Chris Henry - Cincinnati Bengal's Player and Donor
On Thanksgiving Day CBS' pregame NFL show aired a story about Chris Henry, a former Cincinnati Bengal's player who saved four lives through organ donation. If you didn't see it, take a peek.
Carolina Donor Services Cheers on Three Heart Recipients
as they Compete in a Triathlon
Three heart transplant recipients from across the continent came together to compete in an iron distance triathlon in Wilmington, NC. Together, Brian Barndt (North Carolina), Mark R.W. Black (New Brunswick, Canada) and Kyle Garlett (California), formed the Tin Men Relay Team and competed in the PPD Beach2Battleship, an internationally recognized iron distance and half iron distance triathlon, on November 13, 2010. The relay team name is loosely based on the Tin Man character from the Wizard of Oz who just wanted a heart. These guys have received their hearts and wanted to use them, together they became the first all-heart transplant relay team to complete an Iron Distance triathlon race. They conquered the Beach2Battleship challenge in a time of 14:34, their motto: 3 Hearts, 2 Lungs, 1 Goal!
Carolina Donor Services Partners with Local Churches to
Celebrate National Donor Sabbath
Carolina Donor Services assembled and mailed upwards of 195 minister's packets and 27,000 bulletin inserts for this year’s National Donor Sabbath. The colorful inserts grabbed attention while explaining how to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor in North Carolina and exposing common myths regarding donation. Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, NC, held a reception to give parishioners an opportunity to ask questions and receive additional information. Local media in various communities reported the activities.
1st Annual Donor Family Picnic
On Saturday, October 16th, Carolina Donor Services hosted its first donor family picnic at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Over 300 donor family members and friends shared their day with our staff in a more informal gathering compared to other recognition events; families traveled upwards of two-and-a-half hours from all parts of the state, including Wilmington, Hickory, New Bern, Statesville and Roanoke Rapids. Several family members even flew in for the event to support their families here in North Carolina. This event may be the largest gathering of organ and tissue donor families in CDS’ history and perhaps even in our state!
At the museum families had the opportunity to explore the indoor and outdoor exhibits located on the museum grounds, enjoy lunch with other families and share their loved one’s stories with each other and us. Many brought their children and grandchildren, who were delighted to take in the lemurs, wolves, train ride and hands-on activities. Several families contributed quilt squares, which will be added to the squares already collected from the Celebration of Life ceremonies and quilted together for display at next April’s events. Gloria Brehm’s grandson, Justin Stewart, was an organ donor last year. When she first received the invitation, she was shocked to see the date coincide with her grandson’s birthday. “At first, I thought, 'No way. Oct. 16th is his birthday,'" Ms. Brehm wrote. "Then it came to me. What better way to celebrate Justin's life and the lives that continue because of him?" Ms. Brehm and her family were just one of the many people who made the event incredibly special for Carolina Donor Services, and most importantly, all of the donor families.
CANCELED: The Drive for Life: Liberty Mutual Invitational
Benefitting Carolina Donor Services
Due to unanticipated course damage at Mill Creek Golf and Country Club, the Drive for Life: Liberty Mutual Invitational benefitting Carolina Donor Services, which was scheduled to take place on October 4, 2010, has been canceled. The tournament will return in 2011. We would like to apologize for the cancellation and any inconvenience it may have caused you. We intend to make the 2011 tournament even more spectacular and hope you can join us then.
Players and sponsors who have already registered for this year’s tournament will be contacted to arrange a refund. Please contact Ashley Davis, Golf Tournament Coordinator at adavis@carolinadonorservices.org or (919) 489-8404 with any questions or concerns. We thank you for your continued support and interest.
