The
f aces
of
transplantation
2017
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LifeLinkFoundation.org
This calendar is dedicated to those individuals who have given the gift of life, and to the professionals who make donation and transplantation a reality, so that thousands may live and celebrate another new year.
Photo courtesy of Rebekah Hilt
Message from the CEO and the President We are humbled and honored to have the opportunity to facilitate the recovery of life-saving organs and tissues for transplantation. Each year, we’re reminded of the fragility of life and the compassion of humanity. LifeLink® organ procurement organizations (OPOs) saved a record number of lives combined, as a result of the generosity of organ donors and through strong, long-term relationships with partner hospitals, medical examiners and coroners, and professional and community education. LifeLink Tissue Bank created new and innovative allografts, which help patients alleviate pain and resume active lives, and also partnered in an initiative to learn more about the impact of traumatic brain injury. The LifeLink Transplantation Immunology
Dennis F. Heinrichs, B.S.N., M.B.A.
Laboratory served fourteen transplant programs at eight transplant centers, and facilitated over 10,000 transplants since its inception, one of a few such laboratories nationally to reach that milestone. The LifeLink Legacy Fund® continued to serve transplant patients in financial need, including the provision of funds for medication, travel expenses, essential dental procedures and so much more. Their good work helped ensure the gifts given by organ and tissue donors were well cared for. We remember that our ability to save lives comes down to one person making a decision to become a donor—to give life. We are proud, yet humbled, to say that during this past fiscal year we honored the wishes of more people than ever before in LifeLink history. All our efforts are made possible by a large
Jean Aiken Davis
community including donors and their families, dedicated LifeLink staff, board members and volunteers, as well as hospitals, medical examiners, funeral homes, driver license offices and other community partners. Each and every one of us at LifeLink defines a good day’s work by making a difference in our communities, fulfilling the wishes of organ and tissue donors, facilitating the gift of life, and changing the tide of struggle and heartache with service and compassion. Mother Teresa’s words echo in our hearts and minds day in and day out—“The fruit of love is service, which is compassion in action.”
Dennis F. Heinrichs, B.S.N., M.B.A.
Jean Aiken Davis
Chief Executive Officer/Chairman of the Board
President/Chief Operating Officer
Mission Statement ®
LifeLink Foundation is a non-profit community service organization dedicated to the recovery of life-saving and life-enhancing organs and tissue for transplantation therapy. The Foundation works in a sensitive, diligent, and compassionate manner to facilitate the donation of desperately needed organs and tissues for waiting patients, supports research efforts to enhance the available supply of organs and tissue for transplant patients, improves clinical outcomes of patients post transplantation, and works closely with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to support its goals.
Organ Procurement Organizations: Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico LifeLink Foundation is home to three of the nation’s 58 OPOs. LifeLink of Florida, LifeLink of Georgia and LifeLink of Puerto Rico facilitate the recovery of life-saving and life-enhancing organs and tissues for transplantation therapy in west Florida, the state of Georgia and two South Carolina counties, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. LifeLink OPOs worked tirelessly to honor the decisions of those who chose to give the gift of life, and this year a record 1,834 patients received transplants from generous donors throughout our service areas. LifeLink of Florida recovered more organs for transplant from more individuals who had registered as organ donors than ever before, as 218 organ donors provided 641 organs for patients in need of transplantation. To ensure each family we work with received needed personal support, LifeLink of Florida added staff, particularly Family Care Coordinators, who are responsible for talking to families about the option of donation and explaining the process to them. Not only were more lives saved, but partnerships between LifeLink of Florida and area hospitals strengthened exponentially. In addition to incorporating increased continuing education for hospital clinical staff both at the Foundation Headquarters building and onsite at individual hospitals, we expanded collaboration to honor those who gave the gift of life with flag raising ceremonies. Participating hospitals raised a Donate Life flag at the time donation took place, while holding a ceremony to memorialize the life and legacy of the donor. Ceremonies were typically led by a hospital chaplain and attended by the donor’s family and friends, along with hospital and LifeLink staff, and often included opportunities for sharing of memories or words of remembrance for the donor. After flying for three days, the flag was provided to the donor’s family. LifeLink of Georgia likewise strengthened collaborations with area hospitals, and also with funeral homes, which contributed to a record number of organ donors—297, who provided 897 organs for transplant— a record-breaking year for LifeLink of Georgia in saving lives. Flag raisings throughout Georgia occurred at funeral homes and hospitals as a tribute for organ and tissue donors. The Donor Resource Nurse Program provided specialized education to nurses identified by their hospital as leaders in their units, and trained them to be advocates and mentors for organ donation. This program has resulted in 456 trained Donor Resource Nurses serving donor families by acting as donation champions within the hospitals and providing information about hospital policies.
The LifeLink of Georgia office was renovated to update the facility and accommodate a growing staff. Dedicated space pays tribute to Georgia’s organ and tissue donors and is a beautiful reminder to all who enter, symbolizing the importance of our work. The Tree of Life, a hand-carved oak tree, is prominently displayed and surrounded by the names of those who so generously gave the gift of life.
Organs Transplanted by Service Area LLFL LLGA LLPR 641 897 296
Total 1834
Data represents LifeLink fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016.
LifeLink of Puerto Rico saw exciting developments, including the first pediatric liver transplant and the first liver/kidney transplant in Puerto Rico. These momentous events marked the end of patients having to travel to the mainland, away from support systems, to obtain the care they need. LifeLink of Puerto Rico recovered 296 organs, from 95 donors, that were transplanted into waiting recipients. To support increased activity in Puerto Rico, employees were cross-trained to accomplish more in an efficient manner, and hospital partnerships focused on development of a team of intensivist physicians to provide optimum donor management support for potential donors. Collaboration with Puerto Rico’s Institute of Forensic Sciences brought donation to the forefront.
Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico Organ Donors
Organ Donors by Service Area
Joshua Avery, Tissue Recipient
S
everely injuring his wrist after a fall, Joshua had very limited movement. He was in constant pain and normal daily tasks became a struggle for him to complete. A failed surgery to repair his ligament using his own stem cells led to a second surgery where doctors planned to fuse the bones in his wrist together taking all joint mobility away, permanently, and worst of all, forever taking away his expression through music as a cello player. Thanks to the gift of a tissue transplant, Joshua’s surgeon was able to rebuild his wrist, and he has now regained 50 percent function. “For almost a year, I thought I would never again be able to create music,” says Joshua, “But my donor has given me a second chance for the ability to play music once again.”
