These are unprecedented times. Every day we learn of new challenges the novel coronavirus is creating in our lives. While this pandemic is disrupting everyone’s daily lives, we know it is causing additional concern for those who have received a lifesaving organ transplant and the 112,000 Americans still on the national waiting list.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we are continuing our mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation. Our surgical suites are open and ready to facilitate the donation process. We are taking steps to make sure safe, viable organs are available for transplant because we know people are waiting, and we’re making sure we do this safely while following national, state and local guidelines. 

General Information
Our clinical team and hospital partners continue their tireless and inspiring efforts to save lives. Our Quality team is continually assessing the latest guidelines regarding risk assessment for potential donors. We remain committed to working every day to provide organ and tissue donation opportunities to donor families and recipients.

To achieve this, Mid-America Transplant adheres to the highest medical standards. We are following local, state and national infection prevention guidelines as we monitor COVID-19. This includes the screening and testing of potential donors.

At this point, a potential donor infected with COVID-19 is not able to donate organs or tissues. Our team is continually assessing the latest guidelines from the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, the United Network for Organ Sharing, the CDC and other medical professionals as it relates to transplants.    

Mid-America Transplant Offices Closed
To minimize the risk of exposure to our staff, the majority of our non-clinical teams are working from home for the majority of each week. This approach reduces contact among our non-clinical staff and reduces risk to our clinical teams who work in our facility to carry out our mission to save lives. 

At this time, our office in St. Louis is not accepting any visitors. If you need to contact us, please email info@midamericatransplant.org or call 314-735-8200.

In-Person Events to be Virtual or Postponed
Mid-America Transplant has moved some events to a virtual format. Other events have been postponed. Be sure to watch for updates on our website and social media channels. 

COVID-19 Information and Resources
As we continue to monitor this evolving situation, visit the CDC and your local state health department websites for up-to-date information. If you experience symptoms of COVID-19 and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, call your doctor for further instructions.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• Illinois Department of Public Health
• Arkansas Department of Health

We will continue to update this page as new information becomes available. Until then, stay safe, wash your hands, and be kind to one another. We’re all in this together.

Update July 2020

At Mid-America Transplant, we hold the health and safety of our employees, partners and everyone we serve as a top priority. As a precaution to the risks associated with the COVID-19 virus, the organization has decided to postpone all events planned by Mid-America Transplant through April 30. The decision to postpone events was considered carefully, balancing the risk of coronavirus and our desire to limit exposure for our donor families, recipients and their families, and our team.

While our events are cancelled, our clinical team and hospital partners will continue their tireless and inspiring efforts to save lives through organ and tissue donation. We are closely monitoring the situation per guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), other industry organizations, and our own medical experts. As always, the health and well-being of the donation and transplant community is our highest priority.

Over the next few weeks, we will reevaluate the situation to determine if our future schedule of events can be safely attended.  In the meantime, watch our social media outlets for our plans to celebrate National Donate Life Month “virtually” throughout the month of April.

Prevention
We encourage everyone to review the CDC recommendations for prevention, which are the same practices used to prevent the cold and flu. Click here for the CDC’s recommendation.

The CDC also lists symptoms for those with coronavirus. If you experience symptoms and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, call your doctor and/or your state’s coronavirus hotline for further instructions.

• Missouri hotline: 877-435-8411
• Illinois hotline: 800-889-3931

Mid-America Transplant is continually evaluating the risk of coronavirus and will provide updates as new developments related to organ and tissue donation occur.

St. Louis, Missouri (February 6, 2020) — In an exclusive and distinctive collaboration, SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis, Mid-America Transplant and the SSM Health Saint Louis University School of Medicine joined together to create a new endowed chair in honor of abdominal transplantation. This endowed chair made possible through a philanthropic gift from Mid-America Transplant will support the work of Krista Lentine, M.D., Ph.D. medical director of Living Donation and Co-Director of Clinical Research at the SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital Transplant Center. Dr. Lentine earned her medical degree and completed medicine residency, nephrology fellowship, and a master’s in epidemiology at Stanford University. She completed fellowship training in transplantation at Washington University and earned a Ph.D. in Health Services Research at Saint Louis University.

