Newsletters

News of Note

Quilting – Not As Intimidating As It Sounds
Do the words “create a quilt square” cause you to quake in your boots, roll your eyes and say “No Way!”? Rest assured there are endless ways to create a quilt square to memorialize your loved one, honor your donor, or celebrate a transplant on Donate Life Northwest‘s eleventh Threads of Life quilt. The actual quilting is done by accomplished Donate Life Northwest volunteers.

Creating a quilt square as a gift for a friend or loved one who has been touched by donation or transplantation is a powerful way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or holiday. Your gift from the heart will be treasured and shared with thousands of people who view the quilt for years to come.

Due date to receive squares and accompanying stories and photos is January 31, 2009. Quilt #11 will be unveiled in April 2009, National Donate Life Month, and then will begin traveling to inspire people to sign up on the donor registry. View submission guidelines and previous quilts.

UAGA Changes Result in A Fresh Look
Donate Life Northwest’s new brochures and student cards reflect recent changes in the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act as well as our new outreach program to the Spanish-speaking community.

• The donor code on your license/permit now serves as consent for donation.
• 15-17 year old Oregonians can put a “D” on their driver’s license/permit – no parental permission is needed to sign up. However, if someone under 18 actually becomes a potential donor, family consent will be required for donation to occur.

Donate Life Northwest is grateful to Oregon DMV for stocking the brochures in their Central Supply and distributing them to all DMV field offices.

Please recycle any old brochures you may have and distribute new ones as appropriate. Contact Donate Life Northwest at 503-494-7888 or trujillo@ohsu.edu for additional brochures.

Community Champions Program Makes a Change
Donate Life Northwest’s Workplace Partners Program, formerly Community Champions, was begun in 1997 by Donate Life Northwest volunteer, Herb Stepper. While waiting for his heart transplant, Herb used his time to educate communities about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors. Calling upon his business contacts, Herb arranged for educational brochures to be given to their employees. Herb Stepper received his heart transplant in February 1998.

Workplace Partners voluntarily educate their workforce about the need for and benefits of organ, eye, and tissue donation and how to take the steps necessary in their state to designate themselves as donors. Proven effective across the U.S., this simple, no-cost program is part of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Workplace Partnership for Life initiative.

Follow the links to view our new Workplace Partners enrollment form and letter. Or for more information contact Judith Trujillo at 503-494-2257 or trujillo@ohsu.edu

National Donor Sabbath: It's About MANY Lives
By taking 5 minutes or less to sign up as an organ donor at www.donatelifenw.org, you have the potential to change the lives of countless people. Donation and transplantation isn’t about just two people. It’s about two people and everyone in their extended worlds.

The gift of organ, eye and tissue donation and the miracles of transplantation are the focus of National Donor Sabbath, an annual interfaith celebration of these gifts and miracles.

Ask your faith leader and congregation to include National Donor Sabbath on their calendar anytime in November, December or January. Donate Life Northwest offers many options to support their message, including personal stories, still the most powerful way to convey the relevance of signing up to be a donor.

Please encourage your pastor, minister, priest or rabbi to help your congregational members make an informed decision about signing up on the donor registry. Contact cahillm@ohsu.edu for more information.

Nashville Isn’t Just About Country Music…
Donate Life America selected this quintessential American country music hub for the Fall 2008 State Leader Conference, working towards combining each state’s unique melodies and talents on the same sheet of music to increase the number of people registered as organ, eye and tissue donors in the U.S.

Representing donor registries across the U.S., 78 team leaders, including Donate Life Northwest Program Director Judith Trujillo, met Oct. 21-22. The goal: to gain the knowledge, skills, resources and a network of peers to enable them to lead a state team, build strategic relationships, increase the use and implementation of effective donor registries, report data, and ultimately increase donor designations.

2009 will bring a complete assessment of campaign products and development of a line of materials for use in motor vehicle offices. Increased use of the internet for social networking, resource materials and interactive education will expand outreach. Donate Life America workgroups will continue efforts in the areas of data and measurement, national issues, motor vehicle departments, state team development, government, media, volunteers and outreach in business, education, faith, arts and entertainment.