Tissue Bank LifeLink Tissue Bank dedicated every effort to safely recovering tissue to create grafts for recipients in need of tissue transplantation, while honoring the gifts provided by donors and their families. Safety also applied to our employees, and during the year LifeLink Tissue Bank enhanced safety protocols, such as the rapid testing initiative, which allowed for recovered tissue to be tested immediately for Hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV, in real time. Results were determined within
a few minutes and allowed for the identification of transmissible diseases before employees or patients could be exposed. Additionally, our staff developed and modified instrumentation, which benefited patients served. In partnership with Spinal Elements®, a California based spine company, LifeLink Tissue Bank now processes spine grafts branded as HERO® Allograft. The graft is used in spinal
Transplantation Immunology Laboratory LifeLink Transplantation Immunology Laboratory is a link between organ donors and potential transplant recipients. LifeLink of Florida’s record year for organ donation, thanks to individuals and families who chose organ donation after death, as well as the generosity of living kidney donors, contributed toward the LifeLink Transplantation Immunology Laboratory’s record of 458 organ donor screenings and tests, to allow an optimal match between donors and recipients. More than 600 patients were transplanted in eight Florida transplant centers, with 14 organ-specific transplant programs.
fusion procedures and Spinal Elements
Patients and doctors rely on the Laboratory, which performed more than
donates proceeds from the graft to
19,000 pre-transplant and 5,000 post-transplant tests. Such tests monitor
the Make-a-Wish® Foundation and
patients’ needs, both before and after their transplants. Post-transplant tests
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
allow for prediction of potential instances of rejection in transplant recipients and allow doctors to act quickly, to help protect the health of the patient and
In order to meet the growing needs
their transplanted organ.
for transplantable tissue, LifeLink Tissue Bank is in the final stages of
LifeLink Transplantation Immunology Laboratory staff were routinely called
developing a cryo-preserved cartilage
upon to share expertise in transplant immunology locally, nationally and
graft to treat cartilage defects. The
internationally. Members of the Laboratory were invited to speak on the
graft will be utilized to treat patients
implementation of new DNA typing methods during the annual meeting of
suffering from pain and immobility
the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics in the fall
caused by joint disease.
of 2015. They also provided training for local fellows and medical students, and hosted a visiting scientist from the national transplant laboratory in Chile,
LifeLink Tissue Bank partnered
who wanted to observe and discuss the flow cytometry and DNA methods
with the National Disease Research
employed by LifeLink Transplantation Immunology Laboratory.
Interchange, Uniformed Health Services and the National Institutes of Health to offer an additional donation option for families of individuals who served in the military. This national research opportunity enables military families to donate tissue to study the neurological symptoms of traumatic brain injury. Such research has the potential for far reaching impact on the prevention and treatment of these conditions, and allows us to offer another option for donation to those who wish to leave the greatest possible legacy through the gift of life.
FY 11/1 2
FY 12/1 3
FY 13/1 4
FY 14 /15
FY 15 /16
F
or nearly 14 years, Janice endured dialysis treatments for kidney failure caused by uncontrolled hypertension. The daily struggle to continue her role at her family’s business, Starling School and Day Care Center, Inc., while feeling sick all the time put a tremendous strain on her, both physically and emotionally. She was on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, but a battle with breast cancer further complicated the transplantation process by increasing Janice’s antibodies—which are important in matching an organ donor and recipient, as well as the success of a transplant—making her wait for a suitable transplant even longer. A year and a half of treatments to lower her antibodies brought Janice the call she had been patiently waiting for. “Having my life back because of my organ donor is a miracle and such a blessing,” says Janice. “I can continue my passion of interacting with the children for many years to come.” LOCATION COURTESY OF STARLING SCHOOL AND DAY CARE CENTER, INC.
Janice Williams, Kidney Recipient
Information Systems The Information Systems Department focuses on effective planning, development and implementation of technology solutions dedicated to advancing the vision and mission of LifeLink. This year, maintaining a high level of systems availability continued to be a focus to ensure each LifeLink department has secured 24/7 access to all essential information systems and electronic data. Cybersecurity and security awareness are important initiatives at LifeLink. This year, Information Systems worked with Foundation executive staff and Corporate Compliance to enhance cybersecurity through increased security threat identification protocols and training for all LifeLink staff. Business continuity measures were implemented to keep LifeLink Foundation running smoothly in the event of natural disasters or other potential outages that could interrupt systems availability. Failover technology, back-up systems and enhanced business continuity plans in all departments help ensure connectivity in disaster situations. Mobile device management is a key component to keeping a large mobile workforce at LifeLink connected securely. On-call staff relies heavily on secure remote systems access while managing organ and tissue donation cases. To meet their needs, Information Systems implemented mobile device management tools, secure e-mail messaging, remote authentication and additional security hardware solutions. Providing secure and efficient use of mobile devices allows departments to maintain business continuity while ensuring confidentiality for organ and tissue donors and their families, as well as patients awaiting transplantation. Information Systems also worked closely with Public Affairs and LifeLink Tissue Bank to launch their respective newly-designed websites, and rolled out an enhanced intranet site with features to improve interdepartmental and staff communication. An expanded employee portal links LifeLink employees to a staff directory, departmental management reports, online policies and procedures, internally developed web-based training content and recorded webinar content to meet internal needs, as well as external data reporting requirements. Managing the Communication Services Department falls under the umbrella of Information Systems. Communications Services has highly trained, in-house staff working around-the-clock to help streamline the process for all referring hospitals notifying us of potential donors. This was a record-breaking year for Communication Services, which is responsible for triaging these hospital referrals to LifeLink organ and tissue recovery staff, along with eye bank staff. Communication Services handled an 11 percent increase in referral calls and reviewed more than 18,000 referrals for Puerto Rico. Communication Services truly links each OPO to hospital partners. Overall calls proficiently handled by the Communications Services Department this past year totaled more than 196,000.
Public Affairs Educating the public about the importance of organ and tissue donation, increased donor registrations and promoting the LifeLink brand were the overall focus for the LifeLink Public Affairs Department. To accomplish this, Public Affairs routinely engaged in community outreach through event participation, special events, volunteer engagement, media outreach and more. This year, several large initiatives spanned the entire Foundation to create a unified message in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico. In addition to the Faces of Transplantation calendar and Report To Our Communities, Public Affairs spearheaded a newly designed, functional and navigable LifeLink Foundation website, which launched last fall. The LifeLink Foundation website, www.LifeLinkFoundation.org, allows the public to access information about donation and our organization, and also speaks specifically to hospital, community and media partners, and volunteers, through a re-launched volunteer portal. Measurement of initiatives is a priority for Public Affairs, including the number of registered donors in each LifeLink donation service area. Most registrations are documented through the driver license or state identification renewal process. Collaboration with Florida Tax Collectors and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Georgia’s Department of Driver Services (DDS) and Puerto Rico’s CESCO offices resulted in successful Donate Life Month campaigns, an event with NASCAR driver Joey Gase at a local driver license office in Georgia and regularly scheduled education events for the public and staff at offices in Puerto Rico. Driver license offices are critical partners accounting for more than 95% of donor designation in all areas. Also in Georgia, Governor Allen Deal signed a law which allowed for the Georgia registry to capture donor designations from state identification cards in addition to driver licenses. New this year, LifeLink of Georgia began building relationships with Georgia’s elected county tax commissioners. Most tax-paying Georgians interact with tax commissioners annually, while driver license and identification card renewals are now required every five or ten years. Participating tax commissioners, of which there are already several, with interest growing across the state, will provide an additional avenue for donation education and registry enrollment. National campaigns including the Donate Life Rose Parade float, Donate Life Month, Every Community Has Opportunity (ECHO), National Minority Donor Awareness Week, Workplace Partnership for Life and Donor Sabbath provided concentrated educational and donor registration opportunities with communities throughout our service areas. Our work with traditional media and social media platforms helped place the LifeLink mission in front of the public. Each message provided reinforcement of the importance of organ and tissue donation, and encouraged individuals to register as organ and tissue donors on their state registry. The Multicultural Donation Education Program (MDEP) tailors outreach initiatives to African American and Hispanic communities throughout Georgia. Serving to debunk myths and provide education, the department organizes highly visible events fostering community engagement. This year the Walk for Life 5k in Albany and the Done Vida Health Fair in Atlanta were major initiatives bringing the community together to provide education for organ and tissue donation. The annual Battle for Life pitted Fort Valley State University, Albany State and Armstrong Atlantic State University against each other to raise awareness for donation and designate college students’ decisions to become registered organ donors. LifeLink volunteers helped spread the Foundation’s mission. Last year, volunteers contributed 10,542 hours of their time educating communities in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico. Their dedication, passion and tireless energies strongly and positively impacted our efforts, and contributed to saving lives.
