For Immediate Release                                                             

August 20, 2008

Contact: 

Dawn Hall

1-800-200-2672

dhall@carolinadonorservices.org

Carolina Donor Services Receives Award from the

United States Army

Carolina Donor Services was the first organ procurement organization in the country to be recognized by the United States Army for contributing more organs than any other organization through the Military Share Program since 2002. Lt. Col. Edward Falta, M.D., who is Chief of the Walter Reed Medical Army Center Organ Transplant Service, presented the award to Carolina Donor Services on August 22, 2008.

The Military Share Program allows the families of those soldiers who are organ donors to designate one of their kidneys to go to someone on the military's transplant list at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Share Program serves all branches of the military.

"We have a number of patients on active duty who develop renal disease during the course of their military career," said Lt. Col. Falta. "They get transitioned to the V.A., but we still keep them listed. So our beneficiaries really reach out across the United States, the whole country, overseas on several occasions."

"It's a way for the military community across the country to take care of itself," Lt. Col. Falta said. "It means a lot to us and our families."

Carolina Donor Services’ CEO and President, Lloyd Jordan, was honored to accept the commendation. “We, like all Americans, are indebted to the men and women who are either serving or have served in our military. The Military Share Program is consistent with our mission to save and improve lives by increasing organ and tissue donation,” said Mr. Jordan. He went on to say, “Carolina Donor Services will continue to support the Military Share Program in an effort to aid our great nation’s male and female Soldiers, Airmen, Seamen, and their beneficiaries in need of transplantation.”

About Carolina Donor Services

Carolina Donor Services is the federally-designated, non-profit organ and tissue donation organization serving 6.1 million people in 78 counties of North Carolina and Danville, Virginia.  Carolina Donor Services maximizes the passing of the heroic gift of life from one human being to another through organ and tissue donation.  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.  For more information, visit www.carolinadonorservices.org; call 1-800-200-2672 or write 3621 Lyckan Parkway, Durham, NC 27707.

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