tosa 2013 donate life

Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry • www.donatelifetexas.org • www.donevidatexas.org

2013

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W EDITOR

SAW_JULAUG_2013_New Layout: San Antonio Woman 7/9/13 2:53 PM Page 68

Dear Central and SouthTexas Communities,

The challenge facing TOSA is the ever-increasing list

of children and adults being added to the national

waiting list for a life-saving organ transplant — every

11 minutes a new name is added. Across the United

States, in the state of Texas and within our service

area, donation and transplantation centers are in the

midst of a difficult situation — to meet the commu-

nity’s demand for life-saving transplantable organs.

There is an opportunity to change the direction of the donation and transplantation

trends — but it will not be easy. It begins with mobilizing our citizens to act together

as a community for the common good of saving lives.

The first step is to become informed about why there is a critical need for donated or-

gans. The second step is to be proactive to decrease the rate at which people are

being added to the list. For example, there are more than 11,500 Texans waiting for

their “Gift of Life.” Of those, 80 percent (over 9,000) are waiting for a donated kidney

due to diabetes and high blood pressure health issues, which may have been a result

of an unhealthy lifestyle. We must begin living a healthier life if these numbers are to

decrease. In addition, creating a donor-friendly community by sharing your donation

wishes with your family and becoming a registered donor (www.donatelifetexas.org)

will increase the number of life-saving transplants.

The following pages are dedicated to highlight TOSA’s role in the community, answer

the most commonly asked questions, address myths and misconceptions and provide

information on the necessary steps to become a registered donor. Thank you in ad-

vance for your commitment to the cause of saving lives. Should you have any ques-

tions about how you can make a difference, contact Esmeralda “Mela” Perez, director

of public relations, at (210) 618-5052 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Patrick J. Giordano, MHA, FACHE

Chief Executive Officer

“Where there is great love there are always miracles.” — Willa Cather

3

The Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA) mission is “Saving Lives by Optimizing Organ Donation.”

For more information and resources, please call 1-866-685-0277.

GOVERNING BOARD

Vince Speeg, MD, Chair

Charles P. Andrews, MD, CPI

Glenn Halff, MD

Michael Horton, PharmD

Bruce Mitchell

Jerry Morrisey, PhD

Beverly Purcell-Guerra

Daniel Stanton

Ken Washburn, MD

Anne Williams


Transplants: The Numbers Don’t Lie

Lung 141 days187 Texans

Heart 113 days426 Texans

Kidney 1,219 days9,251 Texans

Pancreas 260 days52 Texans

Intestine 159 days1 Texan

Kidney/Pancreas 448 days138 Texans

Liver 361 days1,777 Texans

Approximate number of people on the national transplant waiting list

NATIONAL

118,145

Median time for a life-saving organ transplant and the number of people in Texas waiting for specific organ donation:

4

Approximate number ofTexans on the nationaltransplant waiting list

TEXAS

11,574

A Special Section from San Antonio Woman

*As reported by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) on May 30, 2013. For a daily update visit www.unos.org.

It’s hard to believe that every 11 minutes a new name is added to the national life-saving organ transplant waiting list.

Adults and children wait for weeks, months... even years until a transplantable organbecomes available. The need for donated organs far exceeds the supply.

What is more startling to believe is 18 people will die today because of the shortage

of donated organs.


Who is the Texas Organ

Sharing Alliance?

The Texas Organ Sharing Al-

liance (TOSA) is one of only 58

nonprofit 501(c)(3) independ-

ent, federally designated Organ

Procurement Organizations

(OPOs) in the United States

dedicated to educating and

providing organ donation and

recovery services to families

wishing to donate and to those

waiting for life-saving organ

transplants. Founded in 1975,

TOSA serves 56 counties in

Central and South Texas.

The National Initiative

In 2006, Donate Life America

launched the Donor Designa-

tion Collaborative (DDC) to

share best practices and focus

on creating high-functioning

registries to dramatically in-

crease the number of desig-

nated donors in the United

States. Each state formed a

team of partners committed to

making this happen. The initiative played an important role in forging

and strengthening partnerships with the Department of Public Safety

(DPS) nationwide.

Why the need?

As of May 31, 2013, over 118,145 men, women and children were

waiting for life-saving organ transplants in the United States. Over

11,574 are in need in the State of Texas, with an estimated 5,008 liv-

ing in Central and South Texas. Because there is a critical shortage of

organs to meet this need, 18 people will die today from not having

received one in time, amounting to thousands of lives lost each year.

Why does becoming a registered donor matter?

Many families don’t discuss the idea of donation prior to death.

When there is no license/ID donor designation, grieving families

sometimes feel conflicted by

not knowing what their loved

one would have wanted.

