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be
better served through increased minority donations, and how wellness
issues affect us all. The
world's greatest track and field star was our guest on Sunday, Feb.
23, 1997 to share with
us why he began the Wendy Marx Foundation for Organ Donor Awareness
and why he was asked to testify before the U.S. Senate to discuss
his role in the transplant community. He is also the chairman of
the U.S. Sports Council on Organ Donation (established in 1990).
He has recently written a book Carl Lewis, One More Victory Lap,
that covers his own experiences of his final Olympic year. It is
a moving tale of a relentless competitor and a passionate human
being. He hopes his personal endorsement will inspire others to
consider organ and tissue donation and watch how their gracious
gifts impact the lives of so many.
Reg Green
The Nebraska Medical Center Donate Life Services sponsored an appearance
by Reg Green, father of a seven-year old American boy who was killed
by highway robbers in Italy. This incident sent an electric charge
through the human spirit when his parents donated his organs to
seven very sick Italians. It is known around the world as "The
Nicholas Effect" and thousands of people who would have died
are alive today because of it. Reg Green, Nicholas' father, shared
this story at a donor recognition ceremony in Omaha, Neb. in conjunction
with the "New Hearts" transplant patient support group.
The message brought to the community was powerful. Saving the lives
of dying individuals through organ donation should come to be a
societal expectation.
Tree of Life
The Tree of Life Project is part of statewide public awareness campaign
to promote organ donation and The Lied Transplant Center. The tree
planting ceremonies, which have been held in 24 communities around
Nebraska thus far, bring together community leaders, organ donors
and recipient families. "The Tree of Life" Project is
a venue to express our sincere gratitude to the real "Heroes
for Life," those donor families who unselfishly made the decision
to make a difference in another person’s life. At each gathering,
a tree is planted in the city's park to honor those who have donated
a loved one's organs and those transplant recipients who have received
the precious gift of life. In addition, to each Tree Planting Ceremony,
the community is also educated about organ and tissue donation
through educational in-services, whether at the local hospital,
Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Group, school or other community organization.
Bike Ride Across Nebraska - BRAN
The "Tree of Life" Memento contains a cottonwood seed,
which when planted grows into a large tree, much like the seeds of
knowledge that flourish in the educational process. Byers Shaw, M.D.,
Chairman & Musselman Professor, Department of Surgery for the
The Nebraska Medical Center, presented this Memento as part of the
The Nebraska Medical Center's "Tree of Life" awareness
campaign. This campaign commemorates donor families and honors transplant
recipients who have benefited from the gift of life and places a
challenge with each community to encourage their members to participate
in the organ and tissue donation program.
Department of Motor Vehicles
The Nebraska Medical Center Donate Life Services has a vested interest
in enhancing the public’s awareness of the great need for
organ and tissue donors. This innovative approach to educating
the public about the wonderful gift of life through organ and tissue
donation allows us to become a community partner with the state
of Nebraska's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Electronic message boards that contain 50 messages encourages the
public to consider organ and tissue donation. The boards scroll the
messages continually and require no local maintenance. They provide
valuable information to those who visit the DMV and assist the DMV's
employees in providing reminders to the public to make their own
decisions regarding organ and tissue donation on their drivers license.
Each board has the capacity to deliver bilingual (Spanish/English)
messages.
Life-A-Thon
The LIFE-A-THON event is one of the many ways The Nebraska Medical
Center promotes the message of organ donation with thousands of
Nebraska citizens. LIFE-A-THON also shows support for transplant
patients waiting for their future "Gift of Life" and
provides an annual opportunity to celebrate the healthy recovery
of past organ recipients. The walk, run, bike and in-line skating
event is a day set aside to commemorate donor families for their
unselfish generosity while encouraging community members and The
Nebraska Medical Center employees to participate in a wellness
event. Health, fitness and organ donation are all commitments to
improve quality of life. Make the commitment.
National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week - NODAW
The third week in April is National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness
Week (NODAW) and The Nebraska Medical Center supports this effort
through a variety of educational efforts. Booths are set up at
The Nebraska Medical Center to spread the organ and tissue donation
message to patients and staff. Our transplant support group helps
staff the booth. The recipients thoroughly enjoy being able to
spread the message and meet others going through the transplant
process and share their success stories. The Nebraska Medical Center
Student Medical Association also distributes information at Westroads,
Crossroads and Oakview Malls in Omaha to spread the message during
NODAW. A video on transplantation is available for families and
staff to view over their lunch hour. Organ Recovery staff also
promotes NODAW on various TV and radio programs. Promotion of and
participation in the annual Life-A-Thon is also encouraged throughout
the week.
First Family Pledge
More than 200 transplant children from all 50 states, ranging in
age from two to nine, traveled to Washington on April 14, 1999
for the First Family Pledge to Congress on Organ and Tissue Donation.
The children publicly thanked members of Congress from their state
for demonstrating leadership in supporting the First Family Pledge
Organ and Tissue Donation Initiative. This marked the first time
that transplant recipients were able to encourage increased leadership
support for organ and tissue donation, in hopes of saving the lives
of the hundreds of kids who die each year while waiting for organs
to become available.
The Nebraska Medical Center Transplant
Program sent 17 children who were transplanted in Omaha and reside
in Nebraska, Hawaii, Alaska,
Kansas, Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, South
Dakota and Utah, displaying the diversity of the patient waiting
list and the The Nebraska Medical Center’s reputation for excellence
in transplant patient care and survival rates.
Fall 2000 Death Investigators and Coroners Conference Cooperative
Seminar
The Nebraska Medical Center Donate Life Services held a 2000 Death
Investigation and Organ and Tissue Donation Cooperative Seminar on
Oct. 6, 2000 at The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb. The guest
speakers were Edward Donoghue, M.D., Chief Medical Examiner from
Cook County Coroner's office in Chicago, Ill., and Eric Mitchell,
M.D., Coroner from Shawnee County Coroner/Medical Examiner's office
in Topeka, Kans. Both gentlemen have extensive experience in the
cooperative effort of death investigation and organ donation cases.
They provided educational presentations and insight into this dynamic
area of forensic medicine and life-saving organ donations.
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