Gift of Life Newsletter Fall 2013

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GIFT OF LIFE
3
FALL 2013
A publication of Gift of Life Donor Program, the region’s organ and tissue transplant network,
serving the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware.
GOSPEL PROGRAM
INSPIRES
Faith-Based Community Members
Break Gift of Life Registration Record
to Say “Yes” to Donation
Joyful singing, mixed with education and registration, resonated
throughout West Philadelphia’s Church of Christian Compassion
on Sunday, August 4. On that day, more than 2,400 members of
several faith-based communities came together for Gift of Life’s
17th annual Gospel Program to celebrate National Minority Donor
Awareness Week. The result: a record-breaking day for organ
donor registration.
Radio host Dezzie from Praise 103.9 emceed the celebratory
evening that brought together some of the region’s most dynamic
gospel groups, including the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church Male
Chorus and Compassion Praise Dancers. Gospel star Jason Nelson
headlined the night.
ABOVE: Pastor and gospel recording artist Jason Nelson performed
at Gift of Life’s 2013 Gospel Program.
BELOW: Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church’s Men’s Chorus performed
beautiful renditions of several classic gospel songs.
The Gospel Program encouraged those in attendance to register
themselves as donors on their driver’s licenses and state IDs
continued on page 2
GOSPEL CONCERT, continued from page 1
electronically via an online portal. By the end of the night, more
than 140 fans had signed up as organ and tissue donors – the most
designations made at a one-time event hosted by Gift of Life.
National Minority Donor Awareness Week—held this year from
August 1st -8th—aims to raise awareness about the critical need for
more organ and tissue donors in the African American, Hispanic,
and Asian communities. Though minority communities make up
only 36 percent of the U.S. population, African American, Latino
and other minorities account for 56 percent of the patients on the
national organ transplant waiting list.
For more information about the Gospel Program or to register as an
organ and tissue donor, please visit www.donors1.org.
LEFT: More than 140 gospel fans registered to be organ and tissue donors at the 2013 program;
ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Gift of Life Family Support Services Supervisor Lara Moretti
presented donor parents Aisha Watson and Radu O’Connor with a “Wrapped in Hugs”
blanket as a symbol of comfort. The family’s 7 year-old son Jabriel O’Connor had just passed
away the week before and the family made the generous decision to donate his organs;
Church of Christian Compassion Praise Dancers brought the house down with their
performance; ABOVE RIGHT: Praise 103.9 FM’s Dezzie hosted the evening of song, inspiring
listeners to educate themselves about donation.
POWERful Partnerships Make All the Difference:
Power 99 FM and Gift of Life Donor Program Join Forces to Reach
During the last 5 months, Gift of Life Donor Program and Power 99
FM partnered together on a campaign to dispel the myths and
misconceptions about organ and tissue donation within the
African American community. The campaign aired programs and
advertising, as well as spreading the word online and at special
events, to help raise awareness among Power 99’s audience about
the critical need for more registered organ and tissue donors.
The campaign was funded by a generous grant from volunteer
group and donation advocates Donors Are Heroes.
Power 99 radio personalities Mina SayWhat and DJ Diamond Kutz
visited Gift of Life Donor Program’s offices earlier this year to learn
more about the organization’s mission and its daily operations.
Both took what they learned from their visit to spread the mission
over the airwaves and through social media outlets.
In June, Power 99 invited Gift of Life Donor Program to participate
in a special iHeartRadio recording. The recording featured a
discussion about the myths and misconceptions about donation
that was moderated by Loraine Ballard in an intimate studio
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Congratulations
to DR. GEORGE ROSENWASSER
This August, Gift of Life Donor Program recognized Dr. George Rosenwasser
for twenty-five years of dedication and service as Gift of Life Eye Bank’s
Medical Director. Dr. Rosenwasser was honored with a special dinner in
his honor, along with a plaque to commemorate his accomplishments and for
his ongoing commitment to mentorship. Congratulations to Dr. Rosenwasser
for twenty-five wonderful years!
Gift of Life honored Dr. Rosenwasser with a plaque for his years of service.
