A Quarterly Newsletter of LifeShare Of The Carolinas
VOLUME 15
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ISSUE 2
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SUMMER 2012
IN THIS ISSUE:
1 Facebook Initiative Leadsto Surge in Online DonorDesignations
2 Facebook Instructions
2 Stories of Hope
3 Scott’s Story—Waiting and Waiting
4 Donate Life Month 2012
6 Workplace Partnership forLife Enrollment Form
7 Donor Statistics byHospital
8 Area DMV AwardWinners 2012
A Donate Life Organization
Facebook Initiative Leads to Surgein Online Donor DesignationsFacebook users can now share their decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor
through their Timelines. In an exclusive interview with Robin Roberts on “Good
Morning America,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the collaboration
with Donate Life America and became one of the first to sign up to donate on the
social network he founded.
The upgrade to the Facebook Timeline structure allows users to check their organ
donor status and then to share it with members of their network. “Thousands of lives
will be saved or healed as a result of this initiative,” said David Fleming, President
and CEO of Donate Life America.
“We want to encourage every Facebook user to take a moment and update their
Timeline, register to be a donor, and share their decision with family and friends. It
is a simple way to provide hope for those in need,” he said.
The partnership between Facebook and Donate Life America signifies a giant step
for the donation community, bringing major exposure to the need for more donors
and providing hope for the approximately114,000 individuals on the transplant
waiting list.
Since the initiative was announced, donor registries across the country have
experienced dramatic increases. Forty-six state registries reported 33,406 online
donor designations in the first six days of the Facebook initiative, more than ten
times typical enrollment activity which averages 548 per day.
The North Carolina Donor Registry followed the national trend. On an average
day, 18 donor registrations at donatelifenc.org are recorded. Since the Facebook
Timeline feature was added on May 1st, there were 1,287
online registrations through midnight on May 8th,
more than the total number registered in
March and April combined.
While we are really excited about the
new venture, LifeShare is still encouraging
every Facebook user to say “yes” at the
DMV where 95% of the state’s donors are
signed-up. The NC donor registry is the
only one that is legally binding in North
Carolina and the only one that we check
when someone has died and donation
becomes an option.
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
Associate Editor
Gary Burris
O U R M I S S I O N
To improve the quality of human
life through the provision of organs
and tissues for transplantation and
to serve our hospitals and their
respective communities by providing
educational and support services
which enhance the donation process.
OU R V I S I O N
We envision a day when the regional
supply of transplantable organs
and tissues will satisfy the demand.
How to share that you are an organ,eye and tissue donor on Facebook
FACEBOOK INSTRUCTIONS—
Go to your Timeline
Click on “Life Event”
Select “Health and Wellness” and Choose “Organ Donor.”
You can add where and when you registered.
Add your personal story.
If you have not officially registered through the DMV, you can:
Select the link “Officially Register” from the right hand side of the dialog box.
A new tab will open with instructions on how to officially register.
Privacy Settings
�Remember you can always control who you share your donor status with.
To select who can see your donor status, click on the “Privacy Control.”
You can make it public or limit it to just a small group of friends or just family.
When you are done:
Select “Save.”
Your organ donor status will appear both on your Timeline and in your “About” section.
Other Useful Information:
If a friend has added their donor status to their Timeline, you can see it in your
Newsfeed. You can add your donor status to your Timeline from there by clicking
“Share your organ donor status.”
Stories of HopeEverybody has a story. There are thousands told each day by people like Scott and
Mariel Carr of Huntersville. Scott is on the waiting list for a liver transplant. He’s one
of 16,000 individuals nationwide in need of a new liver whose life hangs in the balance
while he and his family wait for his number to be called.
The Carr’s were originally featured in late May by Donate Life America as part of
its “I am HOPE” story project. In fact, seven individuals/families were selected by
Donate Life North Carolina for the honor. In addition to the Carr’s, there were three
additional people from the LifeShare area—Melissa McDaniel, a tissue recipient,
Bobby Height, a heart transplant recipient and his wife, Brenda.
While we don’t normally feature stories of people who are waiting for a transplant,
we made an exception for the Carr’s to put a face on the waiting list. Their story is
featured on the next page.
3
Number of Candidates on theNational Transplant Waiting List
Kidney 92,258
Liver 16,107
Pancreas 1,268
Kidney-Pancreas 2,154
Heart 3,191
Lung 1,651
Heart-Lung 53
Intestine 265
NATIONAL TOTAL 114,247
North Carolina 3,584
South Carolina 990
Based on OPTN data as of May 11, 2012.
