Every day, Mid-America Transplant works toward a brighter future where organs and tissues are always available to those in need. The month of April brings a special opportunity to amplify the importance of donor registration and increase community engagement in our mission. During this Donate Life Month, we took to the streets, the stands and the studios to celebrate donor heroes and encourage others to give the gift of life.

Special events throughout Donate Life Month 2023 helped inspire 218 generous individuals to register to share the gift of life:

• Witnessing more than 600 family members and friends honor their loved ones’ legacies in the Walk of Honor around the St. Louis Cardinals field.
• Partnering with the St. Louis Cardinals, Springfield Cardinals, and Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) Athletics to host Donate Life games, and hearing incredible stories of impact over the loudspeakers as donor families and recipients threw out first pitches.
• Breaking ground on a donor memorial at SEMO’s River Campus, serving as a place of remembrance for those in southeast Missouri who have given the gift of life and an inspiration for others to choose donation. 
• Celebrating donor heroes and their families in Jefferson City, as well as marking Missouri’s first Donate Life Day at the Capitol.
• Honoring the generosity of donor and sharing the impact of donation through dozens of flag ceremonies and other events with our hospital and funeral home partners.
• Working with TV, radio and newspaper reporters whose passion for telling stories of donation allowed us to reach hundreds of thousands of people.
• Introducing new emergency vehicles and trained drivers who quickly and safely transport lifesaving organs and serve as a mobile reminder that a miracle in progress.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped demonstrate the lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation during Donate Life month and all year-round: our donor families and recipients, who know firsthand the hope and healing that comes from donation; our hospital partners, who are on the frontlines caring for patients and making transplants possible; our community partners, who support donor heroes’ choice to share the gift of life; and our staff, who come to work every day and night to make miracles happen. We hope that Donate Life Month inspired many others to say yes and one day give the gift of life.

Diane Brockmeier, president and CEO of Mid-America Transplant, recently announced her plans to retire in early 2023. Known for her passion, talented leadership, and unwavering commitment to the mission of lifesaving organ donation, Diane has grown Mid-America Transplant to become one of the most respected organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the nation.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve alongside our exceptional board members, wonderfully talented leadership team, our dedicated staff, and our hospital partners over the decades,” Diane said. “We’ve accomplished so much together, working tirelessly every day to ensure that last wishes become lifesaving gifts and reduce barriers for transplant patients. Never could I have imagined all the progress we have made and the many lives we’ve saved.”

Diane joined Mid-America Transplant in 1986 as an organ procurement coordinator, then served in clinical and operational leadership roles until her appointment to president and CEO in 2016. Since taking the helm, the organization has achieved record-breaking numbers of donations, increasing the number of lives saved and healed through organ and tissue donation.

Innovating to Save Lives

Diane believes that when lives are at stake, innovation isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s essential. She was the driving force behind the design and operation of the first on-site surgical suite for organ and tissue recovery in the country, which recently reached a milestone of 2,500 organ donor heroes and 30,000 tissue donor heroes.

She also was responsible for operationalizing the Malcolm Baldrige criteria for performance excellence to improve clinical processes and business operations. These transformations led to a 167% increase in organs transplanted and 385% increase in tissue donors from the beginning of the Baldrige journey in 2005 to 2020. 

“Diane’s passion for the lifesaving mission of Mid-America Transplant and her unwavering stewardship have elevated the organization to a place of strength and service recognized throughout our community and the transplant industry,” said Richard Bucholz, MD, Governing Board Chair of Mid-America Transplant. “She has been an extraordinary leader and mentor to her team, a staunch advocate for organ and tissue donation, and a champion for patients and families in need of these lifesaving gifts.”

Diane has coached other OPOs along their own Baldrige journeys and served the larger industry as the president of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). In addition, she has become a national voice for organ and tissue transplant, advocating for higher standards and continual improvement among legislators and within the OPO industry.

Serving with Compassion

Diane exemplifies our core values of compassion and stewardship daily as she demonstrates how to answer the call to care for donor families and transplant recipients. She has spearheaded several programs that honor donor legacies, including:

• Enhancing Mid-America Transplant’s partnerships with grief support organizations, providing healing to those generous families who said yes to donation.
• Creating the first ever Family House in 2013, a low and no-cost housing option for transplant patients and their families as they receive care in St. Louis.
• Designing and constructing a new, expanded Family House, doubling the capacity to serve as a home-away-from home for patients and families.

