Follow the links below to view a print friendly pdf of our current bi-annual newsletter and this month's eNews.  For past month's eNews and newsletters check out our News Archive.

Fall 2011 Newsletter
February 2012 eNews

February 2012 eNews

• News of Note
•    Supporting the Mission
•    Volunteers In Action
•    Star of the Month

Are you a high school student in Oregon or SW Washington, looking for a way to get involved with Donate Life Northwest? Do you want to earn volunteer hours or build up your resume? Check out the 2012 Student Advisory Council!

This February, members will meet-in-person to learn about Donate Life Northwest, non-profit organizations, and of course donationa and transplantation. if students cannot make it to the meeting, no worries - they can still participate by joining the Google group! Donate Life Northwest is very excited to launch a "virtual" Advisory Council, which means that any student across the state can join. Online monthly meetings will allow particpants to voice opinions about Donate Life Northwest programs, all from the comfort of home.

For more information, please contact Valerie Egan at eganv@ohsu.edu. 

Donate Life Northwest Celebrates National Heart Month

Did you know that Donate Life Northwest has more than 23 heart recipients as volunteers, supporters and friends? Here are a few stories and pictures expressing why they feel so lucky!

Rob Wheaton feels that “Receiving a heart is unique. Every second, I get a subtle reminder of how lucky I am for the gift I received, and how grateful I am to my donor. The vigorous beat of this heart has allowed me to see and do some very amazing things.”

Gary Kisling received a transplant at the age of 59. He explains, “In April I will be 71 years old--truly amazing after being told I had less than a year tolive before my transplant. I love to play golf, I travel and I enjoy my five children and 11 grandchildren. There must be a purpose behind my receiving my transplant. I am still wondering exactly what that purpose may be.  Perhaps it is as simple as inspiring my granddaughter to become a nurse so she can continue to "pay it forward" for me.”

Roy Abramowitz states: “Almost 13 years ago to the day of my heart transplant at OHSU, I feel blessed to be alive every day thanks to the courageous and generous decision of my donor family in the face of their terrible tragedy. Skip and Mindy Padrick of Salem can always feel some comfort knowing that their son Sean, whose young life ended violently and senselessly in February 1999, had the presence of mind with his mother’s help four years earlier to request a “D” on his driver’s license. Sean’s untimely death helped save the lives of 54 people, myself included. My wife Kay and I are forever grateful to the Padricks and their wonderful family for giving me a second chance to live. I love you Skip and Mindy, Roy”

Jeanette Koekkoek who is celebrating her 12th anniversary this year says: “I am so thankful for the family that said yes to the donor registry and gave me a second chance at life. Three months ago I lost the love of my life for almost 60 years. I said yes to donation and had my husband’s body transported to OHSU so that someone might be helped.”

Donate Life Northwest’s newest volunteer in Bend and most recent heart recipient, Todd Ainsworth, shares: “Following my heart/kidney transplant in June 2011, I have returned to this life again to be husband, father, and friend to those I love. What an incredible experience – a miraculous gift of life through technology and generosity. I look forward to my future now and am excited by the plans I am making. I want to pay some of this gift forward.  God bless the doctors, staff, and donors that are involved in the heart transplant program!” 

Univision Supports Donate Life Northwest

Thanks to the support of KUNP-TV Univision Portland, Donate Life Northwest has taken an important step towards educating the Spanish-speaking community about donation and transplantation.  Since November 2011, the station has devoted a monthly four minute “Testimonial” during its 6:00 evening news broadcast, to share the personal stories of our volunteers and supporters. These clips are subsequently posted on the KUNP website (kunptv.com) and shared on Donate Life Northwest social media channels, such as our YouTube and Facebook. Please check them out!

Sincere thanks go out to Suzan Sami Khouri, Sandra Perez and Roxy De La Torre of KUNP for their support and ongoing work. Kudos too, for Sandra Rivera, Donate Life Northwest’s fantastic intern, who has taken the lead on connecting Donate Life Northwest’s community with Univision!

For more information, please contact Valerie Egan at eganv@ohsu.edu. 

Thanks for Asking, DMV

Oregon DMV staff asks the “D” question over 400,000 times every year when customers get a new or renewed driver’s license, a permit or an ID card. Nearly 55% of those customers say YES, accounting for 98% of all sign ups on the donor registry.  

To thank DMV staff for their critical partnership in registering Oregonians, Donate Life Northwest created a story book for the field office staff rooms featuring one story from each county.  The majority of the stories came from the thirteen Threads of Life quilts.

Mark Your Calendar for Quilt #14

Presentation of the 2012 Threads of Life quilt will be front and center as Donate Life Northwest celebrates National Donate Life Month in April.

Mark your calendars:

Eugene: Thursday, April 19, 5:00pm, Red Lion Inn

Portland: Sunday, April 22, 1:00pm, Holy Names Heritage Center, Lake Oswego

Bend: Monday, April 16, 10:00am, St. Joseph’s hospital

Please contact info@donatelifenw.org for more information.

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Supporting the Mission

New Contributions Matched Dollar for Dollar

The Every 1 Counts campaign is a strategy to increase revenue, but more importantly build relationships with people who may not be currently connected with Donate Life Northwest’s mission. 

A first time campaign, Donate Life Northwest is raising $10,000 through board members and past contributors as the matching challenge on a $1-to-$1 basis.  The match will apply to first-time contributions made now through June 30, 2012, up to $10,000. “Many people are unaware of Donate Life Northwest’s need for funding or just haven’t been asked,” said Dave Stevens, Fund Development Chair of the Board of Directors. “The match offers an opportunity to double the impact of a gift and will enable our organization to further spread our life-saving message about joining the donor registry.”


To date, Donate Life Northwest has raised $1,500 in new financial gifts. Help Donate Life Northwest raise $10,000:

1. If you have never given, make a first financial gift today. A gift of $25 will  become $50, $50 will be worth $100 and $100 will become $200.
2. Build a personal fundraising page on FirstGiving and encourage friends and family to make their first gift.
3. Join Donate Life Northwest on Facebook to track the success of this campaign and share with friends.

For more information, contact 503.494.7888 or chrzanow@ohsu.edu.

Volunteers in Action

Star of the Month

January:  Joel Brass had it all, a home in Italy, a beautiful family and a job travelling around the world sharing his knowledge about food and wine.  He was living the high life. Then he got sick. His liver failed fast. He was put on the transplant list and almost died while waiting. Luckily, after being put in a medically induced coma he received a new liver in three days. 

Today, Joel is living the high life again – he is alive! While still recovering from the transplant just over one year ago, he reached out to Donate Life Northwest through Donate Life America’s pilot project “Voices”. This program provided OHSU patients tools to encourage and educate people about the need to join the organ, eye and tissue registry. As Joel grew healthier, he put his skills to use and shared his story for the first time while volunteering at Discover OHSU. The results: students gave enthusiastic applause for his candor and humor.  Thank you, Joel, for volunteering with Donate Life Northwest.

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