Living Bank Newsletter - Winter 2015

OUR MISSION

713.961.9431 • www.livingbank.org

RAISING AWARENESS OF THE CRITICAL NEED FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANT DONORS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ADVOCATING FOR DONORS AND THEIR FAMILIES

WINTER 2015

TESTAMENT FROM A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR See Lori’s story on page 4

My name is Lori Taylor-LeDet, and I am a living kidney donor. I was blessed with the opportunity of extending the gift of life to my Dad.

On the evening of October 23rd, The Living Bank honored Dr. Robert C. Robbins, president and chief executive officer of the Texas Medical Center at our annual dinner event held at The Junior League of Houston. This year’s theme of Celebrating Life Together was inspired by the vision of collaboration and the culture Dr. Robbins fosters, “Together, we can push the limits of what’s possible.”

Carol and Russell Raymond, Cynthia Smith, living kidney donor to 17 month old granddaughter Clara, Kate and Daniel Boddie (back: Jerry Smith)

Honoree, Dr. Robert C. Robbins & Debbie Robbins

Dr. Bud and Rachel Frazier

Bryn Anderson, Lauri Anderson, The Living Bank Co-Founder, Dr. Joan Anderson, Charlotte Marchesseau Texas Medical Center Orchestra under the artistic direction of Libi Lebel

Michael (center), liver transplant recipient, and Ileana Dawn Lofton, Monique Wisdom, living kidney Treviño with son and daughters, Miguel, Mari and Margo donor, Bobby Grimes, Annette Kaiser, kidney transplant recipient

GIVING AND RECEIVING THE GIFT OF LIFE CINDY SMITH AND GRANDDAUGHTER, CLARA BODDIE Clara’s Mom and dad were tested and not a match to donate a kidney to their precious daughter.

On April 25, 2015, it was grandmother Cindy, who donated one of her kidneys to her 17 month old granddaughter. The surgery was performed at Texas Children’s Hospital.

ILEANA AND MICHAEL TREVIÑO On November 21, 2014, Michael received his liver transplant. With his wife, Ileana Treviño, CEO Memorial Hermann Foundation by his side, the surgery was performed at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

ANNETTE KAISER AND DAUGHTER, MONIQUE WISDOM On October 24, 2008, Monique donated her kidney to a different transplant recipient in a paired kidney exchange because she was a better match for that recipient. This allowed her mother, Annette, to receive a kidney from that recipient’s willing donor as a part of a living “kidney swap.” Their surgery was performed at Houston Methodist.

LORI’S GIFT

TESTAMENT FROM A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR

MY NAME IS LORI TAYLOR-LEDET. I AM A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR AND BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF EXTENDING THE GIFT OF LIFE TO MY DAD, BYRON TAYLOR, SR., ON MARCH 25, 2014.

M

y father had sacrificed and given so much of himself for me and it was difficult to watch him go through years of hospitalizations, treatments, surgeries, and dialysis. It seemed like a recurring bad dream. Then he got “The Call.” They found a deceased donor match. I thought finally everything’s up-hill from here; it’s over. But it wasn’t. He faced many challenges after the transplant which led to his body rejecting his new kidney, leading to more hospitalizations, being put back on dialysis and ultimately back on the list, waiting for “The Call.” My father is stubborn and persistent in refusing a kidney from me or my brothers. He said our children may need it and that God would make a way as He had done before. Well, God did just that!

My dad’s physician encouraged him to begin seeking a living kidney donor. In secret, my mom disclosed this to me.

I contacted the living donor center at Houston Methodist and began testing without his knowledge. After my first clinic visit and consult I knew I needed to speak with my dad.

I shared with him what I had been up to and that I needed to know that he would accept my gift before moving forward.

He told me God had told him to expect a gift that day. He

was hoping for a check in the mail but the mailman had already come by. So he was compelled to accept my gift of life. That was the beginning.

Deciding to be a donor forced me to address my underlying fears. What about my husband, what about my children, what if I die? That became the ultimate question and my biggest fear. But this led me to really consider what I had gotten myself into. I had to do what I call some real self-checking. I had to answer questions like “What’s my motive? Do I have underlying expectations? and could I handle an unfavorable outcome of any sort?”

This is when my living donor transplant team at Houston Methodist really stepped up. I was given all the information I needed without any questions left unanswered. They provided me with the support system I needed to make an informed, pressure-free, personal decision to proceed.

This entire process has changed my life. I want to live and not just be alive. I want to take better care of myself and those around me. I was given an opportunity to face, head on those personal questions we all should ask ourselves in order to move to the next level of truly living. I know the true meaning of giving without expectation, and that is a wonderful feeling.

LIVING DONOR

FORUM The Living Bank’s Living Donor Forum has been launched on our website. The Forum is a moderated online forum that serves as a support resource for living donors. The Forum offers this unique community the opportunity to connect and communicate with other living donors in a safe environment.