The Mid-America Transplant board has convened a search committee and retained WittKieffer, an executive search firm with both OPO and healthcare experience, to conduct the search for the next president and CEO. In the meantime, the board will work closely with Diane to oversee a smooth transition of leadership in preparation for her retirement.

We are grateful to Diane for her dedication, leadership and impact on Mid-America Transplant, our community and the many individuals and families who’ve been the recipients of organ and tissue donation.

Every day, Mid-America Transplant stewards the lifesaving gift of organs from donor heroes to grateful recipients. This is a time-sensitive and intricate process that requires precise logistical coordination with medical teams and the use of multiple modes of transportation across hundreds of miles.

When transporting the precious gift of lungs from Chicago to St. Louis recently, our mission became a race against time, with inclement weather creating a challenge completely beyond human control. While the result was a successful transplant, it might not have been possible without the heroic act of a Southwest Airlines captain and flight crew who made the difference by going above and beyond to help our team.

As Organ Recovery Coordinator at Mid-America Transplant, Alex Benton works with surgical teams from Transplant Centers to assist in the surgical recovery of organs. Once recovered, Benton secures the organ for transport following all clinical standards and national policies to ensure it arrives at its destination.

Benton assisted a St. Louis-based surgical team who was recovering a set of lungs in Chicago. Benton and the surgical team were en route to Midway airport when they were notified that their chartered aircraft was grounded due to inclement weather. Knowing time was of the essence, Benton and another member of the surgical team immediately began exploring other options. They found a direct flight on Southwest Airlines that was leaving in less than an hour.

Benton and an accompanying surgeon quickly purchased tickets and navigated the TSA screening process – only to arrive at the gate after boarding was completed and the airplane’s door had been closed. Benton was adamant that the lungs needed to be in St. Louis immediately. “You’re just in that moment and you know that you have a certain amount of time . . .,” she said. The gate agent informed Benton that only the captain could open the door. Benton asked the gate agent to make this call. Upon hearing the situation, the captain opened the door without hesitation so the medical team could board the plane.

Once in the air, the captain alerted St. Louis Lambert International Airport to the situation, and the airport cleared the runways so the plane could land as soon as possible.

Upon landing, the captain asked everyone to remain seated, saying, “The Mid-America Transplant team needs to exit first to do something magical.” The airport staff escorted them quickly through the airport to the waiting ambulance, which successfully delivered the lungs to the hospital in time to be transplanted. Thanks to the actions of everyone involved, a waiting patient received a second chance at life.

Stewards of a Lifesaving Gift

Our employees live our mission every day. This story is an example of how the amazing team at Mid-America Transplant doesn’t let challenges or obstacles stop them from doing everything they can to save a life. It’s also an example of how much collaboration is needed, from our staff to hospital teams to transportation, to make each lifesaving gift a reality.

The Southwest captain and crew, Lambert staff and others went above and beyond to make it possible for our team to transport this healthy set of lungs. Sometimes obstacles hinder or even prevent a transplant from being completed on time, but with the support of these heroes, this story has a happy ending with a successful transplant.

For families, this demonstrates what we mean when we say we are stewards of the lifesaving gift you and your loved ones provided. Our team will do everything in their power to bring donor families and transplant patients hope and healing, and to honor our donors’ legacies.

Mid-America Transplant and the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research (LEITR) are excited to announce a strategic partnership that will expand innovations to provide more patients the Gift of Sight. This is a first of its kind partnership for Mid-America Transplant and will build a close collaboration between Mid-America Transplant’s Eye Bank and LEITR, the world’s largest combined nonprofit provider of ocular tissues for transplant and ocular science research.

“We have a commitment to our donors and their families to honor their gift, and part of that means using the most advanced techniques, so cornea transplants are most successful,” said Diane Brockmeier, President and CEO of Mid-America Transplant. “LEITR is truly leading the way in ocular tissue technologies, and we look forward to this unique partnership to ensure insights and innovations provide patients in our region and beyond the ability to see all the moments that make life special.”

Through this new partnership, LEITR will share existing and future clinical developments and training that support cornea transplantation and improve clinical outcomes, as well as maximize distribution domestically and internationally. In exchange, Mid-America Transplant’s Eye Bank will partner with LEITR to process tissues utilizing the latest techniques and provide LEITR corneas for transplant. Together, they will promote the most advanced technologies in ocular tissue processing for ophthalmologists and their patients in the U.S. and across the globe.

