8502 West Center RoadOmaha, NE 68124

(402) 733-1800www.nedonation.org

President: William A. Cutler, III

Vice President: Clarke Mundhenke, D. Min

Secretary/Treasurer:Edward Kohout

Executive Director:Karen Risk

Medical Director:Dr. James Billups

Newsletter Editor: Stephanie Lochmiller

The mission of Nebraska Organ Recovery System is to maximize the recovery and quality of organs and tissues for transplantation while maintaining sensitivity, compassion and respect for people of all cultures.

We accomplish this by working in partnership with hospitals in the service area and by providing education to potential donor families, healthcare professionals and the public we serve.

Give the Most Precious Gift of All...

LIFE!

A Donate Life Organization

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Summer 2009

www.nedonation.org

National Donate Life Month Raises Awareness, Shows Registry Increase April first kicked off the start of National Donate Life Month, and was marked with a proclamation by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman announcing April as Donate Life Month for the state of Nebraska. At a press conference at the state capitol building Governor Heineman spoke in support of organ and tissue donation along with Beverly Neth, Director of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles and two time kidney recipient, as well as Dr. Joann Schaefer, Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer and liver recipient. Due to the overwhelming support of state officials, Nebraska now officially recognizes April as National Donate Life Month. At this press conference the Governor raised the Donate Life flag at the state capitol building to mark the start of the national awareness initiative, Flags Across America. As part of this initiative, hospitals and organ procurement organizations nationwide flew the Donate Life flag in honor of those who have given the gift of life. 69 of the 96 hospitals in Nebraska

Above: Governor Dave Heineman signs a proclimation declaring April as Donate Life Month in Nebraska.

Above: The Donate Life flag flys at the NE state capitol in honor of Donate Life Month and the Flags Across America initiative.

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participated in this national awareness initiative. To see pictures submitted by some of our participating hospitals turn to the inside panel of this newsletter. During the month of April NORS launched its most successful marketing campaign to date. With radio ads, and station competitions, as well as local television ads created featuring local heart recipient Sarah Prenosil, and local donor parents Milton and Janet Bemis, our registry saw a 100% increase over what we did last year during April! This success is due in part to the generosity of Nebraska residents! The University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter organized their annual National Organ Donation Awareness campaign (NODAC) again this year. The event took place on April 16th and featured free food, giveaways, and a shoot-out basketball competition. The event also featured heart recipient Sarah Prenosil sharing her story, along with a panel of experts from Nebraska Organ Recovery, the Lions Eye Bank of NE, and Donate Life Services of The Nebraska Medical Center, available for questions after the event. The event was a success and resulted in numerous students joining the Nebraska Organ and Tissue Donor Registry! Also held in April was the semi-annual New Hearts Donor Family Reception. The reception provided a chance to honor those who have given the gift of life, and gave transplant recipients an outlet to express their gratitude. The event was held at the LaVista Conference Center this year, and boasted its highest attendance yet with over 500 donor families, friends and transplant recipients in attendance. Keynote speakers Dr. Joann Schaefer, along with donor parents Milton and Janet Bemis, and their son’s liver recipient Lily Allen made the event a memorable one. This was the first year that the reception was held in Omaha, and the response was outstanding! Due to the overwhelming success of this event, it will continue to be held in Omaha, and will now be held every year. The

Above: UNO students show their donor hearts in order to get free lunch at the NODAC event.

Above: NODAC campaign coordinators, Jessica Legg and Alicia Kettleson speak at the April 16th event.

Above: Keynote speakers Brian and Lily Allen, and Donor Parents Milton and Janet Bemis at the Donor Family Reception.

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tentative date for next years reception is April 18th, 2010. Also in April, The Nebraska Medical Center unveiled a permanent memorial to be displayed on the Solid Organ Transplant Unit to honor organ donors at their facility. The memorial is sculpted to resemble a tree and each donors first name is etched into a leaf on the tree. The tree was designed to honor those who have given the gift of life, as well as to provide hope for those waiting for a transplant.

