

to sport their blue and green that day and to share your photos with us on Facebook.

We are also sponsoring a contest for hospital units to showcase their creativity. A

photo of how they observed Blue and Green Day must be submitted by noon on

April 24th to Eboni Lewis @lifesharecarolinas.org. People can vote for their favorite

entries on the LifeShare Facebook page between 2 PM on April 24th and 8 AM on

May 1st. The winner will be announced on Facebook that day at noon.

We wish everyone a Happy National Donate Life Month and we thank you for your

support year-round. Don’t forget to stop and feel the breeze, watch the pinwheels and

think of the lives of those touched by donation and transplantation!

3

Number of Candidates on theNational Transplant Waiting List

Kidney 98,101

Liver 14,376

Pancreas 931

Kidney-Pancreas 1,732

Heart 3,991

Lung 1,390

Heart-Lung 46

Intestine 275

NATIONAL TOTAL 118,198

North Carolina 2,878

South Carolina 1,005

Based on OPTN data as of March 13, 2017.

S P R I N G I S S U E – 2 0 1 7

Josh’s Tree of LifeJOSH JOLLY WAS THE IDEAL ORGAN DONOR. HE WAS YOUNG, HEALTHY AND MOST

OF ALL, BECOMING A DONOR WAS HIS DECISION. HE HAD SAID YES AT THE DMV

OFFICE IN GAFFNEY, SC WHEN HE GOT HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE AND BECAUSE OF THAT

LITTLE RED HEART, THREE LIVES WERE SAVED.

It is in Josh’s honor that a new donor memorial will be dedicated at Mission

Hospital in May. A bronze and metal tree is being created to memorialize all of the

individuals who have donated organs, eyes or tissue at Mission since 2014.

Josh’s step-mother, Donna, said he would be very pleased to know he is being

remembered in this way. She said he would give you the shirt off his back, “the type

of person that if you met him once, you’d have a friend for life.” So, it came as no

surprise to the family when

they learned that he had

registered to become a donor.

Josh died following an

accident on Highway 26 near

Asheville in 2014. His job was

installing guardrails. The day

of his accident, he happened

to be driving a truck instead.

No one knows for sure what

caused the accident. What his

family does know is that

honoring his decision was an

easy choice.

“We feel real good about it

because we know that three

people are living because of

him and a part of him is still living, you know, Donna said.” The Jolly family has other

friends and family that also have ties to donation.

She has a brother-in-law who received a liver transplant about 18 months ago and

a family friend who is the recipient of a kidney transplant. She is hopeful that all of

them will come for the ceremony when Josh’s tree is dedicated at Mission.

The ceremony is scheduled for May 4, 2017 in the lobby of the hospital. In addition to

Josh, several additional donors and their families will be honored that day. It is the

start of a tradition to observe National Donate Life Month.

What do you have planned for your own observance? You can post your photos

through our Facebook page.

“We feel real good about it because we knowthat three people are living because of himand a part of him is still living”

4 L I F E S H A R E O F T H E C A R O L I N A SYou h

ave the power to donate life!

Two Families JourneyTogether to Transplant

Heart to HBy the time Aydan and Travis were

admitted to the hospital, the two little

boys had just days to live before their

hearts gave out. Aydan was three and

Travis was a mere three months. Both

had serious heart defects that put them

in danger of losing their lives.

The pediatric cardiology and heart

surgery team at Levine Children’s

Hospital suddenly had two young

patients in need of heart transplants.

Their job: to keep both boys alive until

transplant with no way of knowing how

long it would take for a heart to become

available for either of them.

Doctors recommended an interim

solution called a mechanical heart,

which would essentially pump their

blood and keep all their organs functioning

until a new heart was available.

“I’ll never forget when the doctor told

me that the only way that Aydan would

live is if we did a surgery to get him on a

mechanical heart,” says Miriam, Aydan’s

mom. “But he also told me that there

was another mom, Allyson, just a few

rooms down, whose little baby was just

CALENDARof events

March 27Mission Hospital Flag CeremonyAsheville March 31CMC NorthEast Flag CeremonyConcord, NC

April 2CMC NorthEast Legacy TreeCeremonyConcord, NC

April 21National Blue and Green DayNationwide

May 4Joshua’s Tree of Life CeremonyMission HospitalAsheville, NC

put on that same mechanical heart, and

that I should meet her.”

A Bond Forms

Miriam and Allyson soon met for the

first time, and learned that their boys

had arrived at the hospital just two

weeks apart. The two moms struck up a

friendship that soon developed into

what Allyson calls a sisterhood.

