MTN’s Finn and Shambles Receive AOPO Honors
At the Annual Meeting of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) in June, two Midwest Transplant Network (MTN) executives achieved new levels in their careers. Jan Finn, RN, MSN, President and Chief Executive Officer, received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, and Terry Shambles, FACHE, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, was elected as Secretary/Treasurer of AOPO’s 2024-2025 Board of Directors.
Lifetime Achievement Award
AOPO presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have made significant, enduring contributions to the organ procurement community and support AOPO’s mission to save and heal lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.
Jan Finn holding her AOPO Lifetime Achievement Award
Finn was a registered nurse in Joplin, Missouri, in a critical care environment. She joined MTN in 1990. In her 34 years as a leader in the OPO community, she has increased organ donation through commitment to collaboration, data-driven strategies and continuous improvement.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve done this for 34 years or three or four, when you see a donor family and recipients, we know that this work is incredibly important. I’m very proud to be part of this work,” said Finn.
“Jan’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to AOPO and the OPO community have left an indelible mark. Her willingness to make difficult decisions and lead during turbulent times have strengthened both AOPO and the entire donation and transplantation system. She is truly deserving of this Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Steve Miller, CEO, AOPO. (Continued on page 2)
MTN’s Finn and Shambles receive AOPO honors (Continued from page 1)
AOPO 2024-2025 Board Leadership
AOPO announced Shambles, FACHE, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, as Secretary/ Treasurer of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors.
“I am honored to serve as the AOPO Secretary/Treasurer and work together with the dedicated professionals focused on saving and improving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation,” said Shambles.
“It’s a significant achievement to serve on the AOPO Board of Directors. I know the dedication and professionalism that Terry brings to Midwest Transplant Network as a leader, and I’m confident he’ll do the same for AOPO,” said Finn.
Shambles has more than 25 years of experience in executive leadership roles in hospitals and organ procurement organizations. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Oklahoma and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Critical Care Donation Symposium
MTN hosted a Critical Care Donation Symposium in Columbia, Missouri, at Memorial Stadium in July. The day-long learning event provided donation-focused education to nearly 60 critical care nurses and respiratory therapists who care for potential organ donors in their facilities. We were honored to present Brittany Clayborne, Psy. D., as the keynote speaker. She’s a mother, a heart transplant recipient and a cancer survivor with a powerful testimonial and guidance for healthcare professionals.
The symposium topics included potential donor referral management and best practices for the emergency department and ICU; resources for preserving donation opportunities; the benefits of a centralized donor recovery suite; new techniques for organ retrieval in donation after circulatory death donors; strategies to support First Person Authorization for donation and providing support to donor families after donation.
2025 Rose Parade Donor Hero Honoree
MTN is proud to co-sponsor the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float and honor a donor hero from our area with a floragraph portrait on the float. We are humbled to announce this year’s honoree: Joe Hecht of Sturgeon, Missouri.
Joe was 38 and a son, husband and father. He died after a senseless act of gun violence in July 2020. He donated his kidneys at MU Health Care in Columbia, Missouri, saving the lives of two people. Baseball, working on cars and “California Love” by Tupac were his vibe. He enjoyed a life of adventure with his wife, Melissa, taking trips to the Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu in Peru. Joe loved being outside with their young daughters, Elena and Isabelle.
“We are proud of Joe’s legacy as an organ donor. We always talk about daddy. He’s a hero. We are thankful to be invited to represent Joe at the Rose Parade®. It’ll be a wonderful memory for our family,” said Melissa Hecht.
The Hechts will travel to Pasadena, California, for parade events hosted by OneLegacy, the organ procurement organization of southern California.
• Learn more about organ, eye and tissue
The 2025 OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float will be featured during the 136th Rose Parade® on Wednesday, Jan. 1, at 8 a.m. PST.
Terry Shambles, FACHE, MTN’s Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Donor Family Support
Many of you are familiar with the dedicated Midwest Transplant Network staff who provide support to organ, eye and tissue donors during their time in the hospital. However, the care and support we offer to families extends well beyond that moment. Our Donor Family Services team is a vital resource for donor families, serving as the primary point of contact for any questions regarding their loved one’s recipients and donated gifts. This compassionate team facilitates connections between donor families and recipients through exchanged letters. In 2023, we assisted with 1,296 heartfelt letters between donor families and the people who received lifesaving organ transplants.
Our Donor Family Services team organizes meaningful events such as the Celebration of Heroes that welcomes donor families to gather to honor their loved ones’ memories. We host family days at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium and Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Wichita. Last year, we welcomed 2,601 donor family members to these special events. We recognize that grief has no timeline, and neither does the opportunity to attend these gatherings. Families are always welcome to join when they feel ready, regardless of how long ago their loved one’s donation occurred.