The Forum moderators are The Living Bank’s licensed clinical transplant social workers that serve as independent living donor advocates (ILDAs). ILDAs assess & counsel living donor candidates and provide follow-up & support to living kidney donors.

INDEPENDENT LIVING DONOR NETWORK™ (ILDAN™) The ILDAN™ is an online networking community of health professionals who work in living organ donor programs in transplant centers across the U.S.

THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTERS JANUARY - JUNE 2015 Brigid McVaugh, MS, RD, LD Clinical Dietician, CHI Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center Angela Randall Principal, Normal Modes Shelley Spector, LCSW Living Donor Advocate, The Living Bank

Tracey Reeves, LCSW Living Donor Advocate, The Living Bank Nicole Turgeon, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Emory School of Medicine Jennifer Milton, BSN, CCTC, MBA Administrative Director Clinical Assistant Professor UT Health Science Center San Antonio

Rev. Hazel R. Thomas (Living Kidney Donor) Manager for Rehab Chaplains TIRR Memorial Hermann Karen Miller, RN, BSN, CCTC Clinical Transplant Coordinator University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics

ILDAN™ PRESENTS LIVE WEBINARS THIRD TUESDAY EACH MONTH 12:30 - 1:30 PM CST Continuing Education Credits are Offered

THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER (TMC) LIVING DONOR COLLABORATIVE

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP There are over 122,000 Americans waiting for a life-saving organ but there are only approximately 28,000 transplants performed annually.

Of those waiting, 82% are waiting for a kidney and 12% are waiting for a liver. That means 94% of those waiting can likely be saved now through living organ donation!

The TMC Living Donor Collaborative is working together to raise awareness of the critical need for both living organ donors and deceased donors. Together we can save more lives and reduce the waiting list. Learn more, visit www.livingbank.org

EVERY TEN MINUTES, SOMEONE IS ADDED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST.

22 PEOPLE DIE EACH DAY WHILE WAITING FOR A TRANSPLANT.

Henry Ford said, “Coming Together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success!”

Register Now to be an organ donor Visit https://registerme.org/

AS OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015 2

1

KIDNEY 101,223 82%

STATS

122,523

5

LUNG 1,552 1%

LIVER 15,104 12%

6

3

4

HEART 4,213 3%

7

PANCREAS INTESTINE 1,052 274 1%

KIDNEY/ PANCREAS 1,964 1% 8

HEART/ LUNG 48

GIVE THE PRICELESS GIFT OF LIFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Skip the crowds and hectic shopping. We offer a meaningful present for someone on your list who has everything. Honor them with a donation to The Living Bank. Simply complete the form below and we will send a card to your honoree acknowledging your thoughtful gift and a card to you acknowledging your donation.

 In Thanksgiving for ________________________________________________________________________

 In Honor of ______________________________________________________________________________

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 In Memory of _____________________________________________________________________________

 Contribution (We appreciate your kind support of our work.)

SEND ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO: Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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PAYMENT:  Mastercard  Visa  AmEx  Discover Card Number ________________________________________________Expiration Date _________________ Signature _____________________________________________________________________________  Enclosed is my check payable to The Living Bank THE LIVING BANK P.O. Box 6725 Houston, Texas 77265 1-800-528-2971 info@livingbank.org www.livingbank.org

Thank you

One hundred percent of your donation is tax deductible. The Living Bank tax ID number is 74-1607315.

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The Living Bank P.O. Box 6725 Houston, Texas 77265 Toll Free: 1.800.528.2971 713.961.9431 www.livingbank.org

BOARD OFFICERS

THE LIVING BANK PROGRAMS

David M. Gregory, Chair, Partner, Locke Lord LLP Mark J. Biscone, Ph.D., Vice Chair, Texas Hospital Association, HealthSHARE Kristine Mineman, Treasurer, Deloitte Tax LLP

General, Minority and Veterans Public Education Program Living Donor Advocacy (LDA) Program Independent Living Donor Advocate Network™ (ILDAN™) Telehealth Program Living Donor Forum

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rene Aviles, Amegy Bank of Texas Michael C. Braun, MD, FASN, Texas Children’s Hospital J. Steve Bynon, MD, FACS, Memorial Hermann Hospital Rick Chandler, Hilltop Consulting Salil V. Deshpande, MD, MBA, United Healthcare of Texas A. Osama Gaber, MD, FACS, Houston Methodist Carolyne B. Oliver, Texas Southern University *retired Jim Rosenfeld, Martha Turner Properties

THE LIVING BANK STAFF Kelly Perdue, CPA, President & CEO Karina Fernández, Director of Education and Outreach Nicole Garvey, Executive Assistant Lisa Getz, LCSW, Living Donor Advocate Teresa Radosti, Donor Relations Specialist Tracey Reeves, LCSW, Living Donor Advocate Shelley Spector, LCSW, Living Donor Advocate

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO THE LIVING BANK Simply go to livingbank.org/donate to make a donation to our secure server.

If your employer matches your donation to nonprofit organizations, please provide your company’s matching gift form with your contribution.