When a donor designation is

available, the donor’s wishes

can be honored, removing the

burden of the decision from

family. Families often draw

comfort and reassurance from

having this knowledge. Over

97 percent of donor registra-

tions come directly from the

DPS. A simple “yes” to the do-

nation question from a DPS ex-

aminer could be the one that

saves lives. Since the DDC

launched in 2006, such part-

nerships have contributed to a

50-percent increase in desig-

nated donors nationwide.

Making an informed

decision…

Making the decision to become

a registered organ, eye and tis-

sue donor is not easy for some

people. Donor education is the

vehicle to our community’s un-

derstanding about the critical shortage and need for donors.

As the organization federally designated to serve Central and South

Texas, TOSA is committed to conducting donation-related activities.

Through these coordinated activities related to public education about

the benefits of donation, we increase donor awareness and the number

of people registered on the Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry.

Visit www.donatelifetexas.org or www.donevidatexas.org.

Included on these pages are special stories of lives that have been

touched by donation, illustrating the profound impact that one indi-

vidual has on the donation process. And on the pages to follow, you

will find facts, frequently asked questions, myths and misconceptions

and resource links to assist our community in creating a donation-

friendly society.6

Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation You Make the Difference


Do you have a heart...

on your driver’slicense or ID?


GloriaArredondoDonor Mom of TimothyEleven year-old Timothy became an organ donor

as a result of a hit-and-run accident. Through

the donation of his organs he saved four lives.

Gloria and Joe, the parents of Timothy, have

spoken with Jennifer, Timothy's heart recipient.

Timothy's older brother, Mateo, had the pleas-

ure of meeting Jennifer and her family this past

year. As a donor family, they speak as a testa-

ment that after every attempt to save his life was

made and when death occurred, organ dona-

tion is about giving others a second chance at

life — the "Gift of Life."

Fleming MitchellHeart RecipientIn March of 2004, Fleming had a massive heart attack. Soon after, he was placed on the national

waiting list for a heart transplant. During the waiting period, he wondered if he would get a second

chance at life. After waiting for more than a year for a life-saving heart transplant, his new donated

heart arrived. On the way to the hospital, the ambulance carrying Fleming's new heart was involved

in an accident. The medical personnel had to physically run to the hospital with the new heart and

arrive just in time for the heart to be transplanted. Today, Fleming is very active advocating for

organ donation, playing golf and enjoying life to the fullest. He says, "I thank God every day for

the family who believed in donating life to someone like me who was facing death. This experience

has changed my outlook on life and given me a better understanding and appreciation for the

love of humanity."

Living & Giving Stories

7


Zackry BazaSmall Bowel, Pancreas and Liver Recipient

Bonnie KwanHeart Recipient and Dr. Michael Kwan

Sister Michele O’BrienDr. Vince Speeg, Governing Board Member,and Sister Michele O’Brien, Liver Transplant Recipient

SAW_JULAUG_2013_New Layout: San Antonio Woman 7/5/13 10:44 AM 3

Contact: Esmeralda “Mela” Perez, director of public relations , Texas

Organ Sharing Alliance, [email protected], 1-866-685-0277.

The Workplace Partnership for Life (WPPL): A national ini-

tiative created in 2001, unites the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS) with the organ, eye and tissue donation com-

munity, businesses, organizations and associations to encourage the

American public to become registered donors. This nationwide net-

work of more than 11,000 “Partners” includes local, regional and

national companies, associations, unions and academic, volunteer,

philanthropic and community-focused organizations of all kinds.

Their shared goal is promoting a “donation-friendly America” by fos-

tering donation education and creating opportunities for individuals

to sign up to save lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.

www.organdonor.gov/workplace.

National Donation Campus Challenge: The campaign launched

in 2009 brings together organ, eye and tissue donation organizations

on the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors and to increase

donor registration. www.organdonor.gov/workplacechallenge.asp.

Decision Donation: A school program that gives the gift of life:

Decision Donation proves a multifaceted set of materials — print,

video, CD-ROM and Web-based — that teachers throughout the

country can use in a variety of subject areas to educate students and

encourage them to consider organ, eye and tissue donation.

www.organdonor.gov/student/materials.asp.

Friends for Life: The value of giving back: Men, women and chil-

dren on the national waiting list continue to be inspired by what is

being done by individuals, communities and the donation and trans-

plant centers to build enough to give of their time to make a differ-

ence in their community. Yet more volunteers are needed to teach

others what more can be done in our home, workplace, place of

worship and community to save lives. For more information about

becoming a Friends for Life volunteer, call TOSA Donor Family and

Volunteer Services at (210) 614-7030 or toll free at 1-866-685-0277.

www.txorgansharing.org.

Customer Access to Educational Materials: Posters,

brochures and testimonial CDs can be good resources to help the pub-

lic make an educated, informed decision about donation. While there

are numerous community outreach initiatives to educate the general

public, public knowledge could still be improved.