As we approach the holiday season, we know that grief can feel especially heavy. To offer some solace and warmth, we are honored to host our annual Hope for the Holidays events on Tues., Dec. 3, at Union Station in Kansas City, and Tues., Dec. 10, at Exploration Place in Wichita. We anticipate welcoming nearly 600 donor family members to these special gatherings aimed at bringing comfort and hope during the holiday season. If you would like more information about the services we provide to families, please contact MTN’s Donor Family Services team at aftercare@mwtn.org
Embalming Seminar
The 2024 Fountain National Academy 7th International Embalming and Reconstructive Surgery Conference for professional embalmers was held July 25 – 28 in Springfield, Missouri. The conference focused on intense learning and presentations, including how funeral directors, medical examiners and organ procurement organizations can work together in partnership to facilitate organ, eye and tissue donation.
National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association National Convention
The Donate Life America (DLA) Funeral Services Committee, comprised of 13 dedicated donation professionals with a background in the funeral industry, actively supports funeral liaisons and those in similar roles. The committee is responsible for producing valuable resources to help elevate education about the donation process and provide assistance post-recovery.
Acting as a DLA Funeral Services Committee member, Brad Marten, MTN’s Funeral Home, Medical Examiner and Coroner Liaison, attended the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association National Convention and Expo in August in National Harbor, Maryland. Brad had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of attendees to discuss best practices in donation, distribute Donate Life materials, raise awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation, and share personal stories.
Hospital Partner Education
About this newsletter
This insert is intended for clinical staff and not for the general public. Please post in a highly visible clinical area such as a break room.
DNC SIM Lab Training Programs
Midwest Transplant Network (MTN) hosted two sessions of a Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria SIM Lab training program for critical care physicians in the Kansas City area on May 7 and July 17. We welcomed 12 physicians; CME hours were provided. The program is designed to assist physicians in recognizing the clinical signs of death by neurologic criteria (DNC) and practice simulating the clinical exam following guidelines set by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). Additionally, they were trained to demonstrate appropriate supportive language in communicating a DNC diagnosis with sensitivity and discretion in language families understand. The program is successful in alleviating the anxiety of collaborating to mutually support patients and their families at the end of life.
Contact Us
For more information or questions, call 913-262-1668, email info@mwtn.org or visit mwtn.org
By the Numbers
Total Organs Transplanted Jan. 1 – Aug. 31, 2024
Participant feedback:
“Now when I see you onsite, I won’t run the other direction. I will come and huddle with you.” — Critical Care Fellow
“Visiting your site gave me a whole new perspective on what you do and how we interface with your services.”
— Neurologist
Always Investigate Before You Extubate
Prior to 2021, organ eligibility was limited to patients with a neurologic injury; however, since 2021 the potential for organ donation has expanded to include ANY intubated patient that would be likely to pass within the designated timeframe for donation after circulatory death (DCD). This allows us to save more lives and give more families the gift of hope that their loved one might leave a legacy through donation.
Respiratory therapists can help us to be certain that patients are always referred to Midwest Transplant Network prior to terminal extubation by confirming with the bedside nurse that a referral has been made and that MTN is aware of the plan to extubate. This allows MTN to assess for DCD eligibility and ensures that all families of eligible donors are either informed of their loved ones wishes to donate (in the case of first-person authorization) or are offered the opportunity to authorize donation on their behalf.
MTN as Your Designated Requestor
Organ, eye and tissue donation is a heavily regulated field.
In 1998, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) developed Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for which both hospitals and organ procurement organizations (like MTN) must meet or exceed the outlined expectations to continue or begin receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding. This pay source is essential in providing care to people in our communities.
There are several elements to these CoPs, §482.45 including “the individual designated by the hospital to initiate the request to the family must be an organ procurement representative or designated requestor.” MTN serves as your hospital’s designated requestor.
Please do not initiate discussions about donation, MTN or Saving Sight with the family. If the family mentions donation, please thank them and let them know you will contact someone who can speak with them and provide this information to MTN.
The healthcare team, along with chaplains and spiritual care professionals, are critical in providing compassionate care to families. As an extension of your End-of-Life-Care Team, we rely on you to best continue the support to each family based on their needs. Providing information to MTN on family dynamics and support systems, as well as how they are handling their grief, is essential as we compassionately support families together through the donation process, creating legacies and saving lives.
Thank you for all you do to support patients, families and the donation process.
Donation Education Module
Midwest Transplant Network updated its General Nursing Education Module! It is available for educational purposes online at mwtn.org/hospital-education
The module is 22 minutes long. Following its conclusion, the viewer will be instructed to click on a quiz link located below the video to complete the education requirement. MTN will maintain a record of those who have completed the module and can provide it to your facility by request. Thank you for your engagement and commitment to donation education.
