Cindy Siljestrom, Donor Network West Chief Executive Officer
OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 12, 2013 – Cindy Siljestrom has been elected to a three-year term as President of the Donate Life California Board of Directors which administers one of the nation’s largest registries of organ and tissue donors.
Since it began in 2006, more than 10.6 million people have added their names on the registry as potential donors. Donate Life California oversees the computer data base on which people register their decision to become donors and later allows health professionals to follow through on that decision.
Siljestrom has served on the Donate Life California board since 2008, the year she was chosen as Chief Executive Officer of the Donor Network West . It and the three other federally-designated nonprofits in the state support families giving the gift of life as well as provide public education about donation.
“Of the more than 120,000 people in the country who are waiting for organ transplants, one in five of them are waiting in California,” Siljestrom said. “Each new donor represents the potential for a second chance at life.”
Siljestrom said Donate Life California will continue building on the strong ties with state organizations like the CHP, the California Hospital Association and especially the DMV.
“Nearly 95 percent of the people who register as organ and tissue donors do so at the DMV. The partnership has saved lives. We appreciate the DMV staff and their passion for a lifesaving cause.”
Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer for the Donor Network West Siljestrom administered a Bay Area hospice organization and held posts on statewide foundations in support of end-of-life care.
About the Donor Network West
The Donor Network West saves and improves lives by facilitating organ and tissue donation for transplantation. The Donor Network West partners with 175 hospitals in 41 Northern and Central California and Northern Nevada counties to offer the option of organ and tissue donation to families whose loved ones have died and coordinates deceased organ and tissue recovery and placement to waiting transplant recipients. Through its public education efforts, the hope is that every resident will chose to become a donor. The Donor Network West is federally designated as the region’s organ recovery organization. For information, call 888-570-9400 or visit www.dnwest.org.
Contact:
Anthony Borders
CTDN Communications
510-273-1226 aborders@dnwest.org
High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.
MONTEBELLO, Calif., Dec. 18, 2013 – A memorial floragraph portrait honoring tissue donor Joshua San Pedro of Alta Loma will “Light Up the World” on the 2014 Donate Life Rose Parade Float in Pasadena on New Year’s Day. Today, Donate Life California and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), along with Josh’s family, put the finishing touches on the floragraph during a ceremony at the DMV’s Montebello Field Office. Josh’s cousin, Rosemarie Fortes, works for the DMV, a Donate Life California partner.
In April of this year, Joshua San Pedro, 22, suffered a fatal heart attack caused by a combination of undiagnosed medical conditions. As Josh’s family and friends began dealing with the shock of losing him so suddenly, his fiancée Alexis learned she was pregnant. Josh’s legacy lives on through his unborn child, who is due January 3rd, as well as through his gifts of tissue. Already those gifts have helped a breast cancer survivor, a bone cancer survivor and a child with a cleft palate, among others. The floragraph, one of 81 that will shine brightly on the Donate Life Float, honors Josh’s decision to heal lives after his death.
Joshua San Pedro’s family, DMV & Donate Life California representatives pose with Josh’s floragraph at a finishing event held at the Montebello DMV on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013
Josh knew firsthand the impact of one’s decision to be a donor. While playing football at Alta Loma High School, he suffered an injury requiring three operations, one of which was a knee replacement that included donated tissue. After that, Josh signed up on the Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry, knowing he could someday help others in the same way. But Josh wanted to help others in life, too. After high school, he attended Citrus College, worked as an EMT and was studying to be a paramedic.
Josh’s father, grandmother and high school friends after decorating his floragraph on Dec. 7, 20“Josh was a loving and caring person, always trying to help others, such is the nature of his living legacy as a donor,” said Kathy San Pedro, Josh’s mother. “His father and I are extremely proud of him.”
“We are honoring Josh because of his obvious compassion for others and for saving lives. As a tissue recipient, he understood the impact of being a donor, because the gift of life helped him heal from a football knee injury,” said Charlene Zettel, CEO of Donate Life California. “Now, his story as both a recipient and a donor is being shared with the world in the hopes of inspiring others to sign up to save and heal lives.”
“We are honored that Donate Life California chose a member of the DMV family to be memorialized on the Rose Parade Float,” said Jean Shiomoto, DMV Director. “Josh was dedicated to improving the lives of others in any way he could. That was evident during his life, and even after his death.”
The DMV has helped more than 10.6 million Californians sign up to be registered organ and tissue donors during its nearly 10-year partnership with Donate Life California.
Individuals and families touched by organ and tissue donation and transplantation shine a light on us all. Transplant recipients radiate with gratitude and renewed life thanks to the gifts of organ, eye and tissue donors; families of deceased donors rekindle their spirits by carrying on their loved ones’ dreams; and both living and registered donors are beacons of hope to patients who aspire to live longer, fuller lives. Like lanterns illuminating the night sky above or the path before us, those who give and receive the gift of life Light Up the World with their compassion and courage.