Over the years, Dr. Lentine has established a reputation as one of the country’s top medical experts in the field of transplantation. She has helped grow the transplant program at SSM Health SLU Hospital by advancing research in transplant data science, clinical epidemiology and health economics. Prospective observational work includes active projects in genetic risk assessment including a partnership with Mid-America Transplant as well as clinical trials. Dr. Lentine is actively involved in national and state advocacy initiatives for transplant donors and recipients.

An endowed chair is among the highest honor bestowed upon clinical scientists and gives outstanding researchers and clinicians the ability to pursue groundbreaking work that helps them develop better treatments and technology. “I am humbled by Mid-America Transplant’s generous gift that allows our team the ability to continue treating individuals living with transplant needs. This gift will ensure that patients receive the best treatment available and quality of life possible,” says Lentine.

Ms. Jane Beckman, a living donor for whom the endowed chair is named after, is a St. Louis native and Communications Director at the Saint Louis Crisis Nursey. Jane’s call to transform the lives of others through organ donation began when she read a newspaper article about a man who had donated a kidney to a stranger. Jane’s left kidney was safely removed and successfully transplanted into a patient on the waiting list on May 28, 2018. Since Jane’s surgery at SSM Health SLU Hospital, she has been a passionate advocate for organ transplantation.

SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis hosted a Celebration of Philanthropy event on Tuesday, February 4, recognizing the Mid-America Transplant Jane Beckman Endowed Chair gift made by Mid-America Transplant. President and CEO of Mid-America Transplant, Diane Brockmeier, shared that the organization is making this unprecedented gift with a responsibility and a privilege to honor the heroic and selfless gifts of organ and tissue donors. “We believe the most important way we can honor the heroic and selfless gifts of organ and tissue donors is through intentional stewardship of those gifts" she said. "We are honored to support  SSM Saint Louis University Hospital through the Mid-America Transplant/Jane Beckman Endowed Chair. This collaboration ensures that right here in our own community we have world class medical professionals like Dr. Lentine working each day to save more lives through organ donation and transplant care.”

The Transplant team at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital provides a full range of medical and surgical services for patients with end-stage renal disease and liver disease. With a long-standing history of medical excellence, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital provides compassionate and state-of-the-art care for patients with organ failure.

The ever-changing field of organ transplantation poses significant challenges and even greater opportunities when it comes to saving lives. The world-class transplant program directed by Henry Randall, M.D., Division Chief of Adult Abdominal Transplantation and Surgical Director of Liver Transplantation showcases the power of an academic health system. “When you have physicians working side-by-side with medical researchers and students, everyone benefits,” said Dr. Henry Randall, who serves on the Board for both SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis and Mid-America Transplant. “Our transplant program is a great example of a mission in action and I am so thankful for our amazing team and for Mid-America Transplant’s generous investment in our mission.” SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital’s Liver Transplant Program performed 112 transplants in 2019.

The gift made by Mid-America Transplant brings SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis closer to reaching its fundraising goal as part of the organization’s SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital campaign. The campaign supports the Mid-America Transplant Jane Beckman Endowed Chair in support of the Transplant Center at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and ensures Dr. Lentine has the resources to continue her innovative work.

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude to Diane Brockmeier and Mid-America Transplant,” says Paul Ross, president of SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis. “Endowments have the ability to leave a lasting legacy and this particular gift by Mid-America Transplant will certainly impact people throughout the state and beyond for a very long time.”

To learn more about giving options, supporting the SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital campaign, go to https://www.givetossmhealth.org/donate-slu-hospital/ or call 314-523-8044.

About SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis
SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis, launched in 2018, is a 501(c)3 courageously serving the needs of St. Louis, St. Charles and Metro East by seeking financial support for SSM Health hospitals in the region: SSM Health DePaul Hospital – St. Louis, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton, SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital – Lake Saint Louis, SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital – St. Charles, SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital – Wentzville, and SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – St. Louis. The Foundation supports vital patient-centered programs and campaigns to sustain the SSM Health mission, “through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God” providing benefactors with opportunities to turn their philanthropic investment into meaningful impact. For more information, visit givetossmhealth.org or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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, and transforms the clinical processes required 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. 