At first, they’d check in when they

saw each other in the hallways. Then,

they started sitting in each other’s

rooms. As time went on, they’d look in

on each other’s son even when the other

wasn’t there.

“I have my husband, and I have the

nurses and doctors,” says Allyson. “But

as a mom, it really helps to have another

mom who knows just what we’re going

through and who can be there for me

and my baby.”

Once the boys were attached to their

mechanical hearts, their health quickly

got better. Aydan was able to walk

around the hospital floor, blow bubbles,

dance and play with his nurses. And

with Travis no longer tied to his hospital

5S P R I N G I S S U E – 2 0 1 7

Heart

bed filled with wires and tubes, Allyson

was able to hold her baby again.

Those sweet moments brought relief

to both moms. But all the while, they

couldn’t help but think about how much

longer they’d have to wait for their boys

to get the new hearts they desperately

needed.

Worth the Wait

Fortunately, the wait was soon over—at

least for one of them. After nearly four

months, Allyson got the call she’d been

dreaming about: a heart was available

for Travis.

After a six-hour procedure, Doctors

Thomas Maxey and Gonzalo Wallis

walked out of the operating room and

told the family the good news. The new

heart was in Travis’ chest and he was

doing wonderfully.

For Travis and his family, the worst

was over. But for Miriam and Aydan, the

wait continued. Then, exactly two weeks

later—following the same uncanny timing

that had brought both moms to the

hospital—it was Aydan’s turn to get a

new heart.

“It’s like our journeys were right in

sync with each other,” says Allyson.

“You couldn’t time it more perfectly if

you tried.”

With Aydan’s new heart in place,

Miriam and Allyson walked hand in

hand into his room to see him for the

first time. Both boys had their new

hearts, and soon it would be time to go

home. “When Aydan went home, I was

like, Yes! said Miriam. “And I knew that

our time was coming shortly thereafter.”

A Second Chance

Now that Travis and Aydan have

received their transplants, both boys are

happy, healthy and at home. Allyson

and Miriam know they’ll never forget

each other—or take for granted that

their children are alive thanks to the

generosity of donor families.

They are now advocates for organ

donation, and encourage everyone, no

matter their age, to get on the donor list.

“Aydan and Travis are here today

because somebody was selfless in a

moment of pain,” said Dr. Wallis.

“Because of their sacrifice, both boys

have the chance to have a great life.”

For Allyson and Miriam, an experience

that started when they were strangers

has brought them closer than they

could have imagined.

“The connection I have with Miriam

goes far beyond our boys,” says Allyson.

“We’ve created a relationship that’s lifelong.

Birthday, cookouts—she’s going to be

there. And I’m going to be there for her.”

A four-part video series on the boys

and their mothers from their time in the

hospital to the days following their

transplant, was created by Carolinas

HealthCare System. Here are the links to

see it:

PART 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2t_Y7BNNbY

PART 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niMACtjReO0

PART 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp5KapFTU6o

PART 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_KjFbcbc90

Aydan Travis

Did you know?

An open casket funeral is possible for organ, eye andtissue donors. Through the entire donation process thebody is treated with care, respect and dignity.

6

PLANNING A PROGRAM?

As your organization plans its meeting

calendar for the year, please think of

LifeShare. Speakers from your community

whose lives have been touched by

organ or tissue donation are available

to talk to local groups.

If you would like to schedule a

free, informative presentation tailored

to the needs of your organization,

call the LifeShare office nearest you

at (704) 512-3303 or (828) 255-8699.

If you are interested in joining our

Speaker’s Bureau, we’d also like to

hear from you.

Lots of opportunities are available

to help in the office, to staff a booth

at a health fair or to make presentations

to community groups. Call us.

PLEASE CONSIDERMAKING A FINANCIALCONTRIBUTION

By making a donation to LifeShare,

you can help to save lives by raising

organ and tissue donation awareness.

You may contribute in several ways.

In lieu of flowers, LifeShare may

be designated as the organization to

receive memorials for funerals.

Contributions may also be made in

the name of a transplant recipient,

donor or other loved one. Each person

who makes a contribution to LifeShare

receives a thank you letter. A separate

letter is sent to the family or person in

whose honor the donation was made.

Please mail your check, payable to

LifeShare, to the address on the back

of the newsletter. All contributions

are tax-deductible and are used for

public education purposes.

L I F E S H A R E O F T H E C A R O L I N A S

More New Changes and Facesat LifeShareWe were sorry to say goodbye to Joe Kreeb, the Manager of our Tissue Division, in

December. After 20 years with LifeShare, Joe resigned for a new opportunity at Donor

Services Tissue Bank in Nashville, TN.