ICU/ED Corner: Donor Management Goals
MTN closely tracks the interventions, care and outcomes on authorized organ donor cases. Our goal is to meet predetermined donor management goals (DMGs) at prescribed intervals in every possible case. Our data demonstrates that excellent patient care provided by critical care teams prior to organ donation shows an increase in organs transplanted per donor. It is likely your hospital services coordinator will share DMG data at your facility’s donor advisory council.
The most impactful pre-donor care is notably aligned with the Catastrophic Brain Injury Guidelines (CBIGs). Care outlined in CBIGs generally suggests ensuring a SBP >100, UOP maintained at 0.5ml/kg/hr, ensuring the absence of electrolyte disturbances, normalized ABGs, blood glucose maintenance of 80 – 100, and normothermia. When MTN collaborates with our hospital partners to meet donor management goals, more lives can be saved.
MTN’s Associate Medical Director, Dr. Michael Moncure, points out that, “What’s good for the patient is also good for potential donors.”
For more information about donor management goals or CBIGs, please reach out to your MTN hospital services coordinator. Thank you for making the gift of life possible.
To access the module: Visit mwtn.org/hospital-education or scan the QR code to the left
To access the quiz: Click the link below the module or scan the QR code to the left
Order Your MTN T-shirts!
Twice a year, Midwest Transplant Network offers an online store for licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue offices to order T-shirts for its employees. The T-shirt store will open in November; shirts will be delivered to offices in early December.
MTN Donor Designation Coordinator Jessica Cleary will send details such as cost, design, site link and more via e-newsletter in early November.
If you are not currently receiving emails from MTN, please contact Jessica Cleary at jcleary@mwtn.org or 913-261-7330.
National DMV Appreciation Month
National DMV Appreciation Month is observed in September to celebrate the important role that licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue partners have in the donation and transplantation process. Created by Donate Life America, it’s an opportunity to engage and enhance awareness among the communities we serve.
Did you know? Many people who register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor do so at a DMV while getting a new identification card or driver’s license. We also know that awareness is shared through the Donate Life license plate options that are available at licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue offices. With the help of DMV partners, we continue to share the message of donation and register individuals to help save and enhance the lives of others.
At MTN, we are grateful for the collaboration and partnership of more than 200 licensing, treasury and Department of Revenue offices across the state of Kansas and western Missouri.
We appreciate you for asking the question: Would you like to be an organ donor?
Supply Requests for Events
We appreciate your ongoing support and advocacy for organ, eye and tissue donation in Kansas and western Missouri. Together, we serve a lot of communities!
Many of the license, treasury and Department of Revenue offices have requested materials for local festivals and community gatherings. Midwest Transplant Network would like to continue to support these awareness opportunities and ensure there are adequate supplies. If you plan to request items to support organ donation at local community events in 2025, please submit your request by Friday, Nov. 15, to Jessica Cleary, Donor Designation Coordinator, at jcleary@mwtn.org
Your requests help us plan our promotional item orders. We will continue to do our best to fulfill requests whenever you ask. Thank you for our partnership!
Your Work Makes a Difference
On behalf of Midwest Transplant Network, please accept our sincere gratitude for all your work in support of organ, eye and tissue donation. All of us at MTN know you ask donation-related questions with every customer interaction, and it makes a world of a difference for family, friends and neighbors and so many people who need lifesaving or life-enhancing transplants. You have a very important role in the donation process, and we are thankful for all you do.
Mission
Saving lives by honoring the gift of donation with dignity and compassion
Vision
Leading organ and tissue donation through excellence, quality and partnerships
Contact Us
For more information or questions, call 913-262-1668 or visit mwtn.org
Follow Us
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@MWTransplant
Midwest Transplant Network
Upcoming Events
Event Audience Key
General MTN
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View all upcoming events: mwtn.org/events
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November
Nov. 1 – 30 • Faith and Hope Month
In preparation for Faith and Hope Month, MTN invites you to connect your faith community with our Community Engagement department. Communities interested in presentations, an online toolkit or other resources are encouraged to email Nichole Asquith.
For more information: nasquith@mwtn.org
January
Jan. 1, 2025 • OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® Float at the Rose Parade® The Donate Life community will feature a float in the Rose Parade. The float, called “Let Your Life Soar,” will include a floragraph of 38-yearold donor hero Joe Hecht of Sturgeon, Missouri. You can see the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade float in the Rose Parade on Wednesday, Jan. 1, airing on ABC, NBC and Univision, and streaming on Peacock.
For more information: mwtn.org/rose-parade