Donor Designation by Area 70 %
DDR—Donor Designation Rate The rate at which individuals join the state donor registry as a percentage of all who have the opportunity to join within a specific period of time.
60% 50 %
ADD Share—Actionable Donor Designation Share — The percentage of people ages 18 and older who have registered as an organ and/or tissue donor on their state’s donor registry.
40% 30 % 20 %
DOD—Designated Organ Donors The number of recovered organ donors authorized by the registry.
10%
Florida
Georgia
Puerto Rico
S
ix years ago, Tere’s life was forever changed when her son, Manuel, a 26-year-old psychology graduate, had a fatal accident while riding an ATV. Without hesitation and knowing Manuel’s wishes, his parents donated his organs, saving the lives of six people. Manuel was always happy, smiling and had a great sense of humor. His gentle manners distinguished him from the rest of the guys his age and he shared interests with his mother, like triathlons and baseball, even participating in some events together. Tere says her son is her inspiration and that through sports she has been able to overcome his loss. She is an avid and joyful Zumba instructor and has accomplished her son’s dream to participate in the Iron Man 70.3 competition in Puerto Rico, where she lives.
María Teresa “Tere” Pérez Muñoz, Donor Mother
DTD—Designated Tissue Donors The number of recovered tissue donors authorized by the registry.
Let Life Bloom
Hospital Campaign Award Winners
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Hospital Workplace Partnership For Life program was originally launched in 2011 as a special effort of the national Workplace Partnership For Life and runs annually from May of one year through April, which is Donate Life Month, of the following year. Goals of the program include an increase in awareness about organ and tissue donation in hospitals and surrounding communities, cultivation of a hospital culture that incorporates education and registration of potential donors as part of their standard mission and opportunities for members of the community to register on their state donor registry. Participating hospitals earn points throughout the campaign timeframe for activities such as social media promotion of donation, onsite donor registration drives, flag raising ceremonies and other public education events, and are awarded platinum, gold, silver or bronze medals based on the number of points they earn. Hospitals within the LifeLink of Florida, LifeLink of Georgia and LifeLink of Puerto Rico service areas participated, and were recognized for their efforts, in greater numbers during the 2015-2016 program cycle than ever before.
PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS
LifeLink of Georgia *Augusta University Health
LifeLink of Florida
*Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite
Blake Medical Center Brandon Regional Hospital Cape Coral Hospital Fawcett Memorial Hospital *Gulf Coast Medical Center HealthPark Medical Center *Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Lakewood Ranch Medical Center *Largo Medical Center Lee Memorial Hospital Manatee Memorial Hospital Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point *Tampa General Hospital
Emory Johns Creek Hospital Emory Midtown Hospital Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital
South Georgia Medical Center — Berrien Campus South Georgia Medical Center — Lanier Campus Tift Regional Medical Center WellStar Atlanta Medical Center WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
*Emory University Hospital
LifeLink of Puerto Rico
Grady Health System
Centro Cardiovascular de Puerto Rico y el Caribe
Gwinnett Medical Center — Lawrenceville Mayo Clinic Health System — Waycross Medical Center — Navicent Health Memorial Health University Medical Center — Savannah Midtown Medical Center Northeast Georgia Medical Center — Gainesville
HIMA San Pablo Bayamón HIMA San Pablo Caguas Hospital Bella Vista Mayagüez Hospital de la Universidad de Puerto Rico Dr. Federico Trilla Hospital Episcopal San Lucas Ponce Hospital Espanol Auxilio Mutuo de Puerto Rico
*Piedmont Hospital
Hospital Universitario de Adultos
South Georgia Medical Center
Manati Medical Center Mayagüez Medical Center
GOLD AWARD WINNERS
Fairview Park
CFSE — Hospital Industrial
John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital
Doctors’ Center Hospital Manatí
LifeLink of Florida
Northeast Georgia Medical Center — Braselton
Hospital Comunitario Buen Samaritano
Bayfront Health Punta Gorda
Southeast Georgia Health System
Hospital De La Concepción
Florida Hospital Tampa
Southern Regional Medical Center
Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Susoni
St. Joseph’s Hospital
St. Joseph’s — Candler Health System
Hospital Oncológico Dr. I. Gonzalez
WellStar Cobb Hospital WellStar Douglas Hospital
Hospital Pediatrico Universitario Dr. Antonio Ortíz
WellStar Health System Corporate Office
Hospital San Carlos Borromeo
LifeLink of Georgia Coffee Regional Medical Center DeKalb Hillandale
Hospital San Francisco Hospital Wilma N. Vázquez
DeKalb Medical Center
LifeLink of Puerto Rico
DeKalb Medical Center — LTAC Campus
Administración de Servicios Médicos de P.R.
SILVER AWARD WINNERS
Coliseum Medical Center
Doctors’ Center Hospital San Juan
Coliseum Northside Hospital
Hospital General Menonita Aibonito
LifeLink of Florida
Eastside Medical Center
Hospital General Menonita Caguas
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte
John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital
Hospital del Maestro
Florida Hospital North Pinellas
Northside Hospital — Forsyth
Hospital Episcopal San Lucas Guayama
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills
Perry Hospital
Hospital Metropolitano de Río Piedras
Mease Countryside Hospital
Piedmont Henry Hospital
Mease Dunedin Hospital
Regency Hospital of Central Georgia
Hospital Metropolitano Southwest Health Corporation
Medical Center of Trinity
St. Francis Hospital
Hospital Municipal de San Juan
Morton Plant Hospital
WellStar North Fulton Hospital
Hospital Pavia Arecibo
Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
WellStar Paulding Hospital
Hospital Pavía Santurce
Northside Hospital
West Georgia Health Systems
Hospital Pavia Yauco Hospital Perea Metro
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
LifeLink of Puerto Rico
Hospital San Antonio Inc. Hospital San Cristóbal
LifeLink of Georgia
Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital
Athens Regional Medical Center
Auxilio Centro de Trasplante
Cartersville Medical Center
Centro Médico Menonita Cayey
BRONZE AWARD WINNERS
Dodge County Hospital
Hospital Damas Inc.