ABOVE: Gift of Life Multicultural Affairs Coordinators Ashley Mapp (far left) and Vanessa
Duvert (far right) with heart recipient Alexis Sloan and rapper Ace Hood (center) at the
2013 Peace on the Streets event; RIGHT: (L-R) Power 99 FM personality Mutha Knows, heart
recipient Alexis Sloan, Power 99 DJ Mina SayWhat, Gift of Life Multicultural Affairs
Coordinator Vanessa Duvert and Power 99 Morning Show co-host Mikey Dredd.
Multicultural Communities
setting with a live audience. Joining her were Vanessa Duvert,
Multicultural Outreach Coordinator for Gift of Life; Niels D.
Martin, MD, FACE, Co-Medical Director, Surgical Intensive
Care Unit of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania;
Cynthia London, a donor mother and Gift of Life volunteer;
and Alexis Sloan, a 28 year-old heart transplant recipient and
Gift of Life volunteer.
On June 27, Gift of Life sponsored Power 99 FM’s “Peace on
the Streets”, a music festival headlined by urban act Ace Hood
at the Festival Pier on the Delaware waterfront in Philadelphia.
The show included heart recipient Alexis Sloan and her transplant
story. Gift of Life volunteers were on hand to help concertgoers
register themselves as organ and tissue donors as well.
To learn more about how to dispel common myths about organ and
tissue donation or to register as an organ and tissue donor, visit
www.donors1.org.
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Gift of Life and CORE Partner with Legislators to Introduce
Donate Life PA Act: House Bill 30 and Senate Bill 850
Gift of Life Donor Program and the Pittsburgh-based Center for Organ
Recovery and Education (CORE)—the organ procurement organization
serving western Pennsylvania—are working with state legislators to
update Pennsylvania’s anatomical gift law. Recently, the Donate Life PA
Act was introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with
more than 100 co-sponsors. The Act will strengthen oversight of organ
donation, support the donation process that occurs in hospitals, and
most importantly, ensure that as many families as possible are offered
the donation option.
The Donate Life PA Act will help facilitate precious gifts of donation
by incorporating best clinical practices and encouraging collaboration
with healthcare partners. It will also enhance public and health
professional education regarding donation and transplantation and
improve communication with medical examiners and coroners to
ensure that donation options are available and implemented for all
families consistently throughout the Commonwealth.
Today, there are more than 8,300 men, women and children in Pennsylvania
waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Over the last 10 years, an
average of 490 people died annually waiting for organs in Pennsylvania,
an average of nine people each and every week. The Donate Life PA Act
will increase the number of organs available for those who need them.
Gift of Life is grateful to our region’s selfless organ and tissue donors
and their families who have said “yes” to donation and have given the
gift of life. With the commitment and dedication of these generous donor
families, healthcare partners and a supportive community, Gift of Life
will continue to work to provide life-saving transplants for the men,
women and children in desperate need of a second chance at life.
If you would like to help get this important piece of legislation passed in Pennsylvania, please contact your
state representative and let him or her know why the Donate Life PA Act can save lives. For more information on how to
contact your representatives, please visit www.savealifenowpa.org or call 800-DONORS1.
Gift of Life Goes to Bat with the
Eastern League
and the
Philadelphia Phillies
During Summer 2013, Gift of Life Donor Program collaborated with
Major League Baseball-affiliated teams for three donation awareness
events. On July 13, over 500 Gift of Life Donor Program staff,
volunteers, and supporters came out to watch the Phillies take on
the Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Young liver recipient
Christian Cartier was able to throw out the first pitch at the Phillies,
and volunteers handed out donor registry information.
The Eastern League, a Double-A baseball league with 12 teams
located throughout the Northeast including the Reading Phillies
and the Harrisburg Senators, sponsored an awareness day at each of
its 12 stadiums. On July 15, Gift of Life was at the Reading Fightin’
Phils game against the Trenton Thunder. Jake Hafer, a 13 year-old
heart recipient, threw out the first pitch at the game. Donor families
and transplant recipients came out to support Jake and Gift of Life’s
transplant mission.
Lastly, on August 6, Gift of Life’s satellite office celebrated a
Night of Transplantation with PinnacleHealth System at the
Harrisburg Senators in Harrisburg, PA as they faced the Reading Phils.
Several hundred were in attendance to enjoy the game and learn
more about the power of organ and tissue donation.
