Honoring Each Little Gift · WINTER 2015 IN THIS ISSUE: 1 Honoring Each Little Gift 2 2016...
Transcript of Honoring Each Little Gift · WINTER 2015 IN THIS ISSUE: 1 Honoring Each Little Gift 2 2016...
A Quarterly Newsletter of LifeShare Of The Carolinas
VOLUME 18
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISSUE 3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WINTER 2015
IN THIS ISSUE:
1 Honoring Each Little Gift
2 2016 Transplant Games
3 LifeShare Quilt of Life,the Common Thread
4 Donation Makes It AllPossible — 2015
6 Donor Wife in New Video
7 Donor Statistics byHospital
8 Season’s Greetings fromLifeShare!
A Donate Life Organization
Honoring Each Little GiftAs is our tradition, this edition of our newsletter is dedicated to donor families
Organ and tissue donors get the best care in a hospital. If you don’t believe it, you
don’t have to look any further than the care and concern our staff provides to our
youngest donors. They are the newborns who die at childbirth and are never able to
leave the hospital, young accident victims and yes, tragically even sometimes child
abuse cases.
Their death is always a parent’s worst nightmare. For our staff, most of whom are
parents themselves, they are the donors that are the most difficult for us emotionally
and the ones that we remember most.
To honor these special little people who give life to others through the donation of
their organs, heart valves and tissue, we keep a supply of onesies, baby caps, prayer
shawls and even diapers. As Mark Noles, a valued member of our tissue recovery
team said, “for some of these babies, these are the only clothes they will ever wear.”
Mark and other members of our clinical staff carefully/lovingly dress each infant
donor and wrap them in blankets before they leave the surgical units. “We do
everything we can to make them look loved and cared for after the donation
process. The funeral home may be the only people to see them after the recovery
but it’s important to us.”
Susan Galbraith and Jesse Roberts, two other LifeShare staffers have taken the
initiative to purchase many of the clothing items but there have been instances when
we didn’t have what we needed. Not too long ago, we didn’t have a large enough size
for a nine-year old so one of our staffers left the hospital and drove to Target to pick
up new pajamas for the child whose own clothes had been damaged in an accident.
We are thankful to Caromont Hospital’s Auxiliary, Sardis Presbyterian and other
churches who have shawl ministries who have provided us with blankets and for the
notes of comfort they write that are shared with the parents. If you would like to
help, we are accepting donations of blankets as
well as pajamas, hats and booties for
children of all ages.
There isn’t a lot we can do to bring
comfort to a grieving parent. In fact,
many don’t even know that we have
taken that extra step but we know it
and we wouldn’t do it any other way.
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
Assistant Editor
Gary Burris
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.
Plans are well underway for the 2016 Transplant Games and no one is more excited
about them than the organizing committee for Team North Carolina. The Olympic-
style celebration of life is scheduled for June 10 to 15, 2016 in Cleveland OH.
Transplant recipients from across North Carolina have been meeting since this past
summer in hopes of fielding the largest team ever from the Tar Heel state. Approximately
5,000 people nationwide are expected to the attend the Games in 2016 to draw attention
to the success of transplantation and the healing power of donation.
Eye, organ, tissue and bone marrow transplant recipients will compete in various
sports events that are broken down by age. They include traditional track and field
sports. There are also less traditional sports like bowling and golf. A new Junior
Olympiad for children age 10 and under will be offered for the first time next year.
The next team meeting is scheduled for January 10, 2016 in Winston Salem. For
information on Team North Carolina, contact Jess Newport at [email protected].
For a complete list of the competitions, details on housing, etc., visit
www.transplantgamesofamerica.org.
The Donate Life Transplant Games
LifeShare staff and volunteers were out in full force to support the second annual Save a LifeGolf Tournament in October. They are from left to right: Julie Allred, Neal Neil Vroom, YolandaMoore, Jennifer Dills, Anita Erwin, Tracy Barker and Ben Martin. We would like to thank all ofthe volunteers, golfers and especially the sponsors who made the event successful.
The Run the Forest 5K and One Mile Walkheld in Asheville in September benefittedLifeShare Of The Carolinas. Special thanksto Asheville Eye Associates, sponsor of theevent, for all of the added touches thatmade the day so special.