Gordon Hospital
Hospital General Castañer, Inc.
LifeLink of Florida
Hamilton Medical Center
Hospital Hermanos Meléndez
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
Taylor Regional Hospital
Hospital Lafayette
V.A. Caribbean Health System
Hospital Pavía Hato Rey
Lakeland Regional Health Oak Hill Hospital
LifeLink of Puerto Rico
Hospital San Jorge
St. Anthony’s Hospital
Doctors’ Center Bayamón
Hospital Santa Rosa
Doctors’ Center Hospital San Fernando de la Carolina
Hospital Universitario Dr. Ramón Ruiz Arnau
HIMA San Pablo Cupey
Ryder Memorial, Inc.
LifeLink of Georgia Bleckley Memorial Hospital Colquitt Regional Medical Center
Puerto Rico Children Hospital
HIMA San Pablo Fajardo HIMA San Pablo Humacao
*denotes organ transplant center
Roosevelt Carter, Kidney Recipient
L
ife as an attorney can be draining, but add into the equation diabetes and, eventually, kidney failure and dialysis. This was Roosevelt’s daily struggle while he awaited a kidney transplant. When he received the call that a kidney was available for him, Roosevelt couldn’t believe the wait was finally over. He says, “I appreciate life so much more these days. I am forever grateful to the family who gave me my life back.” He is now able to continue in his profession as an attorney and even sit behind the bench as a Municipal Court Judge thanks to the gift of life he received.
Corporate Compliance The objective of the Corporate Compliance Department is to provide guidance to all employees as they carry out their daily activities within appropriate ethical and legal standards. Corporate Compliance provides an in-house compliance service that effectively supports each division in their duty to comply with relevant laws and internal procedures. Corporate Compliance reviews best practices from outside resources to ensure policies and procedures are updated as necessary. Annual policy training is provided to all employees as it is an important part of their professional development and commitment to achieving the LifeLink mission. Corporate Compliance also oversees the Foundation’s employee hotline, which allows employees to report potential corporate compliance concerns anonymously. These compliance concerns are investigated thoroughly and promptly. The Corporate Compliance Department is responsible for developing and maintaining an efficient and effective program of internal auditing and monitoring to enhance our capacity to manage risk, investigating emerging issues and trends and detecting deviations from established internal controls. Corporate Compliance is also involved with assisting the Information Systems Department with LifeLink cyber security strategies. Ethical and moral behavior is expected from all employees. The Corporate Compliance Department embodies dedication to the highest standards of ethical behavior, expressed through corporate culture and through adherence to the law. LifeLink is committed to detecting and correcting any unintentional or deliberate conduct that is inconsistent with these principles.
“I appreciate life so much more these days. I am forever grateful to the family who gave me my life back.” ~ Roosevelt Carter
Legacy Fund
LifeLink Legacy Fund Board of Directors:
In 2016, the LifeLink Legacy Fund assisted over 150 transplant patients with short-term,
Larry F. Jones, B.A., Chairman
necessary expenses related to their transplant care. These financial support programs
Victor D. Bowers, M.D.
were available to patients at transplant centers across Florida and Georgia. Patient assistance programs included the LifeLink Legacy Fund Pledge Program, which helps patients meet a transplant center’s financial criteria for transplant after the patient has met all other standards for transplant. Once a “pledge” is approved, patients
Jeffrey Eckhart, M.B.A. Dennis F. Heinrichs, B.S.N., M.B.A., Chairman of the LifeLink Foundation Board
are placed on the national organ transplant waiting list for their much needed organ
William M. LeFor, Ph.D., HCLD (ABB)
transplant. Twenty-five patients joined the national waiting list thanks to the Legacy
Mrs. Martha Minahan
Fund’s Pledge program, and nine of these Pledge patients were successfully transplanted. Other funds committed this year included $25,000 for a patient resource center at
Dana L. Shires, M.D., FACP, Chairman Emeritus of the LifeLink Foundation Board
the Carlos and Marguerite Mason Transplant Clinic at Augusta University in Augusta,
Joel T. VanSickler, M.D.
Georgia, which will create a 160-square-foot comfortable and informative space with
Lin Weber, B.A.
resources for patients and their loved ones. The space is equipped with computers, couches and other seating, enabling access to targeted technology-driven education. In order to support research projects, patients, and educational programs to increase donation and transplantation, LifeLink Legacy Fund organizes fundraising events. In addition, the Legacy Fund humbly accepts charitable contributions from generous
John D. Welchel, M.D., FACS Ms. Stephanie Hernandez, Treasurer (Not a Director) Ms. Samantha Eide, Secretary (Not a Director)
individuals who choose to bequeath gifts from their estates, provide memorial contributions in honor of organ and tissue donors or transplant recipients and others who simply wish to support this important mission. Online giving opportunities increased through the launch of the newly designed LifeLink Foundation website. The Eighth Annual Wild Bill Memorial Luncheon, held to honor the memory of Coach Bill Minahan, a kidney recipient and celebrated Tampa Bay area high school football coach, raised more than $25,000 from loyal supporters and corporate sponsors. The inaugural Love Give Live 5K walk/run, held at LifeLink Foundation’s Corporate Headquarters, drew 200 participants and raised more than $31,000 through registrations and corporate sponsors. These monies benefited both LifeLink Legacy Fund and Florida’s organ and tissue donor registry, which is administered by Donate Life Florida. LifeLink Legacy Fund also organized events to provide educational resources to transplant center staff and patients facing transplant, who could benefit from learning more about funding for medical costs and financial resources. A Transplant Center Appreciation Reception was held in April 2016 at LifeLink Headquarters, to thank transplant professionals who helped us help others and introduced LifeLink Legacy Fund programs to others in the transplant community. Growth of LifeLink Legacy Fund programs brings great responsibility to do more with resources. LifeLink Legacy Fund’s Board of Directors and LifeLink leadership participated in strategic planning during the spring of 2016 to create a plan for 2017 and beyond.
J
asmine was a fun, free-spirited young woman who loved basketball. From an early age, she played on a team that allowed her to travel around the country and bring home numerous medals from the team’s winnings. She was also generous by nature and close with her family. It was the influence of Jasmine’s mother, Stacey, who had registered as an organ donor when renewing her driver license, that led Jasmine to proclaim she would also like to give the gift of life, should the situation ever arise. When Jasmine was killed in a car accident at the young age of twenty-one, her family did not hesitate to carry out her decision. Stacey, who is very proud that her entire family has registered as organ and tissue donors, says, “Her life was short-lived, but she enjoyed every second of it. Jasmine was loved by many.”
