Donate Life Month Wrap-Up

May 4, 2011

April has ended, and May is officially here. We can now look forward to warm weather, kids coming home from school, days at the beach and all sorts of summer fun. But, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s be sure to reflect on an extremely successful National Donate Life Month.

There were hundreds of events and news stories surrounding donation throughout April, which led to a HUGE boost in donor registrations. Here, in no particular order, are four of our favorites from the past month.

1. 30 Reasons You Should Register as an Organ Donor Blog

Scott's driver's license showing that he is a registered donor.

Scott Meis, a good friend of Donate Life Illinois, documented 30 reasons why you should register as an organ and tissue donor. Each day throughout the month of April, Scott gave a new reason to register. His reasons to register ranged from sharing donor family and recipient stories to his #1 reason you should register—Duh.

Scott’s blog is an amazing compilation of donation stories and information. We encourage you to take a few moments to read 30
Reasons You Should Register as an Organ Donor at Scott’s blog.

2. Charles Tillman and Paco Rodriguez

Organ and tissue donation leaped into the national headlines on Tuesday, April 19. Two nationally syndicated television shows prominently featured heartfelt organ and tissue donation stories.

Jackie Tillman, daughter and heart transplant recipient Tiana and Charles.

In the morning, The Oprah Winfrey Show featured the family of Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and their story of life and donation. Tiana Tillman, Charles’ daughter, needed  a lifesaving heart transplant as a baby, and she was fortunate enough to receive the gift of life from a selfless donor. Oprah highlighted the Tillman family’s story and then introduced them to their donor family. You can view the video here.

Recipients of Francisco Rodriguez's organs with Francisco's wife and child, Sonia and Ginette Rodriguez.

Later that afternoon, the ESPN program E:60 told the story of Chicago boxer Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez and his family’s decision to donate life after a fatal bout in Philadelphia. The story is available on ESPN.com here.

3. Gift of Hope Hospital Campaign

Morgan D'Organ joins Wendy, Nichole and Ryan at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago

Throughout April, the Hospital Development staff at Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network worked closely with hospitals throughout Illinois and northwest Indiana to build donation awareness and register hospital staff and guests as organ and tissue donors. The Hospital Development staff held tons of events and registered hundreds of individuals as organ and tissue donors. Their efforts ranged from staffing donor registration tables to hosting educational panels featuring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.

Steve Ferkau and Anna Davlantes at Lifesaving Partners.

The Hospital Development staff also hosted the annual Lifesaving Partners Awards event with Fox Chicago News anchor Anna Davlantes as emcee and double-lung recipient Steve Ferkau as featured speaker. 

4. Commercial Featuring Mikahla Thornton and Brittney Payton

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office produced a commercial featuring heart recipient Mikahla Thornton and Brittney Payton, daughter of the late Chicago Bears legend. The commercial aired throughout Illinois and encouraged viewers to register their decision to be organ and tissue donors.

Thanks to all of you who made an effort to promote organ and tissue donation throughout National Donate Life Month. No effort was too small in April, whether it was a tweet to friends encouraging them to register or an event that drew thousands. If you haven’t done so already, take 30 seconds to register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor at DonateLifeIllinois.org!

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Oprah and ESPN to feature Organ Donation Stories

April 18, 2011

Tuesday, April 19, will be a remarkable day for building organ and tissue donation awareness across the country and encouraging people to become donors. Tomorrow, two dramatic, hard-hitting stories that showcase precisely what we exist for as an organization—providing the Gift of Hope made possible through organ and tissue donation—will be televised nationally.

In the morning, The Oprah Winfrey Show will feature the story of Chicago Bears cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman and his daughter’s lifesaving heart transplant. The broadcast will feature Charles, wife Jackie and daughter Tiana Tillman as they relive their experiences waiting for a transplant and the precious moments of life they’ve captured since then. The show also features the dramatic and emotional first meeting between the Tillmans and the family that chose to give hope and life to the Tillmans through donation.

Later, ESPN will showcase the powerful impact that organ and tissue donation can have on people’s lives in a segment on the critically acclaimed E:60. Reporter Jeremy Schaap will document the tragic death of professional boxer and Chicago native Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez and his family’s decision to give hope and life to others by donating Paco’s organs and tissue. In November 2009, Paco died from injuries sustained in a bout in Philadelphia. His family ensured that Paco’s legacy would live on by making the selfless decision to donate.

The Oprah Winfrey Show airs on ABC7 tomorrow, April 19, at 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. CDT in the metropolitan Chicago area. Check your local listings for broadcast times outside of Chicago. E:60 airs tomorrow on ESPN at 6 p.m. CDT across the country. In addition, a companion piece will run on ESPN.com, and ESPN Deportes will air a Spanish-language version of Paco’s story on Sunday, April 24.