3
Number of Candidates on theNational Transplant Waiting List
Kidney 101,171
Liver 15,064
Pancreas 1,040
Kidney-Pancreas 1,963
Heart 4,229
Lung 1,558
Heart-Lung 49
Intestine 265
NATIONAL TOTAL 122,445
North Carolina 3,067
South Carolina 917
Based on OPTN data as of November 27, 2015.
LIFESHARE QUILT OF LIFE
Memories are the Common Thread
Every stitch and every square is symbolic.
Each one tells the story about the life that
is portrayed, the organ, eye or tissue
donor who generously gave so that others
might live.
Each year since 1996, LifeShare has
been collecting quilt squares that are later
assembled into a quilt for that year by a
professional quilter. The squares are
mailed to us from around the country
with one common thread—the love the
families put into telling their loved ones
stories.
Our quilts are always on display in our
offices. On occasion, we take them to
community and hospital events. They are
a regular at our annual donor ceremony
where they have been viewed by thousands
of people throughout southwestern North
Carolina. We know that a lot of love and
time goes into making each quilt and they
are always treated with the reverence with
which they were made.
There is the young man who needle-
pointed a square in honor of his mother
who died on a Christmas morning. It is
as perfect on the back as it is on the front.
Chris Henry, the former NFL player has a
square in his team colors with his trademark
photo looking up.
Donor family members who would like
to make a square in honor of their loved
ones may submit a square at any time.
Instructions on size requirements, etc.
are available on our website at
http://quilt.lifesharecarolinas.org/.
The Quilts of Life, along with a brief
profile of the donor the square represents,
may be viewed on our site. We are sorry
we didn’t have the technology to post
quilts earlier than 2006.
W I N T E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 5
CALENDARof events
January 1, 2016Donate Life Float
at Annual Rose Parade
Check your local TV listings
January 16, 2016UNC Charlotte Basketball Game
Halton Arena, UNCC Campus
Charlotte, NC
April 2016 National Donate Life Month
April 17, 2016National 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
Aaron Adam Addie Ahmari Alan Albert Alice Allan Allen Almeco
Antoine April Arlene Ashley Audrey Aundree Austin Autumn Aye
Billie Billy Bonnie Boyd Bradley Brandon Brenda Brett Brian Bruc
Cassandra Cathy Cedric Celeste Charles Chase Chelsea Christina
Daisy Damien Daniel Danny Darrell Dave David Dawn Debra Den
Diana Don Dorothy Douglas Dubert Dustin Dwight Earl Eddie Edg
Ervin Ethan Ethelyn Evan Everette Fabena Flynn Frances Francis Fra
George Gerald Gilbert Gloria Graham Grayson Gretchen Gwendolyn
Jake Jamel James Jamie Jane Janet Janice Janie Janis Jason Jea
Jessica Jimmy Joel John Johnathan Johnetta Johnny Jonathon Jos
Kathy Keith Kelly Kenneth Kevin Kimberly Kitty LaDarious Lana Lar
Louis Luke Mae Maenomia Marcia Marcus Margaret Marian Marily
Matthew Mattie Melinda Michael Michelle Mona Myra Nancie N
Patrick Patrina Paul Paula Perry Peter Phillip Quincey Rafael Ralph
Reid Rhonda Richard Rickey Ricky Rita Roaul Robbie Robert Rob
Salvador Samuel Sandra Sara Scott Scotty Shannon Shareka Sharon
Steve Steven Stevie Sue Sue Ann Susan Sylvia Tassawar Terence T
Tony Tracy Trevor Tyrone Van Veronica Vicki Walter Wendy Wi
* The names listed here are from November 1, 2014 through October 31, 2015. Donors after this date will be included in next year’s Winter newsletter.
s it all possible! S OF 2015*. THEY ARE GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...
