26 Oct

For many, the organ and tissue donation process may be one they are completely unfamiliar with, even if they are registered donors. Many misunderstandings and myths about how organs and tissue are recovered have been shared throughout social media and even been perpetrated on television for several decades. Today, we want to give you a quick rundown on how the process actually works.

Registering as a Donor

The first step is registering to be an organ and tissue donor! For decades, Donate Life California has worked with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to register donors throughout the state. Anyone can register as a donor at the DMV when they go in to apply for or renew a California Driver’s License or identification card.

On your license or ID application or renewal form, you will be asked if you would like to be registered as an organ or tissue donor. Simply check the box marked “YES! I want to be an organ, eye and tissue donor” and you will be put on the Donate Life California Donor Registry. Additionally, if you don’t find yourself at a DMV anytime soon and want to register as a donor at your own convenience, you can register on our website here.

You also have the ability to remove yourself from the registry at any point by contacting Donate Life California.

The Organ Donation Process

One of the most common myths out there regarding organ donation is that emergency medical personnel will not attempt to save your life if they see you are an organ and tissue donor. This is false. Whether someone is in a hospital or at the scene of an accident, every effort is made to save your life. Organ donation is not even discussed during these life-saving procedures. Medical professionals, such as doctors, have taken oaths to do no harm and that includes placing anything, including donation, above saving a patient’s life.

Only after all lifesaving procedures have been exhausted does the next step in the process take place – the referral of a potential donor. This only happens when an individual is declared brain dead by two different doctors unrelated to the transplant process. Alternatively, the referral process can also begin when the family of the deceased takes them off mechanical support. Only then do hospitals refer the patient to the local organ procurement organization (OPO) to begin a conversation about donation.

After a potential donor is referred, medical staff from the OPO begin to evaluate the deceased to determine if they are a suitable candidate for donation. Once this review is completed, the OPO staff will speak to the family if the deceased individual is eligible to be a donor.

Once the potential donor has been evaluated, the family is then notified if their loved one had registered to be an organ donor. If no decision had been made beforehand, the individual’s family then decides whether to move forward with the donation process or not. We always recommend sharing your decision on donation with your family so that they are aware of your wishes.

It is at this point, once consent is granted by the donor’s family or by the individual through the Donate Life California Registry, that the organ and tissue recovery can take place. The donor’s family is given a chance to say goodbye to their loved one and any additional testing would also occur at this step. When any organs and tissue are then recovered, the United Network for Organ Sharing finds a suitable match for someone on the organ and tissue transplant waiting list.

After the recovery procedure is finished, the OPO returns the body to the family. The donor’s family can then proceed with any funeral arrangement they had planned, be it open casket or cremation. Our OPOs will ensure that the organ and tissue recovery process will not interfere with your after-death plans.

We hope that this has been informative enough and cleared up any questions you may have had about the organ donation process! If you have any additional questions, please visit our website at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org for additional information.

19 Oct

By
Jim Martin

in
CEO Blog Legislative Updates

End of Session Edition – Donate Life California Legislative Update

At the end of last month, California’s 2017 – 2018 Legislative Session officially came to a close. The Legislature itself adjourned session on August 31st and Governor Brown met his deadline to sign or veto bills on September 30th, marking the end of session. In the end, 1,016 bills were signed by the Governor and will become law. This includes two of Donate Life California’s sponsored bills.

We were lucky to have the opportunity to work with a variety of Donate Life champions in the legislature whether it was running sponsored bills, introducing resolutions in support of Donate Life Month, or taking the time to meet personally with Ambassadors.

Overall, 2018 was a successful legislative year for Donate Life California and the donation community. Two of our sponsored bills will become law, all while our opposed bills died by the end of session.

A Successful End of Session

Starting with Assembly Bill 2096 (Frazier), Donate Life California was successful in our efforts to create a voluntary contribution fund on the state income tax form. This bill was signed into law by the Governor and will allow individuals to make donations to Donate Life when they file their individual California Tax Returns. We are so proud to have the confidence and support of Assemblyman Jim Frazier in making this happen and in maximizing opportunities to continue our good work educating Californians about organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Another important Donate Life effort this year was AB 3211 (Kalra) – which improves how Californians can designate themselves as organ, eye, and tissue donors on the Advanced Health Care Directive Template Form. This bill also goes into effect in 2019 and helps filers make informed decisions regarding their decision to become donors and clarifies conflicts with end of life care and donation.

Blocking Harmful Legislation

Over the year we worked with coalitions to stop legislation that could potentially have negative impacts on donation and transplantation. We work closely with California’s organ procurement organizations to advocate for donation and transplantation issues. Ensuring legislators are aware of any unintended consequences their bills may have.