Multimedia Education: Businesses are encouraged to in-

corporate messages as a screensaver on picture preview mon-

itors, scrolling marquee screens or LCD monitors to inform the

public about spe-

cific activities as

well as education

about donation.

LCD monitors

also offer the op-

portunity to show

short clips of per-

sonal testimonials

and facts about

donation.

V o l u n t e e r

Tabling: Volun-

teer tables in the

community can be

a great resource

for the public to

receive informa-

tion and ask spe-

cific questions

about donation. In

some cases, the

public may have

the opportunity to

meet a recipient

or donor family

member who has

directly benefited

from donation.

Employee Newsletters: The business community is encouraged

to insert thank you testimonials from recipients and donor families, a

calendar of community events and stories of employees who have

been personally touched by donation into their employee newsletters.

Online Registration: Though most donor registrations occur

within DPS field offices, online portals now play an essential role

because they enable customers to register online in between regis-

tration and renewal cycles. TOSA has specific social networking

pages on Facebook and Twitter to help reach these audiences.

www.SAVE8.org.

Onsite Dollar Contribution: In addition to “making the ask”

about donation, many DPSs ask customers if they would like to con-

tribute a dollar to benefit a state organ, eye and tissue trust fund.

Such requests have yielded thousands of dollars annually to fund ed-

ucational outreach programs to educate the public about donation.

8

How You Can Help: Programs and Resources


Gabriel Espinosa, Donor Dad of Jeremy, sharing hispersonal story at Bucky's Block Party


EDITOR W

75july/august 2013 |


Who can become a donor?

All individuals can indicate their consent to donate (per-

sons under 18 years of age must have parent’s or

guardian’s consent). Medical suitability for donation is de-

termined at the time of death.

How do I express my wishes to become an

organ, eye and tissue donor?

Indicate your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue

donor on your driver’s license/state ID or visit www.do-

natelifetexas.org or www.donevidatexas.org. Most impor-

tantly, discuss your decision with family members and

loved ones.

Are there age limits for donors?

Everyone, regardless of age or medical history, should

consider him/herself a potential donor. Persons younger

than 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian’s

consent.

If I put the donor designation on my driver’s license, will

my wishes be carried out?

The majority of states in the U.S. honor “first person consent,” mean-

ing that if you qualified to be a donor upon your passing, your wishes

will be honored first and foremost and cannot be revoked by any third

party. However, it is always good to let your family know that donation

is important to you.

What can be donated?

Organs: heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines. Tissue:

cornea, skin, bone marrow, heart valves and connective tissue.

Are there any costs to my family for donation?

The donor’s family does not pay for the cost of organ and tissue do-

nation. All costs related to donation of organs, eyes and tissue are

paid by the recipient, usually through insurance, Medicare or Medi-

caid. Funeral expenses remain the responsibility of the family.

Can I sell my organs?

No. The National Organ Transplant Act (Public Law 98-507) makes it

illegal to sell human organs, eyes and tissue in the United States. Vio-

lators are subject to fines and imprisonment. Among the reasons for

this rule is the concern of Congress that buying and selling of organs

might lead to inequitable access to donor organs with the wealthy

having an unfair advantage.

How are organs distributed?

Patients are matched to organs based on a number of factors, includ-

ing blood and tissue typing, medical urgency, time on the waiting list

and geographical location.

How many people are currently waiting for

a transplant?

As of May 2013, there were over 118,145 men, women and children

waiting for a transplant in the U.S. Approximately 300 new transplant

candidates are added to the waiting list each month. For additional

data, visit the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Web-

site: www.optn.org.

Is the DPS registry associated with living donation?

No. All DPS registries are for deceased donation only. If you wish to

be a living donor to someone in need, you will need to make arrange-

ments at the recipient’s transplant center. You can contact the National

Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org for more information.

Can I be an organ and tissue donor and also donate my

body to medical science?

Total body donation and organ/tissue donation are different processes

handled by separate organizations. A driver’s license/ID consent is only

for organ, eye and tissue donation. If you wish to donate your entire

body, you should directly contact the facility of your choice to make

arrangements.

If I have a previous medical condition, can I still donate?

Determination of suitability to donate organs or tissue is based on a

combination of factors that take into account the donor’s general

health. This determination is done by the medical staff that recovers

the organs or by the transplant team that reviews all of the data about

the organ(s), eyes or tissue that have been recovered from the donor.

