A Quarterly Newsletter of LifeShare Of The Carolinas

VOLUME 17

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ISSUE 4

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WINTER 2014

IN THIS ISSUE:

1 Remembering Rex

3 A Tribute to Marcy NashMaciejewski

3 Recognizing Donors andTheir Families

4 Donation Makes It AllPossible — 2014

6 LifeShare Says Goodbyeto a Valued Teammate

7 Donor Statistics byHospital

8 LifeShare EmployeesGive Back

A Donate Life Organization

Remembering RexA Grateful Transplant Recipient Remembers her Donor

The text below is a shortened version of a speech Nancy Foltz delivered on May 2, 2014

at LifeShare’s annual donor remembrance ceremony on behalf of all transplant recipients.

As is our tradition, this newsletter is dedicated to all donors and their families.

I am here with you this evening because of an angel. His

name is Rex. He is with me everywhere I go. I never met

Rex on this earth, because in June of 2005, at the age of 30,

he died suddenly of a brain aneurysm.

He was survived by his wife Christie and three children,

who were nine, seven and four at the time of his death.

When Rex died, although Christie was devastated, she

agreed to donate his organs to save the lives of others.

Christie told me that she made this decision because Rex

was the kind of person who was always helping others. I have Rex’s liver.

Transplant recipients are a unique group of people. None of us wanted to be here,

but here we are. We are from all walks of life. We are not part of a club that meets to

promote a cause or enjoy a pastime. Yet we are connected in a profound way.

My connection with donation began in March of 2005.

Rick and I had been married for slightly over a year. I

was happy, active and healthy.

I came down with an annoying head cold and

went to the doctor on April 7, 2005. On April 19,

I was told that I needed a liver transplant. This

news was so shocking and so sudden for me

that I didn’t quite believe it.

I turned yellow from head to toe. I was

hospitalized three times prior to my sur-

gery. I went from not believing that I

would need a transplant, to hoping and

praying that a donor could be found in

time. I was on the fine line between

being sick enough to be placed at the

top of the transplant list and too sick to

undergo major surgery.When I had only a week or two left to

live, I was so weak that I stayed mostlyin bed, waiting for the phone to ring.

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

Gary Burris

. . . . . . . . . . . .

O U R M I S S I O N

Improving lives through organ,

eye and tissue donation.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

O U R V I S I O N

We envision a day when everyone

who needs a transplant will be

able to get one.

The call came on June 1. My reaction was sorrow and joy; sorrow because I knewsomeone else had died and joy because I might have a chance to live. I knew nothing about Rex at that time, except that he was young and strong, haddied suddenly, and was nearly a perfect match for me. Later, through LifeShare, Iwas able to write a letter anonymously to my donor family and I received a replyfrom Christie.

I have been able to thankChristie in person for

what she and Rex did forme and my family. But I

am well aware thatnothing I can say or dois adequate to express

my gratitude.

I have experienced survivor’s guilt. But as I have thought about it over the years,I have come to realize that, in feeling guilty, my focus was not on the true miracleof an organ transplant. My life was saved not only by the incredible advances inmodern medicine and the skill and dedication of my medical team, including thewonderful people who work for LifeShare, but also by a human miracle. The realmiracle is what Rex and Christie did and what you have done.

It is written in the Talmud: “To save one life is as if you have saved the world.” Bysaving the life of someone you never knew, you have affirmed the value and dignityof the person you lost. You have continued the work that your loved one began on earth.

You did not ask: “Is the recipient worthy of this gift? Is this person the right race,religion or political affiliation?” It was enough for you that the recipient was anotherhuman being in need of something that could not be earned, purchased, or beggedfor but could only be given, freely and selflessly.

So, thank you. By saving someone, you have saved us all. There is a line from a song in the musical “Les Miserables” which I find very

moving: “To love another person is to touch the face of God.” Donating life is themost powerful expression of love. The beauty of what we leave behind is not whatwe are able to hold onto for a time but what we are able to give.

Remembering Rex continued

Did You Know?The number of registered donors in North Carolinanow exceeds 4.6 million? That’s more than a millionnew registrations since the Heart Prevails law wentinto effect in October, 2007.

?

Nancy and Rick

3

Number of Candidates on theNational Transplant Waiting List

Kidney 101,956

Liver 15,627

Pancreas 1,147

Kidney-Pancreas 2,053

Heart 4,018

Lung 1,664

Heart-Lung 50

Intestine 258

NATIONAL TOTAL 123,883

North Carolina 3,266

South Carolina 835

Based on OPTN data as of November 14, 2014.

A NEVER-ENDING LOVE STORY

A Tribute to Marcy Nash Maciejewski

Among the never-ending stories that will be depicted on the float this year is that of

Marcy Nash Maciejewski, a dialysis nurse from Charlotte, NC. Marcy was the love of

Ed’s life. They were happily married for 15 years

before she died in 2009.

Because of Marcy’s decision to become a donor

two Charlotte mothers got their lives back. In

November, they joined Ed, close family friends,

LifeShare staff and two former Charlotte-area float

riders (Julie Allred and Derrick Floyd) in decorating

Marcy’s floragraph.

