I am a Registered Nurse (RN) and Certified Procurement and Transplant Coordinator (CPTC). I had the honor of helping Gift of Life coordinate a record 664 organ donors in 2019, along with the transplant of 1,865 life-saving organs. This is not just my story; it is the story of all persons who are committed to saving lives and creating legacies. It is a story of hope and gratitude, a story about the gift of organ and tissue donation and the honor of helping to save lives.
As Transplant Coordinators, we partner with donor families, hospitals, community based organizations, churches, mosques and synagogues to bring hope and save lives. We travel to answer the call; we serve, because we know the work we do matters. We understand that we live in one of the most generous regions in the country and that in every city, suburb and rural area, there are families, first responders and community members waiting to join the effort to save lives. Collectively we spread hope. We are inspired to do so by the heroism of the recipients, donors and donor families we serve.
Our team at Gift of Life Donor Program works daily, with 128 hospitals in the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, to save and improve the lives of persons waiting for the gift of organ and tissue donation. We serve to support the heroes of organ and tissue donation; donors and donor families who give selflessly to change the lives of others.
Our donors and their families are the heroes who make our work possible. At the most difficult time of their lives, donor families reach within and garner strength to show love, compassion, selflessness and empathy to recipients and their families. They champion their family member’s heroic decision to save lives and also serve as the voice for those who were unable to decide for themselves. Donor families are the backbone of organ and tissue donation as they provide immeasurable hope to those waiting for life-saving transplants.
Recipients and their families continue the donation story, by leading lives that demonstrate gratitude, fuel inspiration and create a legacy of love. Transplant recipients bring the meaning of hope full circle. They honor the legacy of their donors by living proactive lives, filled with gratitude and hope.
Donors, donor families, recipients and their families are an inspiration; they root me in the field of organ and tissue donation. Serving as a Transplant Coordinator is a gift. It allows me the opportunity to partner with fellow team members, Gift of Life colleagues and hospital partners; working with donors and families and being able to help create legacies. Continuing this work, by saving lives and learning from recipients and their families, provides the full circle; it underpins the importance of what we do. Giving the Gift of Life is…priceless.