Transplant professionals will evaluate potential donors and determine

suitability for donation of particular organs, eyes or tissue when the

time for donation arises. Note: Everyone is considered a potential

donor; please don’t rule yourself out because of a medical condition.10

Frequently Asked Questions


Apple Leasing hole at the Annual Chip Shot Open Benefiting Donate Life Texas


EDITOR W

77july/august 2013 |


12

Fact: This is a very common fear. However, this isn’t possible because of the checks and balances built into the system. If you are

sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the doctor’s only job is to save your life. Emergency Room doctors and nurses are not

involved in the transplant process and are not affiliated with the team of surgeons who perform organ transplants. Organ transplant

can only occur after blood and tissue testing is done in order to match donors and recipients; this is not done by doctors when you

enter the hospital. Donation is considered only after death is declared by a physician. Decisions about who receives organs are overseen

by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which ensures that the system is fair and equitable.

Fact: The UNOS computerized matching system does not select recipients based on fame or wealth. Organs are matched by blood

and tissue typing, organ size, medical urgency, waiting time and geographic location.

Fact: At the time of death, the appropriate medical professionals will review your medical and social histories to determine whether

or not you can be a donor. Even if you have had a serious health problem like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, certain types

of cancer or even hepatitis, you may still be able to donate at the time of death.

Fact: Donated organs are removed surgically in a routine operation similar to open heart surgery. Donation does not change the

appearance of the body for the funeral service. An open-casket funeral is possible after donation.

Fact: All major organized religions approve of organ, eye and tissue donation and consider it an act of charity or leave it up to the

decision of the individual.

Fact: Organs are matched by many factors, including blood and tissue typing, medical urgency and time on the waiting list. A

person’s race or ethnic origin does not affect who receives available organs and tissue. Although it is possible for a candidate to match

a donor from another racial or ethnic group, transplant success rates increase when organs are matched between members of the same

ethnic background. Consequently, a lack of organs donated by multicultural populations can contribute to longer waiting periods for

transplantation.

Fact: Information about donors and recipients is kept strictly confidential. For circumstances in which the donor and recipient fam-

ilies would like to know more about each other, arrangements can be made if permission is obtained from both parties.

Fact: This is a famous urban legend. While black market transplantation has occurred outside the U.S., it is only a small minority

of transplants performed worldwide. The U.S. has a highly regulated system. And if there is even a slight suspicion of illegal activity, the

hospital will refuse to perform the transplant. There is no documented evidence of the above scenario ever occurring in the U.S., and it

would require removal of the organ by a skilled physician as well as adequate compatibility with a recipient, so the chances of this

scenario occurring are highly unlikely.

Myths andMisconceptionsMyth: If doctors know you’re a donor, they won’t work as hard to save you.

Myth: When you’re waiting for a transplant, your financial or celebrity status is as important as your medical status.

Myth: Your history of medical illness means your organs, eyes or tissues are unfit for donation.

Myth: Organ donation disfigures the body and changes the way it looks in a casket.

Myth: Your religion does not support organ, eye and tissue donation.

Myth: Minorities should refuse to donate because organ distribution discriminates by race.

Myth: If I donate, I would worry that the recipient and/or the recipient’s family would discover my identity and cause more grief for my family.

Myth: I heard a story that you can be heavily drugged, then wake to find you have had onekidney (or both) removed for a black market transplant.



SAW_JULAUG_2013_New Layout: San Antonio Woman 7/9/13 4:36 PM Page 79

This chart illustrates the 94 donors in 2012,the type of organs transplanted andhow many of each.

Kidney 175

Pancreas20

Liver 86

Heart 41

Lung 60

Small Bowel 1

14

Texas Organ Sharing Alliance2012 Report to the Community


Each year across the country, thousands of individuals receive a renewed opportunity for life and good health because someone made the decision to donate.

Last 5 years of Donation and Transplantation

390

353

94105

368

116

415

88

306

115

18.....Average number of people on the waiting list who will die today11.....Every 11 minutes a new name is added to the national transplant list

78.....Average number of people on the waiting list who will receive an organ transplant8.....Number of lives one organ donor could save

75.....Number of lives an organ, eye and tissue donor can save or enhance

TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS


Contact TOSA if you would like to:Enroll in the new Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry.

Obtain organ, eye and tissue donation information.

Request speakers for schools, churches, civic organizations or health fairs.

Become a volunteer and help raise awareness of donation!

www.txorgansharing.org 1-866-685-0277

Follow us on:

NORTHERN REGION7000 North Mopac, Suite 160

Austin, Texas 78731(512) 459.4848 O(512) 459.7794 F

SOUTHERN REGION1400 N. McColl Road, Suite 104A

McAllen, Texas 78501(956) 630-0884 O(956) 687-7185 F

CENTRAL REGION (HEADQUARTERS)8122 Datapoint Drive, Suite 200

San Antonio, Texas 78229(210) 614-7030 O(210) 614-2129 F

GLENDA DAWSON DONATE LIFE TEXAS REGISTRYwww.donatelifetexas.org www.donevidatexas.org

www.save8.org


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