“The Lions Eye Institute’s vision is simple – to help others see. Our mission is to improve visual outcomes and quality of life for those who are blind or visually impaired through innovative ocular endeavors,” said Jason Woody, President and CEO of Lions Eye Institute. “Mid-America Transplant is one of the premier organ, tissue and eye bank operations in the country and our partnership will enable both organizations to more readily fulfill both our missions.”

About Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research

The Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, Inc., (LEITR) is a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to the recovery, evaluation and distribution of eye tissue for transplantation, research and education. LEITR’s Eye Bank, located in Tampa, Fla., is one of the largest combined eye bank and ocular research centers in the world. Since its inception, it has brought the “Gift of Sight” to more than 130,000 men, women and children worldwide. For more information, visit www.lionseyeinstitute.org.

About Mid-America Transplant

Mid-America Transplant enables adults and children to receive lifesaving gifts through organ and tissue donations. For more than 40 years, it has facilitated and coordinated organ, tissue, and eye donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, recipients and families, and transforms the clinical processes required to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant was the first such organization in the U.S. to use an in-house operating room for organ recovery and pioneered innovative models of increasing donor registry enrollment in an effort to provide organs and tissues to those in need. It is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.

Record Year for Organ and Tissue Donations Saves Hundreds of Lives

In what has been the most challenging year in public health in a century, there is still hope. Thanks to continued clinical innovation and partnership, and the generosity of donors and their families, Mid-America Transplant achieved a record-breaking year for organ and tissue donations. In total, 278 organ donors and 2,424 tissue donors throughout eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas provided lifesaving gifts in 2020.

“This has been an unprecedented year in so many ways, but I believe those challenges also shine a light on the heroes among us – from our hospital partners working the frontlines to the families who, in a time of immense grief, are able to bring so much hope to others,” said Diane Brockmeier, CEO of Mid-America Transplant. “More families than ever before made that courageous choice to donate their loved one’s organs and tissues, and because of that, thousands of lives have been forever changed. It’s truly the most powerful legacy we can give them.”

Clinical innovation continues to fuel organ recovery improvements. A state-of-the-art 64-slice CT scanner and new Panther system at Mid-America Transplant’s on-site recovery facility provides the information transplant surgeons need to make fast, informed decisions, to ensure that all viable organs get placed. Mid-America Transplant also continued to pursue non-traditional opportunities for donation, so more people were eligible to donate. For example, when a patient suffers an irreversible injury and the family decides to withdraw clinical support, donation after cardiac circulatory (DCD) becomes an option. In 2020, Mid-America Transplant saw a record 102 DCD donors who went on to provide 200 lifesaving organs for transplant.

2020 donations by the numbers:

• 815 organs were transplanted from 278 donors, providing recipients with renewed hope and a second chance at life.
• 415 kidneys, 182 livers and 69 hearts were donated, each an all-time high for Mid-America Transplant. Donations also include 121 lungs, 25 pancreases and 3 intestines.
• 181,800 people received tissue from 2,424 donors, including bone, skin, heart valve and veins.
• 908 corneas enabled vision-saving transplants.
• 86 recipients received grants from Mid-America Transplant, helping to support them and their families during their transplant process.
• 40 recipients and family members stayed at our Family House, which provides low- or no-cost long-term housing for those who must relocate to St. Louis for lifesaving transplant care.

Read more about Mid-America Transplant’s work and its donors’ lasting legacies in the 2020 Impact Report.

About Mid-America Transplant

Mid-America Transplant enables adults and children to receive lifesaving gifts through organ and tissue donations. For more than 40 years, it has facilitated and coordinated organ and tissue donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, recipients and families, and transforms the clinical processes required to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant was the first such organization in the U.S. to use an in-house operating room for organ recovery and pioneered innovative models of increasing donor registry enrollment in an effort to provide organs and tissues to those in need. It is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.

ST. LOUIS (April 23, 2021) – More patients waiting for and recovering from organ transplants will have a place to stay, thanks to a new, expanded Family House. Today, Mid-America Transplant’s Foundation broke ground for the new 34,000-square-foot building, located in St. Louis. Construction will begin in April and the new Family House is expected to open next March, replacing Mid-America Transplant’s existing Family House in the Highlands at Forest Park apartment complex.

“Many patients come to St. Louis for world-class medical care, but it can take months to receive and recover from a lifesaving transplant, and finding a comfortable, affordable long-term place to stay is a real challenge for families,” said Nesa Joseph, Foundation board chair at Mid-America Transplant. “At Family House, families can stay together during this period and focus on what matters most – the health and recovery of the patient.”