For patients and families awaiting transplant, every yes is critical. In 2019, Mid-America Transplant did more than ever before to increase the number of organs and tissues available for transplant. With an organization-wide commitment to excellence, we implemented process improvements to find new opportunities to increase donation throughout the year.

“As stewards of these gifts, we have a responsibility to do more every day, and to ensure that all suitable organs and tissues are available for transplant,” said Diane Brockmeier, President and CEO at Mid-America Transplant. “Patients, recipients, and families count on us to be the best we can be in every phase of the donation process, from speaking with potential donor families to procurement and providing aftercare support following the donation.”

This lifesaving work — and this remarkable year — are made possible by the incredible generosity of donors and their families. These heroes said yes to help others through gifts of organ and tissue, leaving legacies of life, love, and healing.

More Lives Saved than Ever Before
Last year, 2,504 generous donors in our service area made 761 organs – an increase of 21% over 2018 --and more than 165,000 tissues available for lifesaving transplants. Donors also shared gifts of cornea, resulting in 1,082 vision-saving transplants for patients near and far. These gifts represent new records for our organization, but more importantly, they leave a lasting impact on recipients and a heroic legacy for the families of donors.

Supporting Families in a Time of Loss
As stewards of lifesaving donations, and as a resource for hope and healing, we are called to support families when they need us most. Unfortunately, counseling, support groups, and other resources are not always readily available in our communities. In 2019, the Mid-America Transplant Foundation invested in five grief support centers across our service area to ensure that every family has somewhere to turn for support.

Supporting Courageous Patients & Recipients
Life on the waiting list brings its share of physical and emotional challenges, but it can also create financial challenges. In 2019, we welcomed 46 patients from 14 states to the Family House, our home away from home for families who need to be near a transplant center as they wait for a donation to become available. Our Foundation also awarded grants to help 115 patients through the recovery process.

Leading the Way to More Lives Saved
Year after year, our community inspires us to find new and innovative ways to address the national shortage in organs and tissues for transplant. In 2019, The Mid-America Transplant Foundation awarded nearly $1.2 million in research grants for studies seeking to improve the lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

Committed to Our Lifesaving Mission, Today and Tomorrow
Every year, we continue to innovate and improve, finding opportunities to do even more — for the patients awaiting transplant, for the families who selflessly share the gift of life, and for the communities we are so proud to serve.

We are inspired by the opportunity to save more lives in 2020. More than 1,200 people in the region and 113,000 nationwide continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant. Nearly 22 people die each day while waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and one person who donates their organs, tissue and corneas can save the lives of 75 people. 

“Our staff is determined to save the lives of the 1,200 people waiting for a transplant in our region, and they work every day to achieve our vision that organs and tissues are always available for those in need,” Brockmeier said. “Through the generosity of donors and their families, with strong partnerships with hospitals in our region, we remain committed to providing hope for all waiting for a lifesaving transplant.” 

Register your decision to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor in less than two minutes at SayYesGiveLife.org.

A new metric aimed at evaluating the performance of organ procurement organizations (OPOs) was announced in December by the Department of Health and Human Services, and Mid-America Transplant ranks among the top of the 58 federally designated OPOs serving the United States.*

Beginning in 2022, the proposal will require all OPOs to perform at rates consistent with the top 25 percent of OPOs donation and transplantation rate. Based on the 2017 data, Mid-America Transplant’s donation and transplantation rates are above the threshold.

“We embrace this new evaluation measure as it aligns with our mission to save lives through organ and tissue donation,” Mid-America Transplant President and CEO Diane Brockmeier said. “In partnership with 122 hospitals and four transplant centers in our service area, and through the generosity of donors and their families, we are committed to providing the lifesaving opportunity of organ and tissue donation to every family.”