Liver recipient Christian Cartier threw out the first pitch at the July 13 Organ Donor Day
at the Philadelphia Phillies.
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Gift of Life Tips Its Hat to Our Volunteers
Gift of Life Donor Program and Gift of Life Family House celebrated
their hard-working and dedicated volunteers at the annual
Volunteer Recognition Ceremony on May 11. Every year, Gift of Life
honors our volunteers for their advocacy and action with a
themed party. In 2012 our volunteers reached over 164,000
people by supporting more than 362 outreach programs across the
Gift of Life service area. The Volunteer Recognition Ceremony’s
theme this year was “Hats Off to You!” Over 100 volunteers
attended the ceremony, including veteran volunteers with more
than 25 years of service and ”rookie” volunteers who are new to
the organization.
The following volunteers were recognized for their outstanding
commitment to Gift of Life community outreach:
The Julian V. Hawkins
Service Award in honor of
outstanding commitment to
increase donation awareness in
minority communities:
Lizbeth Gonzalez
The Dorothy Crane
Award for donor family
members who help
increase organ and tissue
donation awareness:
Maureen Fleagle
The Joseph Colfer
Award for outstanding youth
effort (under 18) in raising
donation awareness:
Fundraising Ambassador
Award (Gift of Life
Family House):
Denise Randon
and the
Multicultural Affairs Coalition
The Family House
Home Cook Heroes
Award for outstanding
program support:
Team Spiers
During the Ceremony, several young transplant recipients
received the 2013 Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship fund was created by Janice Schwartz Donahue in
honor of her daughter, Jessica, a heart transplant recipient who was
an active Gift of Life volunteer until her passing.
The Family House
Guest Services
Award
Ralph Calvarese
Emma Rosenthal
Rookie of the Year
The Community
Donor Awareness
Award in honor of an
Lila Crews
outstanding community partner:
The Soapbox
Award for dedication to organ
Delaware Healthcare
Association
Kevin Geklinsky
and
Rev. Dr. Allyn Waller,
Enon Tabernacle Baptist
Church
and tissue donation education:
The Heartman
Award for combined service
between Gift of Life
Donor Program
and the Family House:
John Browne
The Scholarship Fund, a program of Transplant Foundation – the
charitable foundation that supports Gift of Life Donor Program’s
mission – annually awards $2,500 to transplant recipients under
25 years who are a senior in high school, or enrolled in a 2- or
4-year college, university or trade/technical school. Awarded 2013
scholarships this year were: Sean Matthew Stamler, Jordan Cole
Langston, Olivia Rae Stewart, Andria Leigh Alderfer, Kristen Leigh
Nastasi, Randi Elizabeth Burdge, Ailyah Lettsome, Devyn Elizabeth
Synder and Rachel Emily Dunn.
Gift of Life Donor Program and Gift of Life Family House thank our
volunteers for their dedication and service!
For more information about volunteering opportunities, please visit
www.donors1.org/volunteer/.
LEFT: Kidney recipient and Gift of Life volunteer George Arroyo with kidney recipient and
National Transplant Pregnancy Registry Research Coordinator Faith Carlin. ABOVE, TOP
TO BOTTOM: Former Gift of Life Volunteer Coordinator Liz Coyne with recipient mother and
founder of the Jessica Beth Schwartz Scholarship Fund Janice Schwartz Donahue and
volunteer Caroline Rudd; Volunteer and recipient wife Terry Meade sporting her celebratory
hat at the Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.
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CLINICAL
O
R
N
E
R
Sign
up today to become
an
2013
Pennsylvania
Donate Life
organ,Challenge
eye, and tissue donor.
Hospital
Gift of Life Donor Program and Pittsburgh-based
Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE)—
the two organ procurement organizations serving
Pennsylvania—partnered with the Hospital &
Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) to
support the 2013 Pennsylvania Donate Life Hospital
Challenge. The goal of the campaign was to enlist
the assistance of hospitals in the Commonwealth to
help raise donor designation rates among their staff
and in their surrounding communities.
The challenge ran from April 1 to August 31. Once
registered, the hospital challenge liaisons received
additional information on suggested activities to
inspire and increase donor awareness and designations.