Register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor at DonateLifeIllinois.org 

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Share Your Story: Part 2

April 14, 2011

“Will to Live” (submitted by Kim McMahon)

William "Will" McMahon

My son William “Will” McMahon was an active, healthy, 16-year-old honor student. During the last week of 2004, he suddenly developed flu-like symptoms. Less than a week later, Will was diagnosed with inexplicable liver failure.

He was flown to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., in critical condition. We were told that, without a liver transplant, he had just 24 hours to live. Miraculously, he received a donated liver in time to save his life. Following his transplant, Will fought bravely to recover and successfully returned home to resume his school work along with his passions of surfing and playing the  guitar. However, five months later, Will developed complications and was relisted on the national transplant waiting list—he needed a second liver transplant. Will was not so lucky this time. A donor liver never arrived, and he passed away on May 19, 2005, as he waited.

My experience has made me an enthusiastic advocate for donation. Following Will’s passing, I founded Donate 4 William, a not-for-profit foundation, in my son’s memory with the goal of educating others about the overwhelming need for registered donors. I spend much of my time speaking to schools, civic groups and other audiences to encourage everyone to register as organ and tissue donors. I also am honored to serve on the United Network for Organ Sharing Patient Affairs Committee where I work to make a difference in organ donation policy and procedures on behalf of patients.

I am motivated to spread awareness about the need for organ and tissue donation because I know that every day 18 people die waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant and more than 110,000 Americans currently are on the national transplant waiting list. Regrettably, fewer than half of the eligible registrants in the United States have decided to be organ and tissue donors. We can save the lives of those in need by registering ourselves and encouraging others to register as organ and tissue donors. It takes less than one minute to register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor at DonateLife, the Donate Life America Web site, or at the DLA-affiliated donation advocacy organization in your state. In Illinois, that organization is Donate Life Illinois.

For more information on Will and his story, I encourage you to view the short documentary Will 2 Live.

Kim McMahon

Register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor at DonateLifeIllinois.org.

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Share Your Story: Part 1

April 6, 2011

In early March, Donate Life Illinois asked its Facebook fans and Twitter followers to share their stories about why they support organ and tissue donation.  Throughout National Donate Life Month, we will feature several of the stories that were submitted via our social media outlets.  Enjoy!

Mia’s Story (submitted by Trista Royer)

My daughter, Mia, was born with gastroschisis.  Gastroschisis is a birth defect that causes the intestines to grow on the outside of the body.  We were told that Mia’s birth defect would be a quick fix with surgery.  Unfortunately, we would later learn that Mia needed a transplant.

Mia had her first surgery to correct her birth defect at just 31 weeks.  During this surgery, doctors discovered that Mia only had 12 cm of viable intestine. Doctors then diagnosed her with a condition known as severe short bowel syndrome. This left Mia unable to ingest any food (not even an ounce of formula).

Mia was taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago for bowel rehabilitation.  Doctors worked tirelessly to help Mia for more than a month with little to no improvement.  She was placed on total parenteral nutrition through a central line in her chest because of her inability to eat. After witnessing months of corrective surgeries, I was told that Mia’s final hope was a small intestine transplant. On February 14, 2008, when Mia was just six months old, she was placed on the national transplant waiting list for a small intestine.

Mia

 

Throughout the next year, Mia went through numerous central and PICC lines and many infections trying to keep her body well without food.  On February 4, 2009, almost a year after being listed, we received a call from Children’s Memorial Hospital’s organ procurement team.  They had great news—a potential donor.

We were thrilled at this news but also nervous.  We drove Mia to Children’s Memorial where Mia went through dozens of preliminary tests to ensure that the donor organ was a match for her.  She was taken to surgery around 10:30 that night, and her new intestine was transplanted around 1 a.m. on February 5.

Mia had a two-month recovery at Children’s Memorial and is doing amazingly well today.  She is two years post-transplant and living the life of a healthy three-year-old. Her doctors told us that she is the “poster child” for bowel transplants.


The Royer Family (Mia, Ben, and Trista)

 

As our story illustrates, organ donation is so very important.  Without this gift of life from our donor family, my daughter would be living on borrowed time or may not be living at all.  My husband and I are both registered organ/tissue donors. If anything ever happened to either of us, we wouldn’t think twice about donating to families that are in desperate need.  We understand that the pain of losing a loved one is severe, but we also have first-hand knowledge of the impact a single organ donor can have on people’s lives. We get to see smiling proof of the gift of life through donation every single day.

For more information about Mia and the Royer family, go to www.miaroyer.net.

To register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor in 30 seconds or less, visit DonateLifeIllinois.org.

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