The new Family House will be in close proximity to St. Louis’ four major transplant centers: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.

The $10.5 million project will be completed entirely by local contractors, architects and designers. The new Family House will feature 21 apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms, and each will have a private kitchen, bathroom, and washer and dryer. Other amenities will include wireless internet, cable TV and a community room. The vibrant neighborhood also will provide patients and their families with access to restaurants and Forest Park attractions, including a free zoo and museums.

“Family House enabled us to live together as a family with Liam’s brothers – in fact, we brought our newborn son home to Family House,” said Laramy Gregory of Poplar Bluff, whose son Liam received a heart transplant at two-years-old. “It became not just a home but an extended family as we developed a close support system with the other transplant families.”

Mid-America Transplant opened its first Family House in 2013. Since then, an average of 40 patients and their families have stayed at the Family House each year, and the average length of stay is 94 days.

“The Family House is an important part of our mission to be stewards of our donors’ lifesaving gifts,” said Diane Brockmeier, president and CEO at Mid-America Transplant. “By helping to make transplants as successful as possible, our donors’ legacies live on.”

April also marks Donate Life month, a reminder to choose organ donation to provide lifesaving gifts to others. Register to be an organ donor at www.SayYesGiveLife.org.

About Mid-America Transplant

Mid-America Transplant enables adults and children to receive lifesaving gifts through organ and tissue donations. For more than 40 years, it has facilitated and coordinated organ and tissue donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, recipients and families, and transforms the clinical processes required to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant was the first such organization in the U.S. to use an in-house operating room for organ recovery and pioneered innovative models of increasing donor registry enrollment in an effort to provide organs and tissues to those in need. It is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.

ST. LOUIS (April 28, 2021) – Today, St. Bernards Medical Center dedicated a new sculpture in memory of those who have donated lifesaving organs and tissue to patients in need. The sculpture, which features a boy raising a candle in remembrance, is a gift from Mid-America Transplant, the organ procurement organization that oversees donations in northeast Arkansas.

“Families that choose donation for their loved ones are making a heroic decision that truly saves someone’s life, and it often brings them a sense of peace knowing that their loved one’s legacy lives on,” said Diane Brockmeier, president and CEO at Mid-America Transplant. “This sculpture gives families and all those at St. Bernards an opportunity to honor their memory.”

The bas-relief sculpture—a sculpture technique where figures and other design elements slightly protrude from the flat background—was created by Don Wiegand, a world-renowned sculptor based in St. Louis. Wiegand’s artwork is on display in such notable locations as the Vatican, the White House, the J.F. Kennedy Library in Boston and the Museo de America in Spain, as well as in more than 500 private collections. His subjects include Winston Churchill, Pope Francis, George H.W. and Barbara Bush and Bob Hope. He also created the donor memorial located outside Mid-America Transplant’s headquarters in St. Louis.

A total of 84 individuals from the northeast Arkansas area became organ or tissue donors in 2020. Approximately half of those came from St. Bernards Medical Center.

“The greatest gift that we, as healthcare providers, can give is life and healing,” said Michael Givens, St. Bernards Medical Center Administrator. “Sometimes that gift relies upon the sacrificial kindness of organ and tissue donors, and this memorial reminds us all of their selfless donations. Lastly, for the families who have helped us with this process, we pray it honors their loved ones, serving as an open space where they can heal, too.”

Visitors can see the memorial in the Prayer Garden at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, adjacent to the Chapel and Emergency Department.

April marks Donate Life month, a reminder to choose organ donation to provide lifesaving gifts to others. Register to be a donor at SayYesGiveLife.org

About Mid-America Transplant

Mid-America Transplant enables adults and children to receive lifesaving gifts through organ and tissue donations. For more than 40 years, it has facilitated and coordinated organ and tissue donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, recipients and families, and transforms the clinical processes required to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant was the first such organization in the U.S. to use an in-house operating room for organ recovery and pioneered innovative models of increasing donor registry enrollment in an effort to provide organs and tissues to those in need. It is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.

About St. Bernards Healthcare

St. Bernards Healthcare, a non-profit healthcare system based in Northeast Arkansas, serves as the corporate parent of a number of healthcare entities, including the largest hospital in the region, St. Bernards Medical Center, a 440-bed acute care hospital that serves as a regional referral center for 23 counties in Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. It is the only Level III Trauma Center in the region, houses the only Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the eastern part of Arkansas and has served as the trusted provider of comprehensive, compassionate healthcare services for more than 120 years. For more information, please visit stbernards.info or call the St. Bernards Healthline at 870.207.7300.