Only organic materials such as spices, seeds

and crushed flowers are used to create floragraphs.

Marcy’s is one of 72 nationwide selected by the

float committee in Los Angeles for the honor. It is

being sponsored by the Marcy Nash Maciejewski

Scholarship Foundation.

The theme of the float this year is Never-Ending Stories. Be sure to tune in to the

Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. For more information on the Donate Life float and

all of the floragraphs, visit www.donatelifefloat.org.

W I N T E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 4

Our staff and the hospital professionals we work with are committed to honoring the

life of the individuals who so generously give the ultimate gift—the gift of life.

It begins from the time we first sit down to talk to families in crisis and extends to

the operating room. Before organs are ever recovered from organ donors, we observe

a moment of silence where all of the surgeons, nurses and everyone in the operating

room pause. The following statement is read to show respect and compassion for the donor:

Today we share a common space and join in a common cause. Through the caring

touch of our hearts and hands, we join our efforts to care for the donor’s name. For all

the children, grandchildren, friends and family who are touched by what we do here

today, may we remember that fresh hopes and dreams began with the gift of this one

person. May we take moment now in silence to honor the life of the donor’s name.

In addition to the donor tribute, at 8:15 every Monday morning LifeShare begins its

weekly staff meetings with a moment of silence. It is a tradition we started several years

ago to honor the organ, eye and tissue donors from the week before.

The meetings are led by Gary Burris, LifeShare’s Chief Operating Officer. He said,

“I think it is important that we begin our week by honoring the people who make

donation possible.”

Recognizing Donors and Their Families

CALENDARof events

January 1, 2015Donate Life Float

at Annual Rose Parade

Check your local TV listings

February 14, 2015National Donor Day

April 2015 National Donate Life Month

April 17, 2015National Blue and Green Day

Donation makes REMEMBERING THE ORGAN, EYE AND TISSUE DONOR

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

Adam Adrian Alan Albert Alex Alexis Allen Amanda Amber An

Aven Barbara Barbera Beatrice Bernice Beth Betsy Bettie Betty

Brent Bruce Bryan Buddy Burl Byran Calvin Cameron Candy

Chris Christopher Chrystal Claire Clarence Claude Clyde Collin C

Dennis Derek Diane Diane Dillon Donald Donna Donnelle D

Edward Eileen Erica Francine Freddie Gail Gary Gene George

Hung Iris Isaac Jack Jacque Jacqueline James Jamie Janet Jani

Jody Joe Joel Joey John John Johnathan Johnny Johnvuq Jo

Karen Karla Kathie Kathleen Kathryn Kathy Keenan Keith Kelis

Landon Lanny Larry Laurie Leanna Leonard Lewellyn Lewis Lil

Lucio Lucious Lula Lydia Lynn Madelyn Mamoun Marco Ma

Marshall Martin Marvin Mary Mary Cynthia Mason Mauricio Meh

Milton Modelle Molly Monroe Montreal Myiah Myrtle Nader

ODell Orie Pamela Patricia Patrick Patsy Paul Paula Peter Phill

Regina Reginald Rhonda Richard Richmond Rigoberto Riley Rob

Sam Samantha Samuel Sandra Sarah Saundra Scott Shannon

Stephanie Stephen Steve Steven Stewart Stuart Suanne Susan

Tony Travas Travis Tyler Ulises Vanessa Verlon Vivian Walter Wa

* The names listed here are from November 1, 2013 through October 31, 2014. Donors after this date will be included in next year’s Winter newsletter.

s it all possible! RS OF 2014*. THEY ARE GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...

5W I N T E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 4

ndrew Angel Angela Angus Ann Anne Antoinette Arthur Ashley

Beverly Billie Billy Bivens Bob Bobby Brandon Brenda Brenice

Carl Carolyn Carroll Catherine Cathy Cecelia Chantale Charles

Connie Crystal Dale Daniel Danny David Deanna Deborah Debra

onnie Doreatha Dorothy Douglas Dustin Dwight Ebony Eddie

e Glenda Gloria Gordon Harold Hemmie Henry Hilda Howard

ice Janis Jaylin Jeffrey Jennifer Jeremy Jerry Jessie Jimmy Joan

on Joseph Joshua Juan Juanita Judith Judy Julia Julian Justin

Kelli Kelly Kelly Ann Kenia Kenneth Kermit Kevin Kimberly Kyle

a Linda Lindsay Lisa Lois Lonnie Lorraine Louise Lowell Loyd

rgaret Maria Maricelys Marie Marjorie Mark Marlon Marolyn

hdi Melanie Melvin Michael Michelle Michelle Jo Mickey Mildred

Nancy Narcisa Nathan Nelson Nicholas Noelle Norine Norman

ip Phyllis Quinton Rachel Ralph Randall Ray Raymond Rebecca

bert Rodney Roger Roland Ronald Ronda Ronnie Rosalind Roy

n Shari Sharon Shawn Sherlene Sherry Sheryn Shirley Simon

Tammy Tate Terry Tewanda Thomas Tierra Timothy Tina Toni

anda Wayne Wendi William Willie Wilson Yantz Yoselin Yvonne

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) 665-0107.