The Rowe Family, Donor Family
LyCynthia Baskin, Kidney & Pancreas Recipient
JANUARY SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
DECEMBER 2016
FEBRUARY 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 New Year’s Day
Epiphany
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29
30
31
W
hen she was nine, all LyCynthia desired was to have a normal childhood like her friends. Unfortunately, with type 1 diabetes her lifestyle was drastically different from her peers; “normal” consisted of weekly doctor visits, painful injections and constant illness. Living with diabetes for 48 years took a toll on her body and resulted in kidney failure. LyCynthia felt that death was near when she received both a kidney and pancreas transplant, which not only returned kidney function, but also allowed her to live diabetes free because of the new pancreas. LyCynthia is now passionate about the sport of fencing, and draws parallels between her fencing training and her fight for life, as well as the victory of overcoming obstacles. LyCynthia had the honor of meeting her donor’s family a few years after her transplant. Of that new relationship, she says, “It is like I have known them my whole life. They are forever a part of my family and we are truly the best of friends.”
®
Katie Taylor, Bilateral Lung Recipient
FEBRUARY SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 2017
MARCH 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Valentine’s Day National Organ Donor Day
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Presidents’ Day
26 27 28
W
hile a junior in college, a severe case of strep throat landed Katie in the hospital, where her lung function suffered, and she was placed on oxygen to survive. Numerous tests revealed that her lungs were irreparably damaged and she would need a double lung transplant. Katie’s poor health caused her to miss a year and half of college. “Before my transplant, I had no hope of finishing college, but now I am happy to say I am a college graduate,” says Katie, “and I owe it to my organ donor. They saved my life.” Katie was a triple major in English, Theatre, and Education and graduated in the fall of 2016. She dreams of becoming a professor and sharing the poetry she writes with others.
®
David Manuel, Liver Recipient
MARCH SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 2017
APRIL 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 Ash Wednesday
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Daylight Saving Time Begins
St. Patrick’s Day
Purim
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 First Day of Spring
26 27 28 29 30 31
D
uring routine tests for his annual physical, doctors noticed an alarming issue and rushed David to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a local hospital. After numerous tests and 40 days in the ICU, doctors determined that his liver and kidneys were failing. David was placed on the waiting list for a liver transplant and, amazingly, just 36 hours later, he received his gift of life. During the worst of his illness, the origins of which were never determined, David adopted the motto “Stop thinking ‘Why Me?’ and start thinking ‘Why Not Me?’” He tells his story today to encourage others, as both an author and Executive Director at a performing arts and community center. “Because someone gave me the gift of life, I was able to see my son graduate high school, and I was able to get married,” says David, “I’m now able to watch my three children excel in college.”
LOCATION COURTESY OF PORTER SANFORD III PERFORMING ARTS & COMMUNITY CENTER
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Brian Rudd, Kidney & Pancreas Recipient
APRIL SUNDAY
MONDAY
April is National Donate Life Month
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
MARCH 2017
MAY 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 April Fool’s Day
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Palm Sunday
First Day of Passover
Good Friday
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Earth Day
Easter
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Administrative Professionals’ Day
30
N
early seven months into his wait for a kidney and pancreas transplant, Brian underwent the procedure that would cure his kidney failure, as well as the type 1 diabetes he had lived with the previous 38 years. Thanks to an organ donor, Brian feels chapters have been added to the story of his life, which includes events such as becoming a certified rescue scuba diver, a public speaker to give hope to those facing a similar transplant journey and a published author. Brian speaks of his donor family with many emotions saying, “Someone decided to turn a loss into a legacy during their unimaginable grief, and because of their precious gift, I can literally fly again by returning to my passion as a skydiving instructor.”
LOCATION COURTESY OF SKYDIVE GEORGIA
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Lilliam Cruz, Heart Recipient
M AY SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
APRIL 2017
JUNE 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 Cinco De Mayo
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Mother’s Day
Armed Forces Day
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 First Day of Ramadan
28 29 30 31 Memorial Day
L
illiam, an energetic high school teacher of commerce in her native Caguas, Puerto Rico, faced a radical life change one morning when, while driving her girls to school, she collapsed from a heart attack. She was taken to the hospital where tests revealed her heart function was seriously affected and Lilliam would need a heart transplant. In October, 2005 Lilliam received a new heart from a complete stranger that saved her life and brought her back to health, and to her daughters and husband, Rafael. Since her transplant, Lilliam and her family help raise awareness about organ and tissue donation and give back to the community in honor of the good blessings their family has received, and the donor who made them possible.
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George Rosario, Kidney Recipient
JUNE SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
MAY 2017
JULY 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Flag Day
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Father’s Day
First Day of Summer
25 26 27 28 29 30 Eid al-Fitr
C
hronic high blood pressure affected George’s kidneys, which led to dialysis and eventually a spot on the national organ transplant waiting list for a kidney. George received his second chance at life in 2005 and since then has worked to promote and educate the community on the importance of organ and tissue donation as a volunteer for LifeLink of Puerto Rico. He went back to college and completed a degree in social work and is now in the process of earning a Master’s degree. He shares his life with his wonderful wife and is always willing to share his testimony. He always says “I live because of my donor and my donor lives in me.”
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The Pierce Family, Donor Family (shown with Amanda’s original softball gear)
J U LY SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
JUNE 2017
AUGUST 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Independence Day
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 First day of Donate Life ECHO (Every Community Has Opportunity) July 9-22
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
A
manda was a friend to all and loved playing softball and spending time with her friends. Her dad coached her and many memories were made on the softball field. In high school, her passion for softball was replaced by a distinctive connection with kids, especially kids with special needs, and she dreamed of studying special education in college. A tragic car accident took Amanda’s life before she could reach that goal, but because she was an organ donor, her legacy continues to live in the recipients of her organs. A year to the day after her death, Amanda’s family was able to meet the recipient of her heart, Garrett. Her dad, Ronald Pierce, says “I feel Amanda living through Garrett. It’s surreal, but there was a purpose to Amanda.”
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Erin Daly, Living Liver Donor
AUGUST SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
JULY 2017
SEPTEMBER 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 National Minority Donor Awareness Week August 1-7
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
J
ames “Jimmy” Cochran, a police officer in New York City, retired due to a medical condition, hemochromatosis, which caused an overabundance of iron in his blood. Ultimately Jimmy’s liver was affected and he needed a liver transplant. The oldest of four, Jimmy’s brothers all suffered, and died, from the same disease but thanks to his daughter, Erin, Jimmy’s outcome would be different. Erin became Jimmy’s liver donor, and gave 60% of her liver to her father. Living liver donation is a unique procedure for a unique organ; the liver is the only organ which can regenerate to its original state. Erin returned to work as a State Attorney in only a few months, and ten years after the transplant, on her 45th birthday, she ran the New York City Marathon. Erin says, “I would do it all again in a heartbeat. My dad is the best grandfather to his seven grandchildren and at age 71, is still living out his dreams.”