Friends for Life Volunteers Honored at the Annual Banquet
On September 17, 2010, Carolina Donor Services recognized the hard work of our Friends for Life volunteers during an appreciation banquet at the RTP Hilton. Volunteers were greeted with words of appreciation by Carolina Donor Services’ Director of Communications Dawn Hall and Vice- President/Chief Operating Officer Danielle Niedfeldt, while other Carolina Donor Services’ management team members were present to offer support and thanks. Volunteers heard the touching story of keynote speaker Delores Benton Evans, a donor mother and kidney recipient. The event also featured Volunteer of the Year awards for each CDS region, along with a Donate Life Extra Effort award. It was a wonderful evening and a great way to truly express our gratitude to our volunteers who assist us in so many ways throughout the year. Carolina Donor Services is very fortunate and thankful to have such wonderful Friends for Life volunteers.
2010 awards winners are as follows: Volunteer of the Year – Eastern Region: Kathy Payne, Central Region: Mary Tucker, Western Region: The Hall Family (Terry, Sandi, Katie, Cornen, and Leslie Grace). Donate Life Extra Effort Award: Delores Benton Evans.
National Kidney Foundation
U.S. Transplant Games
Bringing together recipients, donor families, living donors, transplant professionals and supporters, the National Kidney Foundation hosted the U.S. Transplant Games July 30th through August 4th in Madison, Wisconsin. North Carolina resident and donor family member, Judi McCartney, and her daughter, Amanda Stickle, made the trek, sponsored by Carolina Donor Services, to cheer on Team Carolinas. Judi’s son and Amanda’s twin brother, Jacob DeGarmo, died in a car accident in 2002, at the age 19, and became a tissue donor.
This year marked the 20th anniversary for the Olympic-style competition that brings teams from across the country together to celebrate the second chance at life. Transplant athletes competed for gold, silver and bronze medals in 12 different sports, including track and field, swimming, tennis, basketball, cycling and golf. In addition to athletic competition, the Games featured special ceremonies honoring living organ donors and families of deceased organ donors. The Games also offered four days of special workshops for donor families, an educational program for professionals involved in transplantation, a special Celebrate Life Night and a Community 5K Run to promote organ and tissue donation.
Burn Awareness Week is February 7 though 13
Burn Awareness Week is designed to provide an opportunity for burn, fire and safetyeducators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities. Since the average adult has 21 square feet of skin—almost the size of a queen sized blanket-- it’s important to learn more about burn injuries and how they can be treated. Burn injuries are second to motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Each year in the United States, over one million burn injuries require medical attention. Approximately 4,500 people die from burn wounds. And up to 10,000 people die every year in the U.S. from burn-related infections. Donated skin is a tissue that not only improves lives, but saves lives. Skin grafts prevent infection, promote healing and reduce scarring for burn victims. Split-thickness skin grafts are grafts that include two skin layers of skin, the full epidermal skin layer and part of the dermal skin layer. They are recovered from the legs, back and abdomen.
Leading Causes of Fire
More than 55% of all home fires start with the ignition of food, or other cooking materials. Twelve percent occur when something that could catch fire was too close to the equipment. Many home cooking fire injuries happen when victims tried to fight the fire themselves. Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. The most common causes of product-related thermal burn injuries among children ages 14 and under are hair curlers, curling irons, room heaters, ovens and ranges, irons, gasoline, and fireworks. Most scald burns to children, especially small children between the ages of six months and two years, are caused by hot foods or liquids spilled in the kitchen, or other areas where food is prepared and served.
Fire Prevention
Burn accident statistics show that at least 50% of all burn accidents can be prevented. For example, one of every 13 structure fire deaths in the United States was caused by a child setting a fire. Children playing with fire account for more than one-third of preschool child deaths by fire. Wear short sleeves, or roll up long sleeves when cooking. Also, wear long oven mitts. When possible use back burners on the stove with the handles turned toward the back. If you have young children, teach them to stay away from the stove. Put tape on the floor so they can see where the “no-kid-zone” is. Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stovetop.
Share your love for others on Valentine’s Day by registering as a donor.
February 14th is not only Valentine’s Day but National Donor Day.
National Donor Day honors those who have donated organs, tissues, marrow and blood to save the lives of others through increasing awareness and encouraging Americans to make donations. Valentine’s Day is the day of love and donation is the gift of life. So on the day of love, give the gift of life, make February 14th, 2010 the day you join thousands of Americans in making the donation decision.
