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Programs
The goal of all Donate Life Northwest programs is to motivate people to sign up on the donor registry. Studies show that although 90% of Americans support donation, only 30% know the steps that need to be taken to sign up on their state's registry.
Education Outreach
By educating our youth in the importance of joining the registry we can help narrow the gap between transplant candidates on the waiting list and life-saving donations. We are pleased to offer several educational outreach programs and resources to educators and students.
Educators Saving Lives
Educators in Oregon and SW Washington can contact Valerie at eganv@ohsu.edu for more information or requests about the following programs:
In-Class Presentations: Donate Life Northwest offers in-class, informational presentations (subject to availability of speakers) where students can learn facts, ask questions and hear the personal stories of individuals whose lives were directly impacted by donation and transplantation. Young adults will be able to make an educated decision about registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor as a result of this in-class presentation in conjunction with online or in-class curriculum.
Discover OHSU! Students hear from a healthcare donation professional and a personal story speaker on the OHSU campus. Click here to learn more, or contact Beth Rodgers, Discover OHSU! Manager: (rodgerbe@ohsu.edu / 503-494-5267).
Student Projects: Students can fulfill senior projects or community service requirements with Donate Life Northwest. From planting a garden to hosting a campus-wide media campaign, students can use their own creativity to educate their peers about donation. Students are fully supported by Donate Life Northwest staff through one-on-one mentoring and access to a wide range of outreach materials. Click here for a sample list of student projects.
Online Educational Resources: Be sure to visit our page of educational resources (see left sidebar), full of downloadable curriculum tools, links, videos, and resources. Teaching about organ donation satisfies several of the National Standards for Health Curriculum, as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. You can request free hard copies of all materials, or order a copy of the video Your Decision to Donate.
Virtual Educator Advisory Council: Details coming in 2012…
Blood Drives: Through partnerships with American Red Cross and Lane Memorial Blood Bank, Donate Life Northwest reaches out to students each year through blood drives. Our volunteers lend a hand and give students an opportunity to register. Contact us to request a volunteer at your school's blood drive.
Students Saving Lives
Are you a high school or university student looking for ways to get involved? We are happy to help you create a tailor-made volunteer experience - from flash mobs to blogging, there's always a way to spread the word about donation, transplantation and the donor registry!
Student Projects: Students can fulfill senior projects or community service requirements with Donate Life Northwest. From organizing a donor drive to hosting a campus-wide media campaign, students can use their own creativity to educate their peers about donation. Students are fully supported by Donate Life Northwest staff through one-on-one mentoring and access to a wide range of free outreach materials. Click here for a sample list of student projects.
If you're interested in a Student Project with Donate Life Northwest, contact Valerie at eganv@ohsu.edu for more information.
Scalpel Pal: Play the Scalpel Pal game on-line, save lives, win prizes, learn about organ, eye, and tissue donation, and recycle yourself by registering to be a donor!
Virtual Student Advisory Council: Are you an Oregon high school student? Have a computer, got opinions? Enrich your resume and do good by joining our on-line SAC! In addition to learning about our organization, you'll gain resume-building experience in marketing, event programming, and philanthrophy!
Visit our website for details and an application, or contact Valerie Egan (eganv@ohsu.edu) for more details about the 2012 SAC.
Student Volunteers : Students are also welcome to join our team of around-the-office volunteers. Email Deb at freemad@ohsu.edu if you'd like to help out around our downtown Portland office. Bilingual? Ask us about translation projects!
Young Professional Council: For university students and young professionals. Details coming soon…
Community Outreach
The goal of Community Outreach is ACTION: to increase donor registrations by motivating people to sign up on the donor registry. Outreach events include quilt shows, blood drives, parades and health fairs, workplace partnerships, faith and civic groups, and Donate Life Month.
Volunteer Lucille Burke (R) in the Ashland 4th of July Parade
Community outreach through Donate Life America initiatives includes:
- Workplace Partners for Life
- National Donor Sabbath
- National Donate Life Month
Thank you to our generous Community Outreach sponsor, Legacy Good Samaritan Transplant Services.
Contact us to schedule a Community Outreach event.
Hispanic Outreach
¡Bienvenidos!
Although Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the population in Oregon and Southwest Washington, as well as the nation at large, they remain an underserved group in the healthcare community.
Local organ procurement organizations report that:
- nearly 11 percent of those waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant are Hispanic.
- only about 7 percent of organ donors and 8 percent of transplant recipients are Hispanic.
- 12 percent of individuals added to the local transplantation waiting list in 2007 were Hispanic.
Although it is possible for a candidate to match a donor from another racial or ethnic group, the lack of organs donated by multi-cultural populations often contributes to a longer waiting period for transplantation, especially for kidneys which require tissue matching. Approximately 70% of Hispanics on the transplant list await a kidney.
Education is crucial to increase the number of donors from the Hispanic community through expanded and culturally-targeted education and outreach initiatives, This will ultimately save more lives and provide shorter transplant wait times and enhancing the health and quality of life of the individuals waiting in the Pacific Northwest.
Resources:
Visit the resources page to browse all materials.
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Volunteer with Hispanic Outreach!
You can help!
There is always a need for bilingual volunteers and individuals interested in building our outreach network. For more information about the program or volunteering, please contact:
Valerie Egan
Program Coordinator: Education Outreach
503-418-4035
eganv@ohsu.edu
Sandra Rivera, Hispanic Outreach Intern
Visit us on Facebook!
DMV Outreach
Preparing and motivating individuals to sign up on the donor registry when they visit DMV is the goal of all Donate Life Northwest programs. Because 98% of people who sign up to be organ, eye and tissue donors do so through their motor vehicle department, DMV is a critical partner in increasing the number of registered donors.
Donate Life Northwest also educates Oregon DMV employees about the meaning and importance of the donor code. However, DMV employees are not asked or expected to answer customer questions about organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation.
Note: Washington DMV employee education is a program of Life Center Northwest. Contact agregg@lcnw.org.
"D" Campaign Yields 100% Increase
Donate Life Northwest's pilot project targeting Oregonians who do not have a "D" code on their driver's license resulted in a 100% increase in the number of people who join the donor registry when they renew their license.
Drivers who do not have a "D" code receive a one-time mailing with information to educate and motivate them to sign up as a donor. Posters with similar graphics are displayed in all Oregon DMV field offices to remind customers to put a "D" on their license, permit or ID card.
The successful "D" campaign will continue for the forseeable future with incremental changes targeting specific age groups.