ST. LOUIS (April 26, 2021) – Today, Mercy Hospital Springfield dedicated the Gift of Life Family Room, a gift from the Mid-America Transplant Foundation, the organ procurement organization that serves southwest Missouri. The Gift of Life Family Room offers privacy and comfort for families who have made the heroic decision to donate their loved one’s organs and tissues.

This is the second Gift of Life Family Room supporting families in southwest Missouri. An identical room, the Robert Bezanson Gift of Life Family Room, was dedicated and opened at Cox Medical Center South in October 2019. Both rooms, include a table and chairs, couches, and a small kitchen area, all designed to provide comfort and privacy for families.

“Often, families who lose a loved one remain at the hospital for several days and this emotional time can be exhausting,” said Jay Guffey, Mid-America Transplant Foundation board member and a retired executive from Mercy Hospital Springfield. “We want to provide them with a quiet, comfortable place where they can rest and spend time together, away from the bustle of the rest of the hospital.”

“We are dedicated to carrying out the healing ministry of Jesus for the patients in our care as well as their families,” said Keith Schaefer, director of mission at Mercy Hospital Springfield. “The Gift of Life Family Room helps Mercy meet its mission of being a healing presence for families in the midst organ donation decisions.”

In 2020, 46 individuals in southwest Missouri gave the gift of life through organ donation. Through their selfless act, 145 transplants took place. Another 330 people in southwest Missouri donated tissues in 2020, which will save and heal the lives of thousands of people.  

“As one of the major Level I trauma centers for the region, Mercy frequently serves patients and families who have traveled from a few hours away to receive care,” said Dr. Vikram Balakumar, a critical care physician at Mercy Hospital Springfield and a Mid-America Transplant board member. “This space will be especially important for those families who must stay at the hospital for many hours because they have nowhere else to go.”

In addition to the Gift of Life Family Room, Mid-America Transplant Foundation has committed to donate $100,000 over five years to Mercy Hospital Springfield and to Cox Medical Center South to support clinical initiatives that provide the best quality of care for people in southwest Missouri.

“The Gift of Life Family Room has been a valuable resource for our medical center as we support families and honor those who chose to save the lives of others through organ and tissue donation,” said Dr. Tim Woods, a trauma surgeon at Cox Medical Center South and a Mid-America Transplant board member. “Each year, we are humbled by the number of individuals who build a legacy of life through the selfless act of donation.”

“Since opening the Gift of Life Family Room at Cox Medical Center South in 2019, we’ve been able to provide comfort to many families who chose donation,” said Ron Prenger, executive vice president and COO at CoxHealth System and a Mid-America Transplant board member. “People in southwest Missouri have shown their generous spirit time and again, and we look forward to providing this same service for families who say yes to donation at Mercy Hospital Springfield.”

The Gift of Life Family Room dedication at Mercy Hospital Springfield comes at the end of Donate Life month, a reminder to choose organ and tissue donation to provide lifesaving gifts to others. Register to be a donor at www.SayYesGiveLife.org.

About Mid-America Transplant

Mid-America Transplant enables adults and children to receive lifesaving gifts through organ and tissue donations. For more than 40 years, it has facilitated and coordinated organ and tissue donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, recipients and families, and transforms the clinical processes required to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant was the first such organization in the U.S. to use an in-house operating room for organ recovery and pioneered innovative models of increasing donor registry enrollment in an effort to provide organs and tissues to those in need. It is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.

Mid-America Transplant’s Family House is growing. Plans are underway for a new 34,000-square-foot building in St. Louis City, which will provide double the capacity of the existing Family House. Funded by the Mid-America Transplant Foundation, the Family House has been an integral part of minimizing the burdens that patients and families face while awaiting or recovering from a lifesaving transplant.

“When an organ becomes available, there is only a short window of time in which it can be transplanted – and for patients from outside St. Louis, there weren’t many options for comfortable, affordable long-term housing where they could wait for that call,” said Nesa Joseph, Foundation board chair at Mid-America Transplant. “The Mid-America Transplant Family House provides these families with a home here in St. Louis, so as soon as an organ becomes available, they can quickly get to the hospital to receive it.”

Located in Dogtown, the new Family House will be in close proximity to St. Louis’ four major transplant centers: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.

An average of 40 patients and their families stay at the existing Family House each year, and the average length of stay is 94 days. The Family House provides a far more affordable housing option than hotels or rental properties. Standard rates range from $15 to $25 per day and reduced rates are available for eligible families. It is also staffed by Mid-America Transplant employees, who provide added support to families during their transplant journey.