There is an overwhelming need for donors:
In North Carolina, over 3,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and nationally, over 105,000 people are on the organ waiting list. One person has the ability to save eight lives through organ donation and enhance more than 50 lives through tissue donation.
Approximately 35,000 children and adults in our country have life-threatening blood diseases that could be treated by a marrow/blood stem cell or cord blood transplant.
Every two seconds someone in America needs blood, more than 39,000 units each day, according to the American Red Cross.
To participate in National Donor Day, take part in one of these activities:
Register as an organ and eye donor by having a heart placed on your driver’s license at the DMV, or register as an organ, eye and tissue donor online at www.donatelifenc.org, or by completing a paper enrollment form and returning it to Donate Life North Carolina. Make sure your family knows your wishes.
Join the National Registry of potential volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors. Learn how you can donate your baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells at birth.
Donate blood.
Durham Woman Honored in 2010 Rose Parade
Delores Benton Evans of Durham, N.C., received son Ryan's left kidney the day after he died. "It is amazing that in life, he could not donate a kidney to me, but after his death it was possible," she said. Delores kept a personal promise by becoming an avid volunteer to increase organ, tissue and bone donations and advocate for kidney patients on dialysis.
Last July, Evans saw a flier at the hospital advertising an essay contest for people affected by organ transplant, and wrote her story. Her entry was one of five chosen nationally. The winners were treated to a six-day trip to Pasadena and a ride on the annual Donate Life float in the 2010 Rose Parade. "The reason we're in the parade is to inspire -- basically to inspire Americans to register as organ and tissue donors on their state registries," said Bryan Stewart, spokesman for OneLegacy, the California procurement agency that heads the Donate Life float effort. Evans did just that by riding aboard the float which featured a floragraph of her son, Ryan.
Three heart transplant recipients from across the continent came together to compete in an iron distance triathlon in Wilmington, NC. Together, Brian Barndt (North Carolina), Mark R.W. Black (New Brunswick, Canada) and Kyle Garlett (California), formed the Tin Men Relay Team and competed in the PPD Beach2Battleship, an internationally recognized iron distance and half iron distance triathlon, on November 13, 2010. The relay team name is loosely based on the Tin Man character from the Wizard of Oz who just wanted a heart. These guys have received their hearts and wanted to use them, together they became the first all-heart transplant relay team to complete an Iron Distance triathlon race. They conquered the Beach2Battleship challenge in a time of 14:34, their motto: 3 Hearts, 2 Lungs, 1 Goal!
On Saturday, October 16th, Carolina Donor Services hosted its first donor family picnic at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Over 300 donor family members and friends shared their day with our staff in a more informal gathering compared to other recognition events; families traveled upwards of two-and-a-half hours from all parts of the state, including Wilmington, Hickory, New Bern, Statesville and Roanoke Rapids. Several family members even flew in for the event to support their families here in North Carolina. This event may be the largest gathering of organ and tissue donor families in CDS’ history and perhaps even in our state!
located on the museum grounds, enjoy lunch with other families and share their loved one’s stories with each other and us. Many brought their children and grandchildren, who were delighted to take in the lemurs, wolves, train ride and hands-on activities. Several families contributed quilt squares, which will be added to the squares already collected from the Celebration of Life ceremonies and quilted together for display at next April’s events. Gloria Brehm’s grandson, Justin Stewart, was an organ donor last year. When she first received the invitation, she was shocked to see the date coincide with her grandson’s birthday. “At first, I thought, 'No way. Oct. 16th is his birthday,'" Ms. Brehm wrote. "Then it came to me. What better way to celebrate Justin's life and the lives that continue because of him?" Ms. Brehm and her family were just one of the many people who made the event incredibly special for Carolina Donor Services, and most importantly, all of the donor families.
Delores Benton Evans of Durham, N.C., received son Ryan's left kidney the day after he died. "It is amazing that in life, he could not donate a kidney to me, but after his death it was possible," she said. Delores kept a personal promise by becoming an avid volunteer to increase organ, tissue and bone donations and advocate for kidney patients on dialysis. 