Mid-America Transplant, which serves 4.7 million people in eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas, supports the implementation of a standardized, objective metric to measure OPO performance. The organization became the first OPO to receive the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award in 2016, recognizing Mid-America Transplant’s commitment to performance excellence.

“Mid-America Transplant has always been committed to continuous improvement and performance excellence, and we welcome better transparency in our industry,” Mid-America Transplant President and CEO Diane Brockmeier said. “We have the remarkable opportunity to save even more lives, and this proposal will ultimately encourage our entire industry to innovate, improve and learn from one another to achieve that goal.”      

The proposal is part of President Donald Trump’s executive order, Advancing American Kidney Health, which was announced in 2019.

*Based on 2017 data and looking at donation rate measure and transplantation rate measure. Source: HHS.gov (https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cms-3380-p-ofr.pdf)

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, and transforms the clinical processes required 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. 

Every November, Donate Life America leads the country in observing National Donor Sabbath, a three-day observance that provides faith leaders an opportunity to bring the Donate Life message and cause of organ, eye and tissue donation to their congregations and communities. National Donor Sabbath seeks to include the days of worship (Friday-Sunday) for faith communities of major religions practiced in the United States. This year, National Donor Sabbath will be celebrated November 15-17. 

During National Donor Sabbath, communities of faith participate in services and programs to educate their members about the need for donation, the generosity of the gift and the importance of registering one’s decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. It is a time to pray for health for recipients, strength for those waiting, and healing for donor families. National Donor Sabbath also offers a time to give thanks for registered donors, living donors and the legacy of life given by deceased donors. 

All major religions in the U.S. support donation as an act of compassion and generosity. For many people, their faith and faith community play an important role in the decision to register as a deceased donor or to consider becoming a living donor. 

Donate Life America’s message during National Donor Sabbath is to be a symbol of hope for those who are waiting. The art and resources created for this observance feature symbols for major religions within the United States. The phrase of “be a symbol” calls us all to consider our role within others’ donation and transplantation journeys. By registering your decision to be a deceased donor, you are giving hope to those waiting for a donated organ, cornea or tissues. By considering living donation, you are taking a step towards sharing the gift of life with someone who is currently waiting for a second chance at life. 

To register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit SayYesGiveLife.org. For more information about National Donor Sabbath, please visit www.donatelife.net/nds.

November 2019 is Eye Donation Month, and Mid-America Transplant will be raising awareness about the lifesaving opportunities created through eye donation.

Eye Donation Month 2019 will focus on all the individuals who make the gift of sight possible. Eye bank staff, cornea surgeons, funeral directors, medical examiners/coroners, hospital administrators, cornea donor families and cornea recipients are the enduring champions for the millions of people around the world whose lives were transformed through cornea donation and transplantation.

Quick Facts:

• This year, Mid-America Transplant is expecting to recover more than 1,200 corneas suitable for transplant. 
• Last year, heroic donors through Mid-America Transplant gifted 1,108 corneas for transplant to help patients regain their sight.
• Almost anyone can be a cornea donor, regardless of vision, age, or past ocular health issues such as cataracts or laser vision correction.
• The transplants performed each year increase their recipients’ productivity and reduce their healthcare costs, contributing $6 billion in benefits to the US healthcare system.

It all starts with registering to be an eye, organ and tissue donor at SayYesGiveLife.org and sharing your decision with your family and loved ones.

During Eye Donation Month, Mid-America Transplant will promote cornea donation and transplantation awareness; encourage individuals to register as eye, organ and tissue donors; honor donors and their families; and celebrate cornea recipients. Follow along all month on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

As the sun peaked over the trees of Forest Park, a splash of bright morning light landed on the pictures of 256 organ and tissue donors. Colorful ribbons, some adorned with memories and notes about loved ones, fluttered from tree limbs with the sunrise glistening in the background. It was the Garden of Heroes, honoring heroic donors who have given the Gift of Life. It was one of many beautiful and inspiring moments at the fourth annual Celebrate Life 5K Run/Walk on Sunday at the Upper Muny Parking Lot in Forest Park.