Although April quickly came and went with its many events and successful campaigns, the work didn’t stop there! On May 3rd, Direct TV aired a segment on their Hometown Hero’s program featuring Milt and Janet Bemis. The segment was then honored at the first annual Donate Life Hollywood Film Festival held June 12th & 13th in Hollywood, CA.

Then on May 7th, Nebraska Organ Recovery System was featured as the Omaha Royals Community Organization of the Night. The night started off with Organ and Tissue donation information and giveaways at the gate. From there, heart recipient Scott Stanley and his kids kicked off the game by throwing out the first pitch. The night was complete with on-air and on-field interviews with NORS spokesperson Stephanie Lochmiller.

A big thank you to all of you who helped make National Donate Life Month a huge success! For information on how to get involved throughout the year visit www.nedonation.org

Above: Cassandra Smith-Fields, Executive Director-Solid Organ Transplantation and Sculptor Michael Montag pose next to the Donor Memorial Tree at TNMC.

Need a Speaker for your next event?Nebraska Organ Recovery System welcomes the opportunity to come and speak to your school, service group or community organization about the benefits and opportunities of organ and tissue donation. For more information or to arrange a speaker, contact Stephanie Lochmiller, Public Relations Coordinator at 402-733-1800, or email StephanieL@nedonation.org

Above: Heart Recipient Scott Stanley, and his two children Chase and Blake, pose after tossing out the first pitch of the game.

Give the Most Precious Gift of All.... LIFE! www.nedonation.org4

Thank you to those hospitals who sumbitted photos of their flags being flown or displayed at their facilities! The above pictures are from the following facilities: Alegent Health Memorial Hospital, Schuyler, Brodstone Memorial, Avera St. Anthony’s, McCook Community Hospital, Crieghton Area Health Services, Creighton University Medical Center, Fillmore County

Hospital, West Holt Memorial, Faith Regional Health Services, Memorial Hospital in Aurora, Niobrara Valley Hospital, A\Alegent Health Midlands, and the Omaha VA.

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First & Second Quarter Donation StatisticsStatistics from 01/01/09 through 06/30/09

Hospital Organ TissueAlegent Hospice CareAnnie Jeffery Health CenterBeatrice Community HospitalBergan Mercy Medical CenterBryan LGH-EastBryan LGH-WestChildren’s Hospital and Medical CenterColumbus Community HospitalCreighton University Medical CenterFaith Regional Medical CenterFillmore County HospitalFremont Medical CenterGood Samaritan Health SystemGreat Plains Medical CenterHarlan County Medical CenterImmanuel Medical Center Jefferson Community HospitalJennie Melhalm Memorial Medical Johnson County HopsitalLakeside HospitalMercy HospitalMethodist HospitalMidlands HospitalNebraska Heart HospitalNemaha County Health SystemOgallala Community Hospital Omaha VARegional West Medical CenterSeward Memorial HospitalSt. Elizabeth Regional Medical CenterSt. Fransis Medicacl CenterThe Nebraska Medical CenterYork General Hospital

Total

111687124211721412161232111316251

88

000104204001200100000100000102050

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NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDOMAHA, NE

PERMIT NO. 1043

Nebraska Organ Recovery System8502 West Center RoadOmaha, NE 68124(402) 733-1800

www.nedonation.org

Give the Most Precious Gift of All.... LIFE!

Mark Your Calendar! Life-A-Thon, the one day Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness event, sponsored by Donate Life Services of The Nebraska Medical Center, is being held in September this year! Please join us on Saturday, September 19th, to give thanks to donor families and spread the word about the need for organ and tissue donation.

Events include a 4 or 6.2 mile walk, a 10k run, children’s activities and a pancake breakfast by the pancake man. Please call Donate Life Services at 402-559-9566 for more information!