Activities included sending out emails asking
constituents to designate, posting donation materials
throughout hospitals and holding donor designation
drives. The 2013 Pennsylvania Donate Life Hospital
Challenge results and awards will be released later
this fall.
Thanks to all hospitals that participated!
For more information about getting your hospitals
involved in Gift of Life programming, please visit
www.donors1.org or call 1-800-DONORS1.
continued inside
Gift of Life Teacher, Mentor,
Advisor Retires
with 27-Year Legacy
In early 1986, Red Cross blood coordinator John
Abrahms had been searching through the “Help
Wanted” ads. With more than 13 years of experience
in managing the hospital blood supply for the region,
Abrahms was looking for a change. He spotted an
intriguing ad placed by the Delaware Valley Transplant
Program (DVTP.) It offered a position for the right
individual who wanted to make an impact in the
medical community, perform some light travel and
save lives.
“I was intrigued,” admits Abrahms. “At the time I had
zero experience in transplantation. I knew blood
coordination and processing inside and out—every
day I called hospitals to check on their supply, and
rotate out the stock that was about to expire or offer
to drop off new blood if needed.”
When Abrahms met with DVTP CEO Howard M. Nathan,
the organization was looking for someone with more
clinical or nursing experience. There were roughly 20
employees at the organization, and every coordinator
was needed in the field to keep up with the 200 donor
cases a year that needed compassion and care. But
Abrahms offered a unique perspective on developing
hospital relationships, data management and getting
life-saving elements where they needed to be on-time.
“I didn’t think he had the clinical experience, but his
skills were so valuable I really thought that we should
hire him,” says Nathan, now President and CEO of
Gift of Life Donor Program, formerly known as DVTP.
Nathan soon hired Abrahms as a kidney allocation
specialist who spent the majority of his time trying to
help match and coordinate the delivery of kidneys
to area patients in need.
“In my spare time, I went back to thinking about
how we could organize all of the data we had,” said
Abrahms, who finally pushed the organization from a
paper-based tracking system—with index cards and
partially-filled charts—to spreadsheets and compiled
reports. Nathan and Abrahms also began working with
a regional software developer to create a customized
database for donor and recipient information, and
soon created Donor And Recipient Tracking System
(DARTS) which has been used by several other organ
procurement organizations throughout the country.
Through 27 years, several job titles and one organizational
name change, Abrahms crafted the role of data in
regional transplantation by helping to revolutionize the
Transplant Information Center—the nerve center that
allows Gift of Life to coordinate transplants. He also
worked to establish the Quality Assurance department
and the process for vital tissue coordination.
AAMVA Region 1 Conference
During July 14-17, Gift of Life Donor Program and Donate Life
America co-sponsored an exhibit at the AAMVA Region 1 Conference
for Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Administrators. The
annual conference, this year hosted in Dover, Delaware, was a
great opportunity to connect with DMV decision-makers across the
region, celebrating the states that have made the biggest strides in
donor designation over the past year, and promoting the increased
number of registered organ and tissue donors. Gift of Life was
given a special opportunity to address the conference during an
awards banquet; transplant recipient Dave Edwards and donor
wife Diane Milbourne spoke about the power of donation, while
“Gift of Life continues to host visitors from around
the world because we’re able to do things better
and more efficiently than anyone else,” says Abrahms.
“But what sets us apart is that we’re always looking
to try new things.”
From a simple but eye-catching “Help Wanted” ad,
Abrahms’ own desire to try new things brought him the
opportunity to help grow a humble nonprofit looking
to save lives into a key member of the transplant
community. Gift of Life wishes to thank John for his
27 years of innovation, leadership and expertise!
Calling All Recipients, Living Donors and Donor Families –
TEAM PHILLY IS BACK!
Mark your calendars for the 2014 Transplant Games of America!
Gift of Life President and CEO Howard M. Nathan presented John Abrahms
with a brick in his honor that will be placed in the Gift of Life Family House
Legacy Garden.
Transplant recipients and living donors are invited to compete as part of
Team Philadelphia at the Games on July 11-15, 2014 in Houston, Texas.