S U M M E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 2
Scott’s Story—Waiting and WaitingIT WAS JUNE 16, 1998. WE WERE HEALTHY 32 YEAR OLDS AND EXPECTING OUR FIRST
BABY. ALL OUR THOUGHTS AND ENERGIES WERE PREPARING FOR THE NEXT PHASE
OF OUR LIVES... A FAMILY! FROM OUT OF NOWHERE, SCOTT HAD A SERIOUS
STOMACH BLEED CAUSED BY AN UNDETECTED AUTO-IMMUNE LIVER DISEASE, THE
SAME ONE THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY TAKE WALTER PAYTON’S LIFE.
We were shocked, especially when the doctors said Scott would likely need a life-saving
liver transplant surgery one day. Transplant?! Such a scary word for such a young man!
We had worked so hard to plan our life just right, including relocating to beautiful
North Carolina to start our family’s new roots! We would give anything to regain that
blissful ignorance of the day before June 16, when life was simply looking forward to
going to the hospital, to the Labor and Delivery wing, that is. A transplant is a “club”
no one wants to be in.
Scott thankfully rebounded
and we welcomed our second
and third baby within 3 short
years, but always with a declining
liver condition looming on our
minds. A transplant would be
Scott’s permanent fix, as medicine
could only stabilize Scott for so
long. Alas, we prayed modern
medicine would somehow spare
Scott from that big surgery, while
at minimum, allowing our children to grow up and develop a relationship with him, to
really know him, just in case.
It was July 26, 2007 and again, from out of nowhere, Scott suffered another massive
stomach hemorrhage. After 18 days in ICU requiring 3 stent surgeries, each carrying
a 30% mortality rate, and needing 25 blood transfusions, Scott finally recovered, but
it was apparent that he was in the end stage of liver failure, and this warranted Scott
going on the transplant list.
It is now May 2012. Scott is 46 years old, though sometimes he feels like he is 86.
Our kids are 11, 12 and 13. It’s been nearly 5 years on The List and we are still waiting.
Waiting to feel better. Waiting to resume our lives with full vigor. Waiting for the kids
to really, really know their Dad. They don’t remember him well and active anymore,
only sick and tired. Organ donation doesn’t just save lives. It saves families.
BY MARIEL AND SCOTT CARR
The remaining North Carolina stories featured individuals from Charlotte, Durham,
Granite Falls, Greenville and Pfafftown, NC. If you missed them, you can still see them
online on the LifeShare and Donate Life NC web sites.
4 L I F E S H A R E O F T H E C A R O L I N A SYou have t
he power to donate life!
CALENDARof events
August 1, 2012National Minority Donor
Awareness Day
Nationwide
November 15–17, 2012National Donor Sabbath
Congregations Nationwide
EACH YEAR DURING APRIL, LIFESHARE, AND THE DONATION COMMUNITY FROM
AROUND THE COUNTRY, CELEBRATE DONATE LIFE MONTH. 2012 WAS BY FAR OUR
BUSIEST YEAR EVER WITH EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE
REGION, FROM ASHEVILLE TO CHARLOTTE.
We actually kicked the Donate Life Month celebration off early in late March with a
Flash Mob in downtown Charlotte. About 60 members of our staff, volunteers, donor
families and transplant recipients gathered at the EpiCenter, a local hotspot, to
dance to “Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher” by Jackie Wilson. If you missed it, videos
of everyone having a great time have been placed on YouTube and our Facebook page.
LifeShare staff was very busy at the 40 hospitals in our region raising donor awareness
for hospital staff and visitors. Donate Life flags were flown in front of many of our
hospital partners and several of the larger hospitals had donor tables set up to allow
people to register as donors but also to stress the importance of our partnership with
their staff.
The official colors of Donate Life, blue and green, were on proud display in April.
The Duke Energy building in downtown Charlotte was aglow in blue and green on
April first. Later on April 20th, newscasters from Charlotte’s WBTV, Fox 18, WCNC 36,
Time Warner’s News 14 and Asheville’s WLOS 13 flaunted our colors as they wore
blue and green scarves and neckties during their broadcasts.
Several businesses and local governments got in on the act of promoting organ
and tissue donation too. Jiffy Lube stores across the region and the Original House of
Pancakes ran promotions. Cabarrus county and the cities of Kannapolis and Indian
Trail issued proclamations honoring National Donate Life Month.
LifeShare closed out the month with its annual Donor Family Ceremonies at the
Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Speedway Club and at Asheville’s First Baptist Church.
These nights were celebrations of the lives of the many organ and tissue donors that
made a difference in so many people’s lives. That’s really what National Donate Life
Month is all about.
BY BEN MARTIN
Donate Life Month 2
Did you know...
“Modern Family” star
Sarah Hyland had a
special Donate Life
Month observance? The
young actress received
a new kidney in April
courtesy of her dad.