That’s a tall order but tackling the now 100,000+ organ transplant waiting list will take the commitment, creativity, expertise and teamwork of every composer of that sheet of music. Donate Life Northwest is excited to add its notes to the melody. Go Team!

Dollars & Sense

Breakfast Success!
Thank you to all who participated in Donate Life Northwest’s inspiring Lifesavers Breakfast on October 23rd at the Oregon Convention Center. The event was a huge success, with nearly 500 people in attendance. Annamarie Ausnes, a kidney recipient and her living donor, Sandie Andersen, inspired us all to do what we can to help those in need of lifesaving organ transplants.

Before her transplant, Annamarie only knew Sandie as her Starbuck’s barista. Over a brief conversation in line last year, Sandie learned that Annamarie was in kidney failure and was in need of a transplant. Without hesitation Sandie offered to help and after months of testing discovered she was a perfect match. Sandie donated her kidney to Annamarie in March 2008.

Thank you to Annamarie and Sandie for sharing their remarkable story of human kindness and selfless giving. If you missed the breakfast, you can watch coverage of their story on ABC News or CNN

Special thanks to our Major Sponsors, DHX Advertising, Astellas Pharmaceuticals, and Legacy Transplant Services. We’d also like to thank all table captains for filling tables, inviting friends and colleagues and making your personal contributions. Your support truly helps save lives.

Volunteers in Action

What a Month - Volunteer Opportunities Abound
Wow! October was a busy and very productive month for our volunteers. This month alone, Donate Life Northwest volunteers participated in over 70 events! These events included 43 individual high school class presentations, 10 Discover OHSU! presentations and 18 blood drives. This is incredible! Thank you to each and every volunteer who gave their time and energy this month.

But of course our work is far from done. November will be another busy month with many in-class presentations, civic group presentations, blood drives and office projects. Click here to see our Upcoming Volunteer Needs. Please contact Maureen Cahill (cahillm@ohsu.edu) to sign up to volunteer for an event and/or project.

Your Story in a Coffee Table Book
Donate Life Northwest would like to send a “coffee table book” of personal stories for the DMV employee break rooms in all 70 field offices as our annual winter holiday “Thanks for Asking” gift.

We know personal stories are the most powerful and compelling reason people respond to our message. Pull some heart strings with your short story, maximum 500 words, about how organ, eye and tissue donation or transplantation has changed your life and the lives of those around you. Include a photo if you like. Sign your story with your first name (and last if you’re okay with that) and name of your town. Stories may be edited for space constraints.

Send your story to trujillo@ohsu.edu or PO Box 532, Portland, OR 97207, Attn: Judith Trujillo. Stories will be accepted through Monday, December 1st. We look forward to hearing from you and KNOW we can touch the hearts and minds of Oregon’s DMV customer service employees. Thank you.

Out With The Old…
We have several white Nike golf shirts that have our old logo on the sleeve (Donate Life, Oregon Donor Program). We would love to give them away to our wonderful volunteers. Below you will find the shirt sizes currently available. Please contact the office if you would like us to reserve one for you. It will be first come first serve. We are happy to mail the shirt to you or you can stop by the office to pick it up.
Women sizes available: Large and Extra Large
Men sizes available: Extra Large and Extra Extra Large

Star of the Month

October: Three cheers for Mary Ray, Donate Life Northwest’s Star for October 2008! Mary Ray has been volunteering with Donate Life Northwest since 2006 and has been passionately working for our cause every sense. Mary is a kidney recipient from Albany and enthusiastically shares her story with students and community members in the greater Corvallis/Eugene area. She is always eager to help whenever and wherever she can! She often drives more than an hour away to fill volunteer needs. We cannot thank her enough for her time and support.

In the month of October alone, Mary, helped us with multiple short notice volunteer needs. She came to the rescue and volunteered at 4 blood drives and presented to 4 high school classes!! Additionally, she arranged several personal speaking engagements for Donate Life Northwest. We thank her for spreading our mission to so many individuals this month! Thank you Mary!