“Our patients come from all over the country and often need to stay in St. Louis for extended periods of time while they wait for a lifesaving transplant, so we are grateful to be able to connect them to the Family House,” said Gene Ridolfi, transplant administrator at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “Not only is it a home for their family, but it’s also a place to connect with other families also undergoing the difficult wait. Those connections bring our patients hope, comfort and healing, and I’m glad that the new Family House will be able to provide this support to even more patients.”

The new Family House will feature 21 apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms, and each will have a private kitchen, bathroom, and washer and dryer. Other amenities include wireless internet, cable TV and a fitness center. It will be located in a vibrant neighborhood with access to restaurants and Forest Park attractions, including a free zoo and museums.

“The Family House is an important part of our mission to be stewards of our donors’ lifesaving gifts,” said Diane Brockmeier, president and CEO at Mid-America Transplant. “We’re helping to ensure that when an organ becomes available, the patient is ready to receive it, and can remain close-by for ongoing care following their transplant. Through these successful transplants, our donors’ legacies live on.”

To learn more about the Family House, refer a patient or apply to stay, visit midamericatransplant.org/our-foundation/family-house.

About Mid-America Transplant

Mid-America Transplant enables adults and children to receive lifesaving gifts through organ and tissue donations. For more than 40 years, it has facilitated and coordinated organ and tissue donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, recipients and families, and transforms the clinical processes required to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant was the first such organization in the U.S. to use an in-house operating room for organ recovery and pioneered innovative models of increasing donor registry enrollment in an effort to provide organs and tissues to those in need. It is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.

A diverse panel of experts, community leaders, and transplant recipients provided insight into the impact and importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation Saturday during a Facebook Live Townhall sponsored by Mid-America Transplant. Hosted by Illinois State Senator Chris Belt and Illinois State Representative Latoya Greenwood, the event was designed to bring heightened awareness to donation and transplants in multicultural communities as part of National Minority Donor Awareness Month.

Click the image below to watch the Townhall.

Panelists for the event included:

• Sen. Belt, D-Centreville, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus chair for the Illinois State Senate, who shared his personal testimony as a kidney recipient through Barnes-Jewish Hospital;
• Rep. Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, who spoke about the role of legislators in ensuring education and resources are available to the community;
• Dr. Will Ross, Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, who spoke about the challenges to donation in multicultural communities and the disproportionate need for transplants in multicultural communities;
• Dr. Henry Randall, Division Chief, Surgical Director, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital’s Abdominal Transplant Center, who shared about the importance of donation and myths about donation held by multicultural communities;  
• Pastor Ron A. Young of the Impact Church St. Louis, headquartered in East St. Louis; who provided a spiritual perspective on organ and tissue donation;  
• Nikki Love-McIntyre, a volunteer with Mid-America Transplant, who told her personal testimony as a kidney and pancreas recipient though SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital;
• Connie Boatman, Director of Organ/Tissue Donor Program, Life Goes On, for the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, who shared statistics about donation in multicultural communities and programs offered through the program to increase education and registrations. 

National Minority Donor Awareness Month, observed during the month of August, is a collaborative initiative of the National Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Multicultural Action Group to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ donation.

While organs are not matched according to race/ethnicity, and often people from different race/ethnicities are matched with one another, organ recipients will fare better in receiving a match from someone with the same race/ethnicity as them and having this option is important for their survival. Minority donor awareness is critical because compatible blood types and tissue markers—critical qualities for donor/recipient matching—are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnicity or race.

Mid-America Transplant proudly sponsored the virtual event to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation in support of more than 1,000 people in the region waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Nearly 40 percent of the wait list in the St. Louis region consists of patients of multicultural backgrounds.

The virtual event was part of Mid-America Transplant’s continued commitment to educating the community about organ and tissue donation. Register your decision to be an organ and tissue donor today!

About Mid-America Transplant
For 45 years, Mid-America Transplant has facilitated and coordinated organ and tissue donation, and now serves 84 counties covering eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas that together are home to 4.7 million people. It saves lives by providing expert and compassionate care for organ donors, donor families, and recipients. Through innovation and process improvements, the organization transformed the clinical processes to recover and transplant organs and tissues. Mid-America Transplant is federally designated as one of 58 such organizations in the U.S., and is the first organ and tissue procurement organization to be recognized as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. For more information, visit www.midamericatransplant.org.