Read about it in the
May 22nd issue of
“Seventeen” Magazine.
5S U M M E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 2
2012 — Our Best Ever!Top: Bobby Height, who is literally young at heart, points out theobvious. LifeShare staff members joined in on the fun flaunting theircolors on Blue and Green day, May 20th.
Bottom: The Duke Energy building lit up the Charlotte skyline in blueand green on April 1st. Hands-down, the LifeShare flash mob was an
exciting way to kick off Donate Life Month. Just ask Cindy Cook.
Partner #1:
Contact Person: Title:
Phone Number: Email:
Mailing Address:
City: State: ZIP:
PARTNER INFORMATION
Organization Contact Information:
Organization Name:
Contact Person:
Phone Number: Email:
Mailing Address:
City: State: ZIP:
Organization Type:
Hospital OPO, Eye or Tissue Bank Other _____________________________
State Hospital Association DLA Af�liate
How will you measure campaign results? Please check all that apply:
Registry drop-down menu on Web site
Registry paper forms
Registration through State DMV
Registry through unique URL
Are you enrolling any partners at this time?
Yes No Currently enrolled, adding new partner(s)
If yes, please use the �elds below to enter partner information. If you need more space, use the attached form or send a spreadsheet to [email protected].
Other (please explain): _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To enroll in this campaign, please fill out this form on behalf of your organization and click “submit” below.
Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL)
Promoting Organ, Eye, and Tissue DonationLet life bloom.
C T
Email:
M
C State: ZIP:
C
P Email:
M
C State: ZIP:
_____________________________
a
Please contact Ann Pfeifer at [email protected] or 412-481-9800 with any questions. To submit completed form, fax to 412-432-1307.SUBMIT
In his National Donate Life Month proclamation, President Obama called on “health care professionals, volunteers,educators, government agencies, faith-based and community groups, and private organizations to join forces toboost the number of organ and tissue donors throughout our nation.” A letter from the North Carolina Hospital Association has been sent to all of its members urging them to
join the Workplace Partnership Program. Hospitals that have enrolled by June 30, 2012, will be recognized bythe Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on its web site and at a national meeting in October.
Hospitals Invited to Enroll in HRSA’s Workplace Campaign
S U M M E R I S S U E – 2 0 1 2
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
January–March 2012
Hospital Eye Organ Tissue
Angel 3 0 2
Anson 0 0 0
Asheville Specialty 0 0 0
Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) 36 15 28
CMC - Lincoln 3 0 3
CMC - Mercy 1 0 0
CMC - NorthEast 10 1 9
CMC - Pineville 5 0 3
CMC - Union 6 0 5
CMC - University 0 0 0
Cherokee 0 0 0
Cleveland 3 0 3
Crawley 0 0 0
Gaston 10 2 7
Grace 2 0 1
Harris 1 0 1
Haywood 7 0 4
Highlands-Cashiers 0 0 0
Kings Mountain 1 0 1
Lake Norman 2 0 0
Mission - St. Joseph’s 19 9 16
Murphy 3 0 2
Pardee 4 0 1
Park Ridge 1 0 0
Presbyterian 8 3 8
Presbyterian Huntersville 1 0 1
Presbyterian Matthews 2 0 1
Presbyterian Ortho 0 0 0
Rutherford 2 0 0
St. Luke’s 0 0 0
Stanly 4 0 3
Swain 1 0 1
Transylvania 1 0 0
Valdese 1 0 1
VA Medical 0 0 0
7
Quiltof Life
LifeShareOf The Carolinas
5000-D Airport Center ParkwayCharlotte, NC 28208
Each year, 99% of North Carolina residents who join the state’s organ donor registry
do so at the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In recognition of their
efforts, the offices with the highest donation rates were presented with awards from
Donate Life NC. Those that were the most improved got them too.
The DMV office in Boone was number one for the second year in a row with 69.6%
of drivers and state ID holders designating themselves as donors. Asheville was the
repeat winner in our region. We’d like to take this opportunity to recognize the winning
offices and to thank all DMV employees who ask the question over and over each
day, “Do you want to be an organ donor?”
The next time you see a DMV examiner, take a minute to thank them for their role
in saving lives. Thank you to all of the DMV Ambassadors who took time from their
schedules to make quarterly visits to the offices. We appreciate you!
Area DMV Award Winners 20122011 Highest RateAsheville 65.1%
Mooresville 63.8%
Monroe 61.9%
Mt. Holly 56.0%
2011 Most ImprovedBrevard 61.4%
Lincolnton 54.6%
Concord 52.0%
Polkton 50.5%
“Do you want to be an organ donor?”