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D’Sean Bray, Heart Recipient
SEPTEMBER SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
AUGUST 2017
OCTOBER 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 Eid al-Adha
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Labor Day
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Grandparents’ Day
Patriot Day
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Rosh Hashanah
First Day of Fall
First Day of Muharram
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
A
n athlete throughout high school, D’Sean played nearly every sport. When his senior year began, he decided he wanted to focus more heavily on academics than athletics; a decision that ultimately had more bearing on his future than he realized. In December 2014, D’Sean began feeling very weak and spent the majority of his days falling asleep in class. After collapsing at a family member’s house, he was rushed by ambulance to the hospital where tests showed his heart was barely functioning. He was placed on the heart transplant waiting list and a LVAD—left ventricular assist device—was implanted to help his heart function while he waited. D’Sean received his heart transplant, graduated high school and is continuing his education at The University of Alabama. Despite a busy college schedule, he visits his parents and younger siblings as often as possible. D’Sean met his donor family nearly a year after transplant. He says, “They were able to listen to their loved one’s heart and I was able to thank them in LOCATION COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA person for the life I now have.”
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Yom Kippur
Wanda Negrรณn, Liver Recipient
O C TO B E R SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER 2017
NOVEMBER 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Columbus Day
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 National Boss’s Day
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
Halloween
W
anda has always been a very faithful woman, dedicated to her family and to her professional work as an agronomist, implementing technology and science to produce food, fuel, fiber and land reclamation. When her liver failed and she knew a liver transplant was imminent, her faith and optimism kept her positive and strong. Since receiving her transplant, Wanda has been a dedicated volunteer to LifeLink of Puerto Rico for more than 15 years. She is also the President and Co-Founder of the Hepatic Patients Support Foundation in Puerto Rico. Wanda recently became a grandmother and spends time with her family because of the life-saving gift she received. “I am thankful for my gift, and every single day I think about my donor and all the incredible things I can enjoy,” says Wanda. LOCATION COURTESY OF FINCA EL GIRASOL EN GUÁNICA, PUERTO RICO
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Joe “Bubba” Newton, Jr., Liver Recipient
N OV E M B E R SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 2017
DECEMBER 2017
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Daylight Saving Time Ends
National Donor Sabbath Weekend (November 10-12)
Election Day
Veterans Day
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Thanksgiving
26 27 28 29 30
B
ubba has an outgoing personality and sense of humor that makes him a joy to be around. He never meets a stranger and faces each day with a smile and “can-do” attitude. Diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, Bubba was in dire need of a liver transplant. Thankfully, he only had a short wait in the hospital before receiving his gift of life. Not long after his transplant, Bubba was back at work as a cattle farmer and local business owner. “I am thankful that I am able to be at my farm doing what I love,” says Bubba. “What I have accomplished since my transplant and what I may contribute over the rest of my life, is made possible because of my organ donor.”
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Evan Ranieri, Kidney Recipient
DECEMBER SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 2017
JANUARY 2018
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 First Day of Hanukkah
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 First Day of Winter
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Christmas Eve
31
Christmas Day
First Day of Kwanzaa
New Year’s Eve
B
orn with stage four chronic kidney disease as a result of hypoplasia—the failure of an organ to develop fully—it was inevitable that a kidney transplant would be in Evan’s future. Shortly after Christmas 2012, Evan’s health battle took a turn for the worse and he began hemodialysis. Three times a week, for four hours each time, Evan and his family would visit the hospital where he would sit in a crib as a machine filtered his blood and removed the toxins from his body. Finally, at 2 years old, Evan was big enough to receive a kidney from his mom, Melissa. “I was able to give my son the gift of life twice,” says Melissa,“and live he does! Evan brings joy to everyone he meets.”
LOCATION COURTESY OF FLORIDA RAILROAD MUSEUM
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Heroes Remembering the more than 1,000 heroes who gave the gift of life July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016 Abraham, Adam, Airron, Albert, Andrew, Angela, Anthony, Ascencion, Bailey, Barbara, Brittany, Brittany, Carlos, Chadwick, Crisstie, Dennis, Efrem, Isaac, Aaron, Aaron, Aaron, Abby, Abdiel, Abigail, Adalberto, Adam, Adam, Adam, Adam, Addisyn, Adrielyz, Agnes, Agustin, Aiden, Aja, Alan, Alberto, Alberto, Alejandra, Alejandro, Alejandro, Alethia, Alex, Alexander, Alexander, Alexander, Alexander, Alexi, Alexis, Alexis, Alfonso, Alice, Alicia, Alma, Alvin, Alvin, Alyssa, Amanda, Amarilis, Amber, Amerina, Amp, Amy, Amy, Ana, Ana, Ana, Andre, Andrea, Andrea, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angel, Angela, Angela, Angela, Angelina, Anibal, Anna, Annette, Anntionette, Anthone, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Anthony, Antonio, Antonio, Antwayne, Arianys, Armando, Arthur, Artie, Ashley, Ashley, Ashley, Ashley, Ashton, Athanasios, Aubrey, Austen, Austin, Austin, Avery, Aylin, Barbara, Barry, Barry, Barry, Barry, Belliard, Benjamin, Benny, Bernadette, Bernard, Bethzaida, Betty, Betty, Beverly, Bienvenido, Bienvenido, Billiana, Billy, Bobbie, Bobby, Bobby, Boima, Brandon, Brandon, Brandon, Brandon, Brandy, Breiona, Brenda, Brenda, Brendan, Brent, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian, Briana, Brianne, Brigette, Brittany, Brittany, Brittany, Brittany, Brooks, Bruce, Bryan, Bryan, Bud, Byron, Caleb, Cameron, Camilo, Candace, Cara, Carey, Carey, Carla, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlton, Carly, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen, Carmine, Carol, Carol, Caroline, Caroline, Carolyn, Casey, Cassandra, Cassandra, Catherine, Catherine, Catherine, Chad, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charles, Charlie, Chelsea, Cheryl, Cheryl, Chris, Chris, Chris, Christian, Christian, Christian, Christian, Christian, Christina, Christina, Christine, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christopher, Christy, Christy, Claire, Clara, Claret, Claude, Clayton, Clendon, Cody, Connie, Conrad, Cornelius, Coronada, Cory, Craig, Crawford, Creig, Cristian, Cristian, Cristina, Crystal, Curtis, Cynthia, Cynthia, Cyrus, D