Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network

September is National DMV Appreciation Month which recognizes the vital role of DMVs and Driver License Partners (DLPs) in saving and healing lives. DMV staff ask customers the donor registration question every day, and have helped more than 165 million people across the country register their decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. Join us in thanking our DMV partners for their incredible work saving lives through donation and transplantation! Learn more and register your decision to be a life-giving donor at giftofhope.org. #SayYestoDonation #GiftofHope #DonateLife

Today we’re thrilled to spotlight Community Outreach Specialist Imely Correa as she gears up for the Gift of Hope Community Foundation inaugural 5K Run, Walk & Roll! "I believe that participating in this 5K has its many benefits such as raising funds for an organization that already does so much for donor families . Also, you get to challenge yourself by taking that extra step towards to improve your health. Last but not least, you get to spend quality time with family and friends!" – Imely Correa The countdown is on! The 5K is just 30 days away–join us in supporting this life-saving cause by registering today: bit.ly/3VTSXuO

About 1,000 of the more than 5,000 adults and children waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in Illinois and Indiana are Latino/Hispanic. These communities are disproportionately represented on the waiting list due to high rates of diabetes, liver disease, kidney failure and heart disease that can lead to the need of an organ transplant. 💜 Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and register your decision to be a life-giving donor at giftofhope.org #NMDAM2024 #SayYestoDonation #GiftofHope #DonateLife

ICYMI, Gift of Hope was on FOX 32 "Good Day Chicago" celebrating National Minority Donor Awareness Month! Yadira Gonzalez, donation advocate and sister of tissue donor Hector Gonzalez shared her brother’s story and her family’s experience with donation alongside Marion Shuck, Executive Vice President of Governmental Relations & External Affairs at Gift of Hope who talked about the importance of the observance. Watch the segment here: https://bit.ly/4fN2M6Z #SayYestoDonation and register your decision to be a life-giving donor today at giftofhope.org #NMDAM2024

Born in New York City in 1936, Dr. Clive Callender decided at seven that he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. In 1969, Dr. Callender joined the Howard University School of Medicine faculty and by 1974 founded the Howard University Hospital Transplant Center, a first among historically black medical schools. He became only the 3rd African American transplant surgeon in the country at that time. With the mission of enhancing organ donation awareness and reducing the number of patients awaiting transplant in minority communities, he founded the National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) in 1992. Today, Dr. Callender is still an active educator at Howard University. Learn more about Dr. Callender and MOTTEP at natlmottep.org #NMDAM2024 #DonateLife #SayYestoDonation #GiftofHope

There are many reasons why our staff is looking forward to participating in the Gift of Hope Community Foundation inaugural 5K Walk, Run & Roll! Today, we’re spotlighting Aisha Ghori Ozaki, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging & Culture: “I am so excited to join Team Hope in the 5K Walk, Run & Roll event. As a new colleague to Gift of Hope and a living kidney donor, our mission and work are so important and critical. We launched a team, Gift of Belonging, to further support our organizational commitment to diversity, equity, belonging, inclusion and culture by building community and connection. This is a fabulous opportunity to join an event–whether you want to participate, support, promote or all of the above–that works to save and enhance lives through organ and tissue donation." – Aisha Ghori Ozaki Not registered for the event yet? Learn more and register today!: bit.ly/3VTSXuO

About 1,700 of the more than 5,000 adults and children waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in Illinois and Indiana are African American/Black. While donated organs are not matched with recipients according to race or ethnicity, compatible blood types and tissue markers – critical qualities for donor and recipient matching – are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnicity. The chance for long-term survival of transplant recipients may be greater if the donor and recipient share a similar genetic background. 💜 Learn more about donation and register your decision to be a life-giving donor at giftofhope.org #SayYestoDonation #GiftofHope #NMDAM #DoanteLife

We are grateful to everyone who made our 2nd Annual Golf Outing a success! More than 130 guests attended to show support for our mission to save and enhance lives through organ and tissue donation, and help raise funds for Gift of Hope programs focused on education, research and development, and support for donor families. Thank you to Ill. State Senator Mattie Hunter and the Lake County Coroner's Office Chief Deputy Steve Newton, Coroner Jennifer Banek and team for joining us as recipients of the 2024 Life Changer Award for Compassionate Service and Life Changer Award for Outstanding Teams, respectively. Special thanks to our honorary event co-chairs Derrick Taylor, President of the Black McDonalds Operators Association of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana and Foundation board member, and Kenneth Kent, heart transplant recipient and donation advocate who inspired guests with his transplant story; and to all of our generous event sponsors who helped make this event possible! Learn more about the Gift of Hope Community Foundation and how you can help at giftofhope.org/give.

August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM) – a collaborative effort to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye and tissue donation. Why is NMDAM needed? 60% of national transplant waiting list patients are from minority communities. The need for donation and transplant is more pronounced in Black and Latino communities where disproportionately higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease contribute to organ failure, especially kidney failure. We encourage everyone to learn the facts about donation, register their decision as an organ, eye and tissue donor, and talk with their family about their decision. 💜 Learn more at giftofhope.org #SayYestoDonation #GiftofHope

“A seamless transition from strangers to friends.” Two years of letter writing to each other resulted in Hans “Martin” Karrer of Illinois traveling to a suburb of Detroit, Michigan to meet the grateful recipients of his wife Suzanne’s lungs and heart. Suzanne became a donor in August 2020 saving the lives of four people with her gift of donation. Earlier this month, Martin and his daughter Serena were able to see Suzanne’s gift of donation live on in others. Carla Bussell received the gift of Suzanne’s lungs and Gloria Kirshman received the gift of Suzanne’s heart. Both were on the transplant waiting list in Michigan. Together, the three families shared stories of gratitude and hope. See the full story here: https://bit.ly/4dkCYgu Thank you to our Donor Family Services team and the team at Gift of Life Michigan for coordinating this incredible meeting. Let their story inspire you. 💜 Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and register your decision to be a donor today at giftofhope.org 📷: Rod Sanford / Gift of Life Michigan #SayYestoDonation #GiftofHope #DonateLife