The Games offer Olympic-style sporting events such as swimming, track
and field, bowling, basketball, and much more. All ages are eligible to
compete. In 2012, Team Philly was honored to have participants from 8-75
years old! Donor families and recipient families are also welcome to
come and cheer on the athletes. The first informational, no-commitment
team meeting will be held in December 2013. To get on the email list for
team meetings, please contact Assistant Team Manager Jill Stahl at
[email protected] or 215-557-8090, ext. 1152. For more information on
the Games, please visit www.transplantgamesofamerica.org.
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Inspires DMVs to Get Involved
Delaware DMV Director Jennifer Cohan and New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission Chairman and Chief Administrator Ray
Martinez challenged their colleagues to become more involved.
Gift of Life presented the following awards during the banquet:
HIGHEST DONOR DESIGNATION IN REGION 1
(end of 2012):
1ST PLACE New Hampshire ....................52.6%
2ND PLACEDelaware ................................48.1%
3RD PLACEMaryland.................................46.0%
GREATEST INCREASE IN DONOR DESIGNATION IN REGION 1
(throughout 2012):
1ST PLACE
District of Columbia ..............up 16%
2ND PLACE
New Jersey.............................up 11%
3RD PLACEConnecticut.............................up 7%
Congratulations to the winners and Director Cohan
for being elected Chair of AAMVA International.
To obtain materials and learn more about how you can get involved,
please visit www.donors1.org or call 1-800-DONORS1 today.
LEFT: (L-R) New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chairman and Chief Administrator Ray Martinez; Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles Director and Chair of AAMVA
International Board Jennifer Cohan, liver recipient Dave Edwards and his grandson;
donor wife Diane Milbourne and Gift of Life Community Relations Liaison Jillian Stahl. SAVE THE DATE
NationalTHE
Donor Sabbath
SAVE
DATE
SAVE THE DATE
SAVE THE DATE
One of the most commonly-cited myths offered by individuals
who say “no” when asked to register as an organ and tissue donor
is that their religion does not support donation. The truth is that
all major religions support organ donation, but those views
are not often clear to members of faith-based communities
and congregations.
During the weekend of November 15-17, National Donor Sabbath
Weekend will be observed in faith communities across the
country as a way of increasing education of organ donation. This
program brings together religious and transplant communities
to discuss the urgent need for donors and urge people to make
faith-based decisions to say “yes” to donation. Whether it’s inviting
a speaker to address a congregation, sharing donor designation
materials or publishing an article in a community newsletter,
helping to inspire others to become donors has the potential to
save countless lives.
To obtain materials and learn more about how your community can
get involved, please visit www.donors1.org or call 1-800-DONORS1.
My Thoughts
by Kathi Clapham, Lung Recipient
I was born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
42 years ago, at a time when doctors
told parents not to expect their
CF children to live long enough
to go to school. Well, I did that
and more! I went to college and
developed an acting career in the
Philadelphia theatre community.
I met my husband, Drew, and we
were married in 2001. In 2003, I became pregnant with my
twins, Paul and Sarah. And that is when CF reared its ugly
head once more.
I was hospitalized for most of my pregnancy and had to
deliver my babies prematurely via emergency C-section
due to my declining health and increasing oxygen needs.
My children were born extremely premature at 26 weeks,
and in danger of all sorts of health risks. After delivery, my
lungs were so infected that I wound up on a ventilator and
my pulmonologist suggested I look into a lung transplant.
Having CF, I knew a transplant was possible somewhere in
my future, but I didn’t think it would be so soon.
However, the bad days were outnumbering the good ones.
I couldn’t take a deep breath, and I was on continuous
oxygen. My lungs were barely working at 20% capacity.
I was literally suffocating. As my children became inquisitive
toddlers, I could not keep up with them and found it
difficult to finish a bedtime story without fits of coughing.
Waiting for my transplant I felt like I was in the middle of
dying, yet hoping for a life with my family.
And then, on May 29, 2006 at 4 am, the phone rang, and in
an instant there was hope. After my transplant, I was an
inpatient for 2 weeks and completed 7 weeks of pulmonary
rehab, which I continue to this day. Now, I read books to
my children cover to cover with not even a throat-clearing.
I am able to travel again, and holidays are full of joy as I bake
cookies with the kids and even enjoy parking really far away
from the doors at the mall! These are really simple things
that could easily be taken for granted. But it is all because
my lung donor and their family said “yes” to Gift of Life. I will
forever admire and pray for them.
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