We Make the Most of Life Fall 2015 A newsletter published by Donor Network of Arizona Donate Life Day at the Arizona Capitol Pinnacle Awards Desayuno Done Vida Health Care for Hope REGISTER TO BE Contributors: AN ORGAN, EYE & Tim Brown TISSUE DONOR Robbie Glazner Sara Pace Jones DonateLifeAZ.org 1-800-94-DONOR Writers and Editors: Katie Benton Denise Cavero-Hann Ashley Espinoza Alexa Haynes Jacqueline Keidel Kris Patterson Ariana Peery Miranda Reddy Shannon Speshock Donor son and NASCAR driver Joey Gase meets with Tim Brown at Donate Life Day at the Capitol where his mother was honored in the Greetings Garden of Life. From President and CEO, Tim Brown n May, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) released the incredible news that 500,000 organ transplants have been performed in the United States In this issue since UNOS’ inception in 1987. Of those 500,000, approximately 11,000 occurred Ibecause of Arizona donors who said yes to organ donation. Though none of this would be possible without the generosity of donors and their families, it is inspiring to reflect on all of the connections that must be in place in order for organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation to occur. If one link is missing, the gift of life may not be shared. 5 donate life day at the arizona capitol During our Health Care for Hope campaign, Donor Network of Arizona collaborated with more than 50 hospitals and health care organizations to educate about organ, eye and tissue donation and inspire people to register. The employees of these organizations are often the same ones who work with DNA to support donor families in their time of grief, who perform life-saving and life- healing transplants and who provide the information and testing needed to ensure these gifts of generosity are honored and shared. These individuals and many others 7 pinnacle awards touch more than one million lives each year through their dedication to donation and transplantation. Beyond the work done by health care professionals, we acknowledge the efforts of countless community and professional partners, including the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division (ADOT MVD). During our August observance of ADOT MVD Saves Lives Month, we paid tribute to all this agency does to register individuals as organ, eye and tissue donors, serving as an important connection 8 health care for hope between Arizonans and the DonateLifeAZ Registry. I speak often about how the gift of donation begins with a single generous decision, and this choice to share life creates a ripple effect. The decision touches not only the recipients and their families, but it also connects to the countless individuals who work to support donation and transplantation, making us all part of this incredible gift. 15 desayuno done vida Fall 2015 Connection 2 Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) sends special thanks to the following individuals, groups and organizations who have gone the extra mile for donation. Keep up the great work! Demario Cooper Gabriel Meza Retail Manager MVD Distribution Center Manager HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division Gonzalo Moreno Radio Host Susie Whitt, BSN, RN, CCRN 1190 AM Emergency Department Supervisor II HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center Trisha Hendricks Reporter/Multimedia Journalist Robert G. Matheny, M.D., F.C.C.P. 12 News Phoenix Kingman Pulmonary Associates Kingman Regional Medical Center “Trisha portrays donors, their families and the Thank you for being a gift of donation with honor and respect.” Brenda Crissman Community Awareness Manager lifesaver and a champion Wickenburg Community Hospital Cydney DeModica for donation! Constituent Relations Administrator Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Intensive Care Unit/Cardiovascular Vehicle Division Intensive Care Unit Kingman Regional Medical Center Operating Room Western Arizona Regional Medical Center Kim Hilty, RN House Supervisor Lacey Lack RN, BSN Banner – University Medical Center Tucson Infection Control/Employee Health Manager/ Clinical Nurse Educator Jill Herschel Northern Cochise Community Hospital Regional Director of Operations, Health Information Management Rich Radecki, RN Abrazo Community Health Network Manager, Patient Care Services Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital “Jill’s leadership and resolve resulted in electronic medical records remote access White Mountain Regional Medical Center Michele Fiore, MSN, RN for Donor Network of Arizona staff to all Operating Room Manager Louise Wilkins Senior Clinical Director, Critical Care Arizona Abrazo system hospitals.” helps make donation a possibility. HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea/Thompson Peak Medical Center Louise Wilkins, RN Bryant Johnson, MSN, RN, CCRN Clinical Director Critical Care/Trauma Zach Rausch HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center Louise Wilkins, operating room Store Manager Walgreens – Store #10998 manager at White Mountain Regional Zina Berry Medical Center, turned an ordinary Director, Strategic Integration Operating Room & Transplant Services recovery day into a chance for Kingman Regional Medical Center Walgreens hospitality. She made sure that the Donor Network of Arizona recovery Univisión Arizona Anita Roman Anchor/Reporter team had everything they needed “Univisión’s reach to the Hispanic FOX 10 Phoenix to complete their task as efficiently community in Arizona ensures the message of hope and generosity is being Elizabeth Zorn, MD as possible. Wilkins even set out heard across our state.” Pediatric Intensivist drinks and food for the team to make Phoenix Children’s Hospital sure they were hydrated and had Charlotte Ciudad, MSN-L, RN Rhonda Strack, RN something to eat. It is small acts of Director of Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit Emergency Department/Trauma Nurse kindness like this one and a desire to Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center go beyond what is normally expected Gerardo Higginson Mark Lewis that makes people like Louise Wilkins Director of Community Relations Host/Creator Univisión Arizona The Empowerment Team Podcast stand out in the world of donation. Thank you for your kindness! Rebeca Díaz Harry Alberti MD, MBA Chief Executive Officer Chief Medical Officer Teleritmo de Arizona HonorHealth Thompson Peak Medical Center Donor Network of Arizona Donor mother, Lupita LeBario (c), enjoys breakfast with her family before speaking at the Heart recipient, Steve Bond, comforts his Desayuno Done Vida on July 31. donor’s mother, Lupita LeBario. Kicking Off National Minority Donor Awareness Week in Arizona n July 31, 100 people decked This year, the theme of the breakfast LeBario shared the story of her 17-year- out in vibrantly colored blue and was Sembrando Esperanza (planting old son, Mike Roman Reyes, who passed green scarves convened at the hope), as each new donor registration away after an ATV accident. LeBario OSheraton in downtown Phoenix for the provides growing hope to the more than wept while she spoke of the lives her son fourth annual Desayuno Done Vida. 2,300 people on Arizona’s waiting list, 32 saved and healed through donation. As percent of whom are Hispanic. she wiped away her tears, Reyes’ heart Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) hosts recipient, Steve Bond, stepped up to the the breakfast to mark the beginning of The attendees of this year’s breakfast stage and embraced LeBario, giving her National Minority Donor Awareness Week also heard stories of hope and generosity the strength to continue her story. and to deepen relationships with Spanish- from speakers who have been touched language media who share donation by donation. In particular, the emotional “Open your heart; think of everything and transplantation stories throughout speech made by Lupita LeBario, a donor beautiful that can happen when the year. Guests of the event included mother, left a noticeable impact on the something bad happens,” LeBario says. members of the Spanish-language media audience, who was inspired by LeBario’s “When a family member dies, that does and of the Hispanic community with a generous spirit. not mean that everything is going to stop. connection to donation. They can continue living on in others.” Celebrating National Minority Donor Awareness Week ational Minority Donor “We talked about (donation) when he got Awareness Week, Aug. 1-7, his driver’s license in Ohio,” says Belinda. serves as an annual celebration “We always talked about helping others. Nof minority donors and recipients. The That was just the kind of person he was.” week also highlights the importance of educating minority communities about Belinda also makes it a point to advocate the gift of donation. This is critical to her family and friends on behalf of because, though transplants often donation and transplantation. happen between individuals of different “I would share my story and I would say races and ethnicities, the likelihood of to them, ‘What if it was someone in your a successful match increases when the family who needed that service?’” says donor and potential recipient are of the Belinda. “I would do my best to make same race or ethnicity. them understand why it’s so important, For Belinda Harbin, this week is of especially for minorities, to become personal importance. organ donors.” Fortunately, organ donation among Belinda made the selfless decision to Nicholas Harbin became an eye and tissue donor choose donation when her son, Nicholas, minorities has been slowly but surely after he passed away in December 2014. an African American Marine veteran, increasing in recent years. In 2013, 30 passed away in December 2014. Despite percent of all Arizona organ donors were as of Sept. 30, 2015, 36.4 percent of all her grief, Belinda had no hesitation when part of minority groups. In 2014, that Arizona donors are minorities. faced with the decision to donate. number increased to 32.9 percent, and Fall 2015 Connection 4 Bringing the Message of Donation to the Arizona Legislature Visitors were able to walk through the Garden of Life, which Donate Life staff and volunteers were out on the lawn registering the public as donors at Donate Life Day at the Capitol on March 11.