In a letter of resignation, he wrote, “I have grown close to you through my 20 years

of being with LifeShare. Many of you I have known for most of that time.

This decision did not come without a lot of thought about what I would be leaving

behind. The friendships and interactions I have with you on a daily basis will be

missed. You have all contributed to my growth within LifeShare and I truly owe each of

you my thanks for what you have added to my life. Thank You! I know that LifeShare

will continue to grow and excel as it always has because the team here truly cares

about the donor families and

each other.”

We expect Joe’s replacement to

be named shortly. In the interim,

the tissue team has risen to the

challenge to make sure that

everything continues to run

smoothly. We have added a new

employee, Duncan Barringer, to

assist with the additional volume

of donors we are experiencing.

In addition to Duncan, we

have added other new staff.

Please join us in welcoming: Brandy Dooley, Quality; Mason Jackson, Hospital

Development; and Tamar Leemkuil, Family Support. As the organization continues to

grow, expect to see even more new faces within the next year.

Joe Kreeb, right, is pictured with members of our eyeand tissue team, Tucker Knox and Melanie Griffith.

S P R I N G I S S U E – 2 0 1 7 7

LifeShare is pleased to offer

donor family members a

special way to remember

their loved ones—through

our memorial quilts, the

Quilts of Life.

We display the quilts in our

office and at special events

designed to promote organ

and tissue donation. Squares

are added to the quilts at

least once a year, usually in

the spring in time for

National Organ and Tissue

Donation Awareness Month.

If you would like to add a

square in memory of your

loved one, visit our web site

at lifesharecarolinas.org for

size dimensions, a release

form and other details. You

may also call us for additional

information at (704) 512-3303.

We look forward to receiving

additional squares and to

sharing the memory of your

loved one with others.

Quiltof Life

LifeShare gratefully acknowledges the commitment of all nurses and other medical personnelwho help to further the ideals of organ and tissue donation. It is through their efforts and thegenerosity of donor family members that donation occurs. When comparing statistics, please

note that not all hospitals have the same donor potential.

DONOR S TAT I S T I C S BY HOSP I TA L

September–December 2016

Hospital Eye Organ Tissue

Angel Medical Center 1 0 0

Asheville Specialty Hospital 0 0 0

Broughton Hospital 0 0 0

CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital 0 0 0

Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital - Kings Mountain 0 0 0

Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital - Pineville 0 0 0

Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital - University 1 0 1

Carolinas Medical Center 31 16 19

Carolinas Medical Center - Mercy 0 0 0

Carolinas Rehabilitation 0 0 0

Carolinas Rehabilitation - Mt. Holly 0 0 0

Carolinas Rehabilitation - NorthEast 0 0 0

CaroMont Regional Medical Center 15 2 10

CaroMont Regional Medical Center - Mt Holly 0 0 0

Cherokee Indian Hospital 2 0 0

CHS - Anson 2 0 0

CHS - Behavioral Health - Randolph 0 0 0

CHS - Cleveland 2 0 1

CHS - Harrisburg 0 0 0

CHS - Huntersville 2 0 1

CHS - Kannapolis 0 0 0

CHS - Kings Mountain 0 0 0

CHS - Lincoln 4 0 2

CHS - NorthEast 18 2 10

CHS - Pineville 7 1 5

CHS - Southpark 0 0 0

CHS - Stanly 0 0 0

CHS - Steele Creek 1 0 1

CHS - Union 4 0 3

CHS - University 1 0 0

CHS - Waxhaw 0 0 0

CHS Blue Ridge - Morganton 1 0 4

CHS Blue Ridge - Valdese 0 0 1

Harris Regional Hospital 2 0 0

Haywood Regional Medical Center 0 0 0

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital 0 0 0

Lake Norman Regional Medical Center 3 0 2

Mission Hospital 16 5 9

Murphy Medical Center 0 0 0

Novant Health Charlotte Orthopaedic Hospital 0 0 0

Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center 0 0 0

Novant Health Matthews Medical Center 6 0 4

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center 12 2 6

Pardee Hospital 4 0 1

Park Ridge Health 2 0 0

Rutherford Regional Health System 0 0 1

St. Lukes Hospital 0 0 0

Strategic Behavioral Center - Charlotte 0 0 0

Swain Community Hospital 0 0 0

Transylvania Regional Hospital 1 0 1

VA Medical Center 1 0 0

LifeShareOf The Carolinas

5000-D Airport Center ParkwayCharlotte, NC 28208