The 2014 Donate Life Rose Parade Float entry features a festival of lanterns illuminating 30 riders – all grateful organ and tissue transplant recipients – and 12 living organ donors walking alongside to demonstrate their ongoing vitality. Five enormous lamps are adorned with 81 memorial floragraph portraits of deceased donors whose legacies of life shine brightly. The riders are seated throughout a dedication garden filled with thousands of roses bearing personal messages of love, hope and remembrance. For more information about the Donate Life Rose Parade Float, visit the official float website at www.donatelifefloat.org.
About Donate Life California:
The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry, which records the decision to donate in a confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: Donor Network West , Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. As a state-authorized public service, the registry assures that all personal information is kept confidential and stored in a secure database, accessible only to authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel.
Help Donate Life California save lives by reserving a Pink Dot Plate. Go to www.PinkDotPlate.org for details and to reserve yours today!
Fast Facts from Donate Life California:
– One in five on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list lives in California.
– Last year, nearly 1,100 people died in our state waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
– All major religions support or permit organ, eye and tissue donation.
– Anyone can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor regardless of age, ethnicity or medical history.
Please visit Donate Life California’s Stories of Hope web page to read inspiring stories about organ and tissue donors and recipients from around the state.
High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Nov. 26, 2013 – Donate Life California has launched a #GivingTuesday campaign to channel the generous spirit of the holiday season by inspiring others to save lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. #GivingTuesday is a first-of-its-kind effort to transform how people participate in, promote, and celebrate the American tradition of giving. Taking place December 3, 2013, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday harnesses the power of social media to create a national movement around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are synonymous with holiday shopping.
For Donate Life California, #GivingTuesday aims to inspire a surge of sign-ups on California’s organ and tissue donor registry, generate funds to support statewide education and outreach programs, and to create a heightened awareness for how giving the gift of life saves and improves lives. Right now, more than 120,000 Americans are waiting for life-saving organ transplants; more than 21,000 live in California.
“Last year, more than 28,000 Americans and their families gave thanks to organ donor heroes and their families who saved their lives because they chose to give the gift of life,” said Charlene Zettel, CEO of Donate Life California. “But more than 120,000 Americans still need life-saving organ transplants and the list keeps growing. By supporting Donate Life California on #GivingTuesday, you are helping us save lives, keep families healthy and create a healthier community, country and world.”
There are several ways to support Donate Life California on #GivingTuesday:
– Reserve a Pink Dot Plate for your car or reserve one as a gift for a loved one for the holidays. The Pink Dot License Plate is the perfect way to honor organ and tissue donors and recipients and to promote organ, eye and tissue donation. Proceeds will help support Donate Life California’s education and outreach efforts.
– Make a direct contribution to Donate Life California. Your gift goes towards fulfilling our mission to save lives by inspiring people to sign up with the state organ and tissue donor registry.
– If you haven’t already, register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. For Donate Life registries in other states, go to www.donatelife.net.
– Start an eCampaign to encourage your friends and family to register as organ, eye and tissue donors.
– Share the opportunity to give the Gift of Life by sharing this link – http://bit.ly/I5xOr9#sthash.TOqfgEBL.dpuf – with your friends and family. Post it on Facebook, Twitter, your personal blog – or wherever you know it’ll be seen. The Gift of Life is a gift that keeps on giving!
About Donate Life California:
The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ, eye and tissue donor registry, which records the decision to donate in a confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: Donor Network West , Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. As a state-authorized public service, the registry assures that all personal information is kept confidential and stored in a secure database, accessible only to authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel.
Fast Facts from Donate Life California:
– One in five on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list lives in California.
– Last year, nearly 1,100 people died in our state waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
– All major religions support or permit organ, eye and tissue donation.
– Anyone can register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor regardless of age, ethnicity or medical history.
Please visit Donate Life California’s Stories of Hope web page to read inspiring stories about organ and tissue donors and recipients from around the state.
About #GivingTuesday:
#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give. It will culminate with a global day of giving on December 3, 2013. This effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners, charities, families, businesses and individuals to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a global movement that is dedicated to giving around the world. A team of recognized experts and influencers, initially convened by leaders of 92nd Street Y and supported by a core group of founding partners, originally spearheaded this effort. Founding partners in 2012 included United Nations Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, Mashable, Blackbaud, charity: water, GlobalGiving, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Kiva, Darden Restaurant Group, Groupon, Unilever and VentureThree Capital. Leaders in philanthropy, social media, innovative giving, grassroots organizing, marketing and communications are providing counsel and resources to help build this movement.
To learn more about #GivingTuesday, participants and activities or to join the celebration of giving, please visit:
High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.