This year we were able to stop this harmful legislation or gain amendments to avoid negative impacts.

Our Work Will Continue Next Year

Long before this legislative session, State Senator Cathleen Galgiani has been a Donate Life Champion and this year specifically helped us continue our close partnership with the California DMV. Senator Galgiani and her staff have been assisting Donate Life in refining the donation question asked on DMV Forms and applications.

It is important to ask the donation question in a clear and concise manner, without confusing registrants. All while providing the most comprehensive information about the important decision of becoming an organ, eye, and tissue donor. While Senate Bill 987 passed through the legislature with unanimous support, it was vetoed by the governor along will a variety of DMV related bills

We anticipate continuing to work with the Senator and our partners at the DMV to ensure these updates become a reality in the upcoming 2019 – 2020 Legislative Session.

Thank You to Our Champions

While not all of our legislative agenda was achieved by end of session, we made significant strides to improve how we ask individuals to become donors and will be increasing funding for education on organ, eye and tissue donation.

Additionally, we had the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of elected officials and their staff to continue to educate them on the issues facing the donation community.

We clearly have enjoyed the partnerships and leadership of our elected leaders and authors this year and thank them and their staff for a great year of support and hard work in making these bills and changes a reality for the Donate Life community.

12 Oct

By
Ruy Laredo

in
DMV Partnership Rose Parade

Meet Our 2018 Rose Parade Honoree

Each year, to thank the California Department of Motor Vehicles for their ongoing support of organ, eye and tissue donation, Donate Life California selects a Rose Parade Honoree who is a donor with ties to the DMV.

Our honoree is included on the annual Donate Life Rose Parade Float, which is sponsored by dozens of Donate Life related organizations from around the nation.

We’re happy to share with you that this year’s Rose Parade Honoree by Donate Life California will be tissue donor Steve Sepulveda, whose sister-in-law Adriana Murrufo-Burton works at the Pomona Field Office.

Honoring Our Heroes at the Rose Parade

Steve will be one of 44 donors honored on the 2019 Donate Life Rose Parade Float. The float’s theme, Rhythm of the Heart, honors music as the universal language that unites and heals people from different cultures and walks of life. Organ recipients, living donors and donor families will find this theme very close to their hearts.

This year marks the 16th year that the Donate Life Rose Parade Float continues its mission to save and heal lives by sharing the gift of life and delivering the message of organ, eye and tissue donation to the world. Families of deceased donors are honored to see their loved ones’ floral images highlighted as part of the float. Living donors and recipients bring the float to life by riding or walking beside the float. This year’s parade theme, The Melody of Life, celebrates the power of music – the universal language – in bringing us together.

The power of music can bring healing to donors and recipients alike, as well as hope to millions of people who will watch the Donate Life float on January 1, 2019, as it rides through the streets of Pasadena.

Learn About This Year’s Rose Parade Honoree

Steve Sepulveda was born January 10, 1969, in El Paso TX. He was raised in and lived in Los Angeles until his passing on July 7, 2013 at the age of 44. Steve was a great son, a wonderful father and an amazing husband. He left behind two daughters, his wife, his mother and two siblings.

As a kid, Steve had a lot of energy and loved to play sports. He played high school football and basketball and attended Humboldt University after graduating. Steve and his spouse were school friends while in elementary school and remained friends through high school. It wasn’t until after college that they began dating. He was married for 17 years and had two beautiful young daughters.

Steve lost his father in 1987 and became a support system for his younger sibling and mother. He enjoyed family time, golf, camping, taking his girls to the parks and pools, and dates with his wife.

Steve passed from an enlarged heart and his family likes to tell people “Steve had a big heart.” This showed in his decision to become a donor. He was the type of person that if you needed help with anything, he would do what he could to be of assistance in any way. Steve would feel comfort in knowing his donation helped others. His family knows he is no longer with them, but in a way, he is still part of this world.

Saying Thank You to Our DMV Partners

Over the past years, Donate Life California has honored a variety of DMV employees, family members, and others who gave the gift of life. The mission of organ, eye and tissue donation is close to the heart of DMV employees.

Each year, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles signs up hundreds of thousands of new registered organ, eye and tissue donors. In total, registrations by the DMV make up over 95% of the entire registry.

It is not exaggerating to say that we would not be able to do the life-saving work of organ, eye and tissue donation without our ongoing partnership with the California DMV.

Next time you are in the DMV take a quick second to say thank you to the DMV employees who are doing this work each day.

Join us in Honoring Steve and All Our Heroes on New Year’s Day!

We hope you’ll turn on the television and tune in on New Year’s morning to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. And keep your eye out for the Donate Life Rose Parade Float, our honoree Steve, and the many donors and recipients who will be celebrating the “Rhythm of the Heart.”