Asia, Dale, Dale, Damon, Dan, Dan, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Danna, Danneris, Danny, Danny, Danny, Danny, Danny, Dar’Anthony, Darrell, Darren, Darryl, Darryl, Darryl, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, David, Davismar, Dawn, Dawn, Dawn, Dawnielle, Dean, Dean, Deanna, Deborah, Debra, Debra, Deegan, Delecia, Demetria, Demetrius, Denise, Denise, Denise, Dennis, Dennis, Deonia, Derek, Derek, Derrick, Derrick, Destin, Destiny, Devan, DeWayne, Diana, Diana, Diana, Diane, Dianna, Dillon, Dolores, Dominic, Domonick, Don, Donah, Donald, Donald, Donald, Donald, Donisa, Donna, Doris, Dorothy, Doug, Douglas, Douglas, Douglas, Douglas, Downing, Drew, Duminda, Dustee, Dustin, Dustin, Dwayne, Dylan, Dylan, Earl, Ebony, Edgardo, Edgardo, Edgardo, Edith, Edna, Edward, Edward, Edward, Edward, Edwin, Edwin, Edwin, Edwin, Edwin, Elaine, Elaine, Elis, Eliud, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elsie, Elvin, Ember, Emilio, Emma, Emmanuel, Enrique, Equiler, Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric, Erick, Erick, Erin, Ernest, Ernesto, Eugene, Eva, Eva, Eve, Ever, Fay, Fel, Felieicia, Felix, Felix, Felix, Fermin, Fernando, Florentina, Florentino, Francisco, Francisco, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Franklin, Fred, Friedrich, Fulgencio, Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel, Gadiel, Gail, Gardon, Gary, Gary, Gary, Gary, Gary, Gedary, George, Gerald, Gerald, Geraldine, Gilberto, Giovan, Giovanni, Glenda, Glenn, Gloria, Gloria, Grace, Graham, Gregory, Gregory, Gregory, Gregory, Gretchen, Gretchen, Grisel, Guillermo, Guy, Gwendolyn, Gwendolyn, Hailey, Hamir, Hannah, Harold, Harold, Harold, Harrison, Harry, Heather, Heather, Hector, Hector, Hector, Hector, Hector, Helen, Henryetta, Hinton, Hiram, Hiram, Hiram, Hiram, Hugo, Hun, Ian, Igor, Ileana, Iris, Isabel, Isabella Rae, Isabelle, Isabelo, Ismael, Israel, Israel, Israel, Israel, Issabella, Jack, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, Jacqueline, Jacqueline, Jacqueline, Jacquelyn, Jacyeon, Jaime, Jaime, Jake, Jalen, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, James, Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, Jan, Jan, Jana, Janet, Janice, Janitza, Jannys, Jaquan, Jaquayle, Jaret, Jarrod, Jarrod, Jarvis, Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason, Javier, Javier, Jaylen, Jean, Jeanette, Jeannie, Jeff J., Jeff, Jeffery, Jeffery, Jeffery, Jeffery, Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jenea, Jennah, Jennie, Jennifer, Jennifer, Jeremias, Jeremias, Jeremy, Jeremy, Jerod, Jerome, Jerrald, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jesse, Jesse, Jessica, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jim, Jimmy, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joel, Johanna, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, John, Johnie Mae, Johnnie, Johnnie, Johnny, Johnny, Jomyrianis, Jon, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jordan, Jorge, Jorge, Jorge, Jorge, Jorge, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose Avigail, Jose, Jose, Joseline, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Josephine, Josh, Joshua, Joshua, Joshua, Joshua, Joshua, Joshua, Jowel, Joyce, Joyce, Jozef, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Juan, Judith, Judith, Julia, Julian, Julian, Julie, Julie, Julio, Julio, Julio, Julio, Justin, Justin, Justin, Justin, Justin, Kaiden, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn, Kameron, Karch, Kardarius, Karen, Karin, Karl, Kasey, Kathleen, Kathleen, Kathleen, Kathreen, Kayla, Kayne, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Kellie Jo, Kelly, Kelly, Kelvin, Kelvin, Ken, Kendyll, Kenneth, Kenneth, Kenneth, Kenneth, Kenneth, Kenneth, Kent, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Khalid, Kim, Kimberly, Kimberly, Kimmayah, Kiyah, Klarice, Koren, Kristy, Kurtis, Kyle, Kyle, Kyle, Kylie, Ladawn, LaDonna, Lagarian, Laird, Lakeisha, Lamenzo, Laron, Larry, Larry, Larry, Larry, Lashel, Latasha, Latricia, Laura, Laura, Laurie, Laverne, Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence, Leanay, Leishka, Lennon, Leobardo, Leocadio, Leonard, Leroy, Leslie, Leslie, Lettie, Levi, Lewis, Lianny, Lillian, Linda, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, London, Lonnie, Lonnie, Lonzia, Lorraine, Lorraine, Louis, Louis, Louise, Lourdes, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luis, Luz, Lydia, Lyndon, Lyndona, Lynn, Lynne, Mackenzie, Malcolm, Malcolm, Mallory, Manuel, Manuel, Manuel, Maramyelly, Marcelina, Marchelle, Marcia, Maret, Margaret, Margaret, Margaret, Margaret, Margaret, Margarito, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Mariano, Maribel, Marie, Marie, Mariesabel, Marilynn, Mario, Mark, Mark, Mark, Mark, Mark, Mark, Mark, Markeise, Markese, Marsha, Marvin, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mathew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Megan, Melanie, Melinda, Melissa, Melissa, Melissa, Melody, Merle, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michele, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Migdalia, Miguel, Miguel, Miguel, Miguel, Mike, Mildred, Milton, Miriam, Mitchell, Mona, Monica, Moniqua, Morgan, Morris, Myka, Mysti, Nakila, Nancy, Nancy, Nancy, Nancy, Nancy, Natasha, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathaniel, Neal, Nels, Nelson, Nelson, Nicholas, Nicholas, Nicholas, Nicholas, Nicholas, Nicholette, Nickie, Nilda, Nilda, Nitza, Noah, Noel, Nori, Norma, Norma, Oai, Obisha, Olga, Olga, Oliberto, Omar, Omar, Onelia, Onofrio, Orion, Orlando, Osvaldo, Osvaldo, Otis, Pamaula