713.961.9431 • www.livingbank.org

TESTAMENT FROM A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR

See Lori’s story on page 4

My name is Lori Taylor-LeDet, and I am a living

kidney donor. I was blessed with the opportunity

of extending the gift of life to my Dad.

RAISING AWARENESS OF THE CRITICAL NEED FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANT DONORS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ADVOCATING FOR DONORS AND THEIR FAMILIESOU

R M

ISSI

ON

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5

Carol and Russell Raymond, Cynthia Smith, living kidney donor to 17 month old granddaughter Clara, Kate and Daniel Boddie (back: Jerry Smith)

Honoree, Dr. Robert C. Robbins & Debbie Robbins

Dr. Bud and Rachel Frazier

Bryn Anderson, Lauri Anderson, The Living Bank Co-Founder, Dr. Joan Anderson, Charlotte Marchesseau

Michael (center), liver transplant recipient, and Ileana Treviño with son and daughters, Miguel, Mari and Margo

Dawn Lofton, Monique Wisdom, living kidney donor, Bobby Grimes, Annette Kaiser, kidney transplant recipient

Texas Medical Center Orchestra under the artistic direction of Libi Lebel

On the evening of October 23rd, The Living Bank honored

Dr. Robert C. Robbins, president and chief executive officer of

the Texas Medical Center at our annual dinner event held at

The Junior League of Houston. This year’s theme of Celebrating

Life Together was inspired by the vision of collaboration and

the culture Dr. Robbins fosters, “Together, we can push the

limits of what’s possible.”

GIVING AND RECEIVING THE GIFT OF LIFE

Clara’s Mom and dad were tested and not a match to donate a kidney to their

precious daughter.

On April 25, 2015, it was grandmother Cindy, who donated one of her kidneys to her

17 month old granddaughter. The surgery was performed at Texas Children’s Hospital.

On October 24, 2008, Monique donated her kidney to a different transplant recipient

in a paired kidney exchange because she was a better match for that recipient. This

allowed her mother, Annette, to receive a kidney from that recipient’s willing donor as

a part of a living “kidney swap.” Their surgery was performed at Houston Methodist.

On November 21, 2014, Michael received his liver transplant. With his wife, Ileana

Treviño, CEO Memorial Hermann Foundation by his side, the surgery was performed

at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

CINDY SMITH AND GRANDDAUGHTER, CLARA BODDIE

ANNETTE KAISER AND DAUGHTER, MONIQUE WISDOM

ILEANA AND MICHAEL TREVIÑO

LORI’S GIFT TESTAMENT FROM A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR

MY NAME IS LORI TAYLOR-LEDET. I AM A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR AND BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF EXTENDING THE GIFT OF LIFE TO MY DAD, BYRON TAYLOR, SR., ON MARCH 25, 2014.

y father had sacrificed and given so

much of himself for me and it was

difficult to watch him go through years

of hospitalizations, treatments, surgeries,

and dialysis. It seemed like a recurring bad dream. Then

he got “The Call.” They found a deceased donor match. I

thought finally everything’s up-hill from here; it’s over. But

it wasn’t. He faced many challenges after the transplant

which led to his body rejecting his new kidney, leading

to more hospitalizations, being put back on dialysis and

ultimately back on the list, waiting for “The Call.” My father

is stubborn and persistent in refusing a kidney from me or

my brothers. He said our children may need it and that God

would make a way as He had done before. Well, God did

just that!

My dad’s physician encouraged him to begin seeking a living

kidney donor. In secret, my mom disclosed this to me.

I contacted the living donor center at Houston Methodist and

began testing without his knowledge. After my first clinic

visit and consult I knew I needed to speak with my dad.

I shared with him what I had been up to and that I needed

to know that he would accept my gift before moving forward.

He told me God had told him to expect a gift that day. He

was hoping for a check in the mail but the mailman had

already come by. So he was compelled to accept my gift of

life. That was the beginning.

Deciding to be a donor forced me to address my underlying

fears. What about my husband, what about my children,

what if I die? That became the ultimate question and

my biggest fear. But this led me to really consider what I

had gotten myself into. I had to do what I call some real

self-checking. I had to answer questions like “What’s my

motive? Do I have underlying expectations? and could I

handle an unfavorable outcome of any sort?”

This is when my living donor transplant team at Houston

Methodist really stepped up. I was given all the information

I needed without any questions left unanswered. They

provided me with the support system I needed to make

an informed, pressure-free, personal decision to proceed.

This entire process has changed my life. I want to live and

not just be alive. I want to take better care of myself and

those around me. I was given an opportunity to face, head

on those personal questions we all should ask ourselves in

order to move to the next level of truly living. I know the

true meaning of giving without expectation, and that is a

wonderful feeling.

M

INDEPENDENT LIVING DONOR NETWORK™ (ILDAN™)The ILDAN™ is an online networking community of health professionals who work in living organ donor programs in transplant centers across the U.S.

THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTERS JANUARY - JUNE 2015

Brigid McVaugh, MS, RD, LDClinical Dietician, CHI Baylor St. Luke’s

Medical Center

Angela RandallPrincipal, Normal Modes

Shelley Spector, LCSWLiving Donor Advocate, The Living Bank

Tracey Reeves, LCSWLiving Donor Advocate, The Living Bank

Nicole Turgeon, MDAssociate Professor of Medicine

Emory School of Medicine

Jennifer Milton, BSN, CCTC, MBAAdministrative Director

Clinical Assistant ProfessorUT Health Science Center San Antonio

Rev. Hazel R. Thomas (Living Kidney Donor)Manager for Rehab Chaplains

TIRR Memorial Hermann

Karen Miller, RN, BSN, CCTCClinical Transplant Coordinator

University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics

ILDAN™ PRESENTSLIVE WEBINARS THIRD TUESDAY EACH MONTH 12:30 - 1:30 PM CST

Continuing Education Credits are Offered

LIVING DONOR

FORUMThe Living Bank’s Living Donor Forum has been launched on our website. The Forum is a moderated online forum that

serves as a support resource for living donors. The Forum offers this unique community the opportunity to connect and

communicate with other living donors in a safe environment.

The Forum moderators are The Living Bank’s licensed clinical transplant social workers that serve as independent living

donor advocates (ILDAs). ILDAs assess & counsel living donor candidates and provide follow-up & support to living

kidney donors.

STATS

122,523

KIDNEY 101,223

82%

1

LUNG 1,552

1%

5

LIVER15,104

12%

2

PANCREAS 1,052

1%

6

KIDNEY/PANCREAS

1,9641%

4

HEART/LUNG

48

8

HEART 4,213

3%

3

INTESTINE274

7

THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER (TMC) LIVING DONOR COLLABORATIVE

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP There are over 122,000 Americans waiting for a life-saving organ but there are only approximately 28,000 transplants

performed annually.

Of those waiting, 82% are waiting for a kidney and 12% are waiting for a liver. That means 94% of those waiting can likely be saved now through living organ donation!

The TMC Living Donor Collaborative is working together to raise awareness of the critical need for both living organ donors and deceased donors. Together we can save more lives and reduce the waiting list. Learn more, visit www.livingbank.org

EVERY TEN MINUTES, SOMEONE IS ADDED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST.

22 PEOPLE DIE EACH DAY WHILE WAITING FOR A TRANSPLANT.

Henry Ford said, “Coming Together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success!”

Register Now to be an organ donor Visit https://registerme.org/

AS OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015

In Thanksgiving for ________________________________________________________________________

In Honor of ______________________________________________________________________________

On the Occasion of ________________________________________________________________________

In Memory of _____________________________________________________________________________

Contribution (We appreciate your kind support of our work.)

SEND ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO:

Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ____________________________________________________ State_____________ Zip____________________________

Name(s) to appear on card __________________________________________________________________________________

Amount $ ____________________

CONTRIBUTED BY:

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Phone Number _______________________________________ Cell Number ___________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ____________________________________________________ State_____________ Zip____________________________

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PAYMENT:

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Card Number ________________________________________________Expiration Date _________________

Signature _____________________________________________________________________________

Enclosed is my check payable to The Living Bank

THE LIVING BANK

P.O. Box 6725

Houston, Texas 77265

1-800-528-2971

info@livingbank.org

www.livingbank.org

One hundred percent of your donation is tax deductible. The Living Bank tax ID number is 74-1607315.

cut h

ere

GIVE THE PRICELESS GIFT OF LIFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASONSkip the crowds and hectic shopping. We offer a meaningful present for someone on your list who has

everything. Honor them with a donation to The Living Bank. Simply complete the form below and we will

send a card to your honoree acknowledging your thoughtful gift and a card to you acknowledging your

donation.

Thank you

The Living BankP.O. Box 6725Houston, Texas 77265

Toll Free: 1.800.528.2971713.961.9431www.livingbank.org

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAIDHouston, Texas

Permit #9110

BOARD OFFICERS

David M. Gregory, Chair, Partner, Locke Lord LLP Mark J. Biscone, Ph.D., Vice Chair, Texas Hospital Association, HealthSHARE Kristine Mineman, Treasurer, Deloitte Tax LLP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rene Aviles, Amegy Bank of Texas Michael C. Braun, MD, FASN, Texas Children’s Hospital J. Steve Bynon, MD, FACS, Memorial Hermann HospitalRick Chandler, Hilltop ConsultingSalil V. Deshpande, MD, MBA, United Healthcare of Texas A. Osama Gaber, MD, FACS, Houston Methodist Carolyne B. Oliver, Texas Southern University *retiredJim Rosenfeld, Martha Turner Properties

THE LIVING BANK STAFF

Kelly Perdue, CPA, President & CEOKarina Fernández, Director of Education and OutreachNicole Garvey, Executive AssistantLisa Getz, LCSW, Living Donor AdvocateTeresa Radosti, Donor Relations Specialist Tracey Reeves, LCSW, Living Donor Advocate Shelley Spector, LCSW, Living Donor Advocate

THE LIVING BANK PROGRAMS

General, Minority and Veterans Public Education Program Living Donor Advocacy (LDA) Program Independent Living Donor Advocate Network™ (ILDAN™)Telehealth ProgramLiving Donor Forum

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO THE LIVING BANK Simply go to livingbank.org/donate to make a donation to our secure server.

If your employer matches your donation to nonprofit organizations, please provide your company’s matching gift form with your contribution.