5W I N T E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 5
Alonzo Althea Alvin Amanda Amie Amita Andrea Angela Anthony
Barbara Barry Benjamin Bennett Bernard Bertha Beth Betty Beverly
ce Bryan Burnett Caleb Carl Carla Carmen Carol Carolyn Carrol
Christine Christopher Clarence Claude Clifford Clyde Cory Cynthia
nise Dennis Denvil Derald Derinda Destiny Devin Dewayne Dewitt
ar Edmund Edward Eleanor Elizabeth Ellen Ellis Eloise Emily Ernest
ank Franklin Freddie Frederic Frederick Gabriel Garren Gary Gee-mel
Hailey Hank Harold Harry Heather Heaven Herbert Herman Jacob
nette Jeannine Jeff Jeffery Jennie Jennifer Jerel Jeremy Jerri Jerry
e Joshua Juanita Judith Judy Julie Julien Julio June Kaley Karen
rry Laura Leah Lena Lester Linda Lisa Logan Lora Loretta Lothario
yn Mark Marletta Marquita Marsha Martha Marty Mary Mary Ann
Nancy Nelly Neman Nicholas Nolen Ophelia Oscar Owen Patricia
Randall Randle Randolph Randy Ra'shonda Raymond Reba Rebecca
berta Rocky Roddelle Roderick Rodney Ronald Roque Roy Ruben
Shawnessa Shelby Shirley Sonya Stacey Starling Stephanie Stephen
Teresa Teri Terry Thelma Theodore Theresa Thomas Timothy Tommy
lber William Willis Wilma Wilson Xavier Yonsis Yvonne Zachary
@
6
STAY UP TO DATE
It’s our desire to stay in touch with you
and to help save the environment too!
If you would like to get our newsletter
in your in-box instead of your mail-box,
you can read it online at
www.lifesharecarolinas.org/resources.
To unsubscribe to the print version in
favor of the online one, contact
Let us know the best way to
communicate with you!
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
SANDY PHIFER OF MOORESVILLE, NC JOINED A CLUB IN 2011 NO ONE WANTS TO
BELONG TO. THAT IS THE YEAR THAT HER HUSBAND, JOE, DIED OF A STROKE.
HE WAS 66.
On Sandy’s worse day, three other families got a reason to celebrate. The organs they
desperately needed to live had been found. They didn’t know Joe but their lives have
been connected ever since.
Joe’s death was a shock. He had always been athletic and baseball was his favorite
sport. A man with strong values, he had a heart of gold. Because of his age, he was
not what some would consider a traditional organ donor. Interestingly, the recipients
of Joe’s organs were also “mature” adults ages 49, 60 and 66 respectively.
It is based on the misconception that older adults aren’t suitable as donors that
the Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA) created a new video targeted at
older adults featuring Joe’s wife, Sandy, and the families of several other older adults.
The short video was released late this fall on the agencies website at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Y2UCXqaoQ. A longer version where Sandy
gets to tell more of her story will be available early next year.
In it, she shares a letter she received from one of Joe’s kidneys. The person wrote:
“Special people like you make the world a brighter place. My life and my children
have improved by your act of kindness. They have seen the improvement in me and I
cannot thank you enough.”
We would like to thank Sandy for her willingness to share her story. We’d also like
to thank HRSA’s Division of Transplantation for bringing it to life. It reminds us this
holiday season that the greatest gift of all is the gift of life!
Local Donor Wife Featured inNew Video Aimed at Older Adults
W I N T E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 5
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 2015
Hospital Eye Organ Tissue
Angel 0 0 2
Anson 1 0 2
Asheville Specialty 0 0 0
Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) 37 17 17
CMC - Huntersville 2 0 2
CMC - Lincoln 7 0 5
CMC - Mercy 0 0 0
CMC - NorthEast 12 1 8
CMC - Pineville 11 1 9
CMC - Union 9 0 6
CMC - University 1 0 2
CMC - Valdese 0 0 0
CMC - Waxhaw 1 0 1
Caromont 22 2 14
Cherokee 1 0 0
Cleveland 3 0 2
Harris 0 0 0
Haywood 3 0 3
Highlands-Cashiers 0 0 0
Kings Mountain 1 0 1
Lake Norman 1 0 1
Mission 22 1 15
Morganton 2 0 1
Murphy 1 0 1
NHP - Huntersville 1 0 0
NHP - Matthews 8 0 2
Novant 7 3 4
Pardee 6 0 4
Park Ridge 2 0 2
Rehab NE 0 0 1
Rutherford 9 0 4
St. Luke’s 0 0 0
Stanly 5 0 5
Swain 0 0 0
Transylvania 3 0 0
VA Medical 1 0 0
7
Quiltof Life
LifeShareOf The Carolinas
5000-D Airport Center ParkwayCharlotte, NC 28208
However you celebrate, we wish you peace and joy.
Season’s Greetings fromLifeShare Of The Carolinas