Sue, Pamela, Patches, Patrice, Patricia, Patricia, Patricia, Patrick, Patrick, Patrick, Paul, Paul, Paul, Paul, Paula, Paulette, Pedro, Pedro, Peggy, Peggy, Peter, Peter, Peyton, Philip, Philip, Philip, Phillip, Phillip, Phillip, Praxedes, Preston, Quenton, Quinn, Quintiliano, Quintin, Quinton, Quleon, Quon, Rachel, Rachel, Rachel, Radames, Rafael, Rafael, Rafael, Rafael, Raina, Ra’Kaya, Ralph, Ralph, Ralph, Ramon, Ramon, Ramon, Ramon, Ramon, Ramon, Randy, Randy, Randy, Ray, Rebecca, Red, Reed, Reinaldo, Reinaldo, Remonda, Rene, Rey, Rey, Reynaldo, Rhonda, Ricardo, Ricardo, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Richard, Rickey, Rickey, Rickie, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, Rishi, Rita, Robbin, Robby, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert, Roberto, Roberto, Robin, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodolfo, Roger, Roger, Roger, Rolando, Ronald, Ronald, Ronald, Ronald, Ronnie, Roosevelt, Rosa, Rosanie, Roy, Ruben, Ruth, Ruth, Rutha, Ryan, Ryan, Sabrina, Sael, Sahid, Salita, Sally, Sam, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Sandra, Sandra, Sandy, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sasha, Saul, Savanna, Savannah, Scarlett, Scott, Scott, Scott, Scott, Scott, Sean, Sean, Sebastian, Shakeem, Shane, Shane, Shane, Shane, Shannon, Sharika, Sharon, Sharon, Sharon, Shawn, Shawn, Sheronica, Sherri, Sherry, Sherry, Sheryl, Sheryl, Shirl, Shirley, Shirley, Sinatra, Skye, Soloman, Sonia, Sonia, Sonny, Sophia, Spencer, Stacie, Stacy, Stacy, Steffon, Stephanie, Stephen, Stephen, Stephen, Stephen, Stephen, Steve, Steven, Steven, Steven, Steven, Steven, Steven, Stone, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Syl, Sylvester, Tabatha, Talayah, Tamara, Tamaris, Tamera, Tamiah, Tamika, Tammy, Tammy, Tate, Taylor, Teagan, Teah, Teddy, Teinique, Teresa, Teresa, Teresa, Terrance, Terrance, Terri, Terry, Terry, Thais, than, Theresa, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas, Thomasina, Tiffany, Tiffany, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Timothy, Tobin, Todd, Tomas, Tonika, Tony, Tony, Tony, Tracey, Travis, Trevor, Trina, Tristan, Troy, Troy, Tyler, Urba, Urceline, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Versia, Vicki, Vickie, Vicky, Victor, Victor, Victor, Victor, Victoria, Victoria, Vincent, Virgen, Virginia, Vivian, Vivian, Vondalee, Wade, Wallace, Walter, Walter, Walter, Wanda, Wanda, Wanda, Wanna, Warren, Wayne, Whitney, Widalys, Wil, Wilbert, Wilberto, Wilfredo, Will, Willard, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, William, Willie, Willie, Willie, Willie, Willie, Willie, Willie, Yasmin, Yavesa, Yezid, Yohanny, Yovanny, Yvonne, Zachary, Zachary, Zaiden, Zamir, Zantrell, Zenaida, Zhiyong
Jeff Williams — Colleague, Friend and Organ Donor
J
eff joined LifeLink in September of 1992, and for 22 years he dedicated his life to working with families whose loved ones could become organ or tissue donors after death. He was a leader in developing new programs to better serve donor families and increase the ability of LifeLink Tissue Bank to provide tissue grafts for patients in need of transplantation. As a Family Care Specialist, Jeff brought compassion to literally thousands of donor families and led to countless organs and tissues recovered and transplanted into tens of thousands of patients in need. Jeff passed away in 2014, leaving behind his family at home, and his work family. As he wanted, in death Jeff continued the legacy he started in life, by donating his organs. Jeff’s son, Zaunte, said, “My father would be very happy to know he was able to help another person. He was very passionate about his work and he loved what he did.”
Foundation Executive Staff
Divisional Executive Staff
Board of Governors 2015-2016
Dana L. Shires, M.D., F.A.C.P
Liz M. Lehr, B.S.N., M.H.A.
Dennis F. Heinrichs, B.S.N., M.B.A.
Chairman of the Board Emeritus
Senior Vice President / Executive Director LifeLink of Florida
Chairman of the Board
Dennis F. Heinrichs B.S.N., M.B.A. Chief Executive Officer / Chairman of the Board
Ms. Jean Aiken Davis President / Chief Operating Officer
Bryan C. McDonald MAcc, CPA Senior Vice President / Chief Financial Officer
Ruth Duncan Bell, B.A., M.P.A. Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
Ms. Kathleen Lilly
Victor D. Bowers, M.D.
Lee Langley, R.N., C.P.T.C.
Ms. Jean Aiken Davis
Vice President / Associate Director LifeLink of Georgia
Antonio de Vera, PE
William M. LeFor, Ph.D. Robert Metzger, M.D. Mr. William J. Meurer Luis A. Morales Otero, M.D. Mr. Harold W. Mullis, Jr.
Donna Becker, M.T., C.H.S.
Thomas C. Pearson, M.D., Ph.D.
Ms. Stephanie Hernandez Vice President / Controller, Finance and Accounting
Dana L. Shires, III, B.S.
Mr. George H. Ohye
Ms. Brandi Quinn Jeffrey L. Seavey, CFP®
LifeLink® Foundation
Corporate Headquarters 9661 Delaney Creek Boulevard Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 253-2640 (800) 262-5775
LifeLink® Transplantation Immunology Laboratory
9661 Delaney Creek Boulevard Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 253-3866 (800) 262-5775
LifeLink® Tissue Bank
9661 Delaney Creek Boulevard Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 886-8111 (800) 683-2400
LifeLink® of Florida
9661 Delaney Creek Boulevard Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 348-6308 (800) 350-9130
LifeLink® of Georgia Atlanta Office
Esther Torres, M.D.
2875 Northwoods Parkway Norcross, GA 30071 (770) 225-5465 (800) 544-6667
Senior Vice President / Associate Executive Director LifeLink Tissue Bank
Joel T. VanSickler, M.D.
Augusta Office
Daniel L. Schultz, M.D.
John D. Whelchel, M.D.
Medical Director / Vice President LifeLink Tissue Bank
Deborah Winegard, J.D.
2743 Perimeter Parkway Building 200, Suite 230 Augusta, GA 30909 (706) 854-0333 (800) 544-6667
Brad Bassler, M.B.A.
James J. Wynn, M.D.
Vice President, Operations LifeLink Tissue Bank
Savannah Office
Ms. Michele Eggsware
Elizabeth Horn-Brinson M.T., B.S., A.S.C.P.
Bryan C. McDonald, MAcc, CPA
Ms. Bobbie Pierson
Executive Vice President LifeLink Tissue Bank
Vice President, Communications and Data Department
Mark Strong, R.N.
Marty Sellers, M.D.
J. David Vega, M.D.
Vice President, Quality Assurance LifeLink Tissue Bank
Treasurer (Not a Governor)
17 Park of Commerce Boulevard Suite 203 Savannah, GA 31405 (912) 341-0000 (800) 365-2066
Ms. Samantha Eide Corporate Secretary (Not a Governor)
LifeLink® of Puerto Rico
Mr. Tim Ignatius Vice President, Sales and Marketing LifeLink Tissue Bank
PHOTOGRAPHY: BARBARA BANKS GRAPHIC DESIGN: SHE DESIGNS
Member Emeritus
Senior Vice President / Director LifeLink Transplantation Immunology Laboratory
Vice President / Manager LifeLink Transplantation and Immunology Laboratory
®
Larry F. Jones, B.A.
Danny Hawke, R.N., M.B.A.
Mayra Lopez-Cepero Ph.D., Dip ABHI
Senior Vice President, Information Systems
Vice Chair
Lawrence Kahana, M.D.
Catherine A. Masessa B.A., SPHR, SHRM-SCP
John A. Rhon, B.S.C.S., M.H.S.A.
William Cleveland, M.D.
Executive Director LifeLink of Puerto Rico
Senior Vice President / Corporate Compliance Officer
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Chairman of the Board Emeritus
Senior Vice President / Executive Director LifeLink of Georgia
Senior Vice President Foundation Tissue Donor Services LifeLink Tissue Bank
Arthur J. Heinrichs, B.S., C.C.P.
Dana L. Shires, M.D.
Employee Representative
Metro Office Park 1 Calle 1, Suite 100 Guaynabo, PR 00968 (787) 277-0900 (800) 558-0977