If you are interested in joining our

Speaker’s Bureau, we’d also like to

hear from you.

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

THE NIGHT BEFORE I WAS TO OFFICIALLY BECOME AN EMPLOYEE OF LIFESHARE, MY

DIRECTOR CALLED ME AT HOME. “I’M STARTING A CASE AT CAROLINAS MEDICAL

CENTER. DO YOU WANT TO COME?” WITH THAT INVITATION, IT ALL BEGAN.

A few years earlier after completing nursing

school at age 47, I went to work in the Dickson

Heart Unit of Carolinas Medical Center. I cared

for several patients on the waiting list for a heart

transplant, several of whom continue to celebrate

their “Gift of Life” today.

The experience peaked my interest in organ

donation and I began for working for LifeShare in

the fall of 1999, a few hours earlier than I had

expected. We had five organ coordinators in

Charlotte at the time. (Today there are eight.)

About a year later, a position opened in the

Asheville Office. I was granted the transfer and

moved to Black Mountain, NC, back to the

mountains of my youth.

Over the last several years as a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator, I have

stood side-by-side with LifeShare teammates and nurses in hospitals throughout

southwestern North Carolina. Mission Hospital has been like a second office and I have

developed friendships with a number of the dedicated health professionals who work there.

With support and encouragement from Gary Burris, LifeShare’s Chief Operating

Officer, I was given the opportunity to get involved with several organizations.

Working with donation and transplantation policy makers gave me a new perspective

and appreciation for the complexity of the work we do each day at LifeShare and the

lives that we touch.

I am very proud of the leadership positions I was elected to including the North

American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO), Donate Life North

Carolina and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Beginning with an

appointment to the NATCO Membership Committee, I rose through the ranks to

become President of NATCO, President of Donate Life NC and a Member of the

Executive Committee of UNOS. Representing transplant and procurement professionals

from across the United States has been an honor and a privilege.

More importantly, I was blessed to work with hundreds of wonderful donor families

who in their deepest despair, gave the “gift of life.” I will always remember one

Christmas morning as I was speaking with a woman who had just lost her husband.

She said to me, “What better gift could he give this Christmas morning than the

Gift of Life?” My life too was forever changed by this simple, unselfish statement.

Now, I too am starting a new chapter in my life.

I retired on October 31, 2014 after 15 years of the most rewarding work I have ever

done. Still, I am not completely gone. LifeShare has already recruited me as a volunteer

for a speaking engagement. There is no doubt they will have more for me to do. And

of course, I will say yes. It’s like being an organ donor, why wouldn’t I?

LifeShare Says Goodbye to a Valued Teammate

W I N T E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 4

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.

LifeShare gratefully acknowledges the commitment of all nurses and other medicalpersonnel who help to further the ideals of organ and tissue donation. It is throughtheir efforts and the generosity of donor family members that donation occurs. Whencomparing 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

June–September 2014

Hospital Eye Organ Tissue

Angel 2 0 1

Anson 0 0 0

Asheville Specialty 0 0 0

Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) 35 13 26

CMC - Blue Ridge Grace 3 0 2

CMC - Huntersville 0 0 0

CMC - Lincoln 6 0 1

CMC - Mercy 0 0 0

CMC - NorthEast 14 1 15

CMC - Pineville 5 1 5

CMC - Union 9 0 5

CMC - University 3 0 2

CMC - Valdese 0 0 0

CMC - Waxhaw 1 0 0

Caromont 16 0 15

Cherokee 1 0 1

Cleveland 3 0 3

Harris 3 0 3

Haywood 1 0 2

Highlands-Cashiers 0 0 0

Kings Mountain 1 0 2

Lake Norman 1 0 0

Mission 19 5 14

Mount Holly 0 0 0

Murphy 1 0 0

NHP - Huntersville 3 0 1

NHP - Matthews 5 0 3

NHP - Presby 11 2 6

Pardee 5 0 4

Park Ridge 0 0 0

Rutherford 5 0 3

St. Luke’s 1 0 1

Stanly 1 0 1

Swain 1 0 0

Transylvania 2 0 1

VA Medical 1 0 0

7

Quiltof Life

LifeShareOf The Carolinas

5000-D Airport Center ParkwayCharlotte, NC 28208

LifeShareEmployeesGive Back

We don’t think you will find a more caring group of people than the staff

here at LifeShare. Each year, employees contribute to a number of organizations

and each year we far exceed our goal for the Community Giving Campaign which

is divided among the Children’s Miracle Network, the United Way and the Arts

and Science Council. Our 2015 donation to the campaign is slightly over $10,000.

In addition, the staff donated $300 to the Hospitality House to help house

out-of-town families in Charlotte to care for loved ones at area hospitals.

Some of those families are the loved ones of organ, eye and tissue donors.

Individually, several LifeShare staff members contribute their time and talent to

community organizations. This time of the year many donate to toy drives, to

churches and other charities to help make the holidays brighter for those in need.

We realize we are blessed and we want to pass those blessings onto others. On behalf of our entire staff,thank you for your contributions to our organization this year. We wish you the best the season has to offer.