The Garden of Heroes represents the sadness of losing a loved one balanced with the solace of knowing that person – that hero – saved lives. “This is the memory of a loved one,” said Angela McMillan, who was attending to honor her brother Roderick. “Each year you come back, it gives you inspiration knowing that you’ll see their face and feel their spirit, because they are still here. I love the memorial, because you see all these families coming together to honor their loved one.”

An estimated 3,000 people attended the Celebrate Life 5K. They came bearing tribute signs for their loved one, wearing custom t-shirts celebrating their loved one’s life, and preparing for the hilly 3.1-mile course.

“We Have His Heart!”

Savannah Roesch described her brother, Donovan Bulger, to the crowd of donor families, recipients, transplant patients, medical professionals and supporters of the cause.  He was a 21-year-old who would do anything to help others. “The world is less bright without him in it, and we miss him more than we could ever express,” she said.

She then described how they met Donovan’s heart recipient. “Chances are many of you here today have watched the video or heard about our incredible story,” she said. Savannah and her family were at Busch Stadium for Transplant Awareness Day sponsored by Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Just after getting a group picture, a woman approached the family and asked, “Are you Donovan’s family?”

They assumed she knew Donovan through work or school. The woman then said, “We have his heart! My husband has his heart!” Donovan’s heart recipient, John Sueme, was attending the game too. His daughter recognized the picture of Donovan on the family’s shirts, and John’s wife approached Donovan’s family.

The meeting was captured on video and featured on television stations nationwide. Later in the day, each member of Donovan’s family was able to listen to his heart beat again. “The way I felt that day is just indescribable,” Savannah said.

Savannah concluded her remarks: “We are so proud of our brother Donovan, and his decision to be an organ and tissue donor. Even though he’s no longer with us, we do find peace and comfort knowing our loss has given life to others. Our loved ones we have lost, they are heroes. Our family joins yours in honoring our loved ones.”

Our One Day to Remember

Angel Dodson was in the Garden of Heroes with her family. The picture of her youngest daughter, Quinn, was among the heroes recognized on this day. Quinn passed away three years ago as a small child. She saved two children through the donation of her heart valves and cartilage.

“It’s important because as a donor family, sometimes you feel that your loved one has been forgotten and you’re the only one who remembers her,” Angela said of attending the 5K. “We don’t celebrate birthdays, you don’t have the holidays, so this is our one day to remember her and to have all of our family and friends together. And it’s great to see other donor families you can relate to.”

It brings everyone together

Team EJ was attending in honor of EJ Harris, a young man who enjoyed Fortnite and playing football. He saved four lives as a donor in 2018.  “It’s a beautiful sight just to see everyone represented that’s not here,” said Reckel Harris, EJ’s cousin. “I love the unity at the Celebrate Life 5K. It brings everyone together. It felt peaceful, and I love that.”

Paul Kosednar finished second in his age group after running in honor of his son, Elias. He became a donor about one year after he received a lung transplant. “We celebrate him on his birthday and the day of transplant,” Paul said. “And for me, this event is on par with those and equal to those in terms of how much we look forward to it.”

The gift of yet another day

John Sueme, Donovan Bulger’s heart recipient, also shared his story of waiting and receiving. He thanked his donor’s family and all of those attending the Celebrate Life 5K.

“I am a most fortunate man,” he said. “Every day when I shave, I look into the mirror and I see the scar on my chest. I am reminded of the gift I received from my hero, Donovan Bulger: The gift of yet another day. I will close with the same sentiment I expressed in my original recipient letter to my donor family. I am sincerely, sadly, gratefully, and triumphantly yours.”

Donate Life America (DLA), Donate Life State Teams and Mid-America Transplant are dedicating the week of September 23-27, 2019, to saying thank you to Motor Vehicle Departments (DMVs) across the country for their commitment to asking the donor registration question to DMV customers every day. The vast majority of donor registrations in the U.S. come through DMV and driver’s license partner transactions. DMV offices and their employees play an invaluable role in increasing the number of registered organ, eye and tissue donors. Through their dedication to the Donate Life mission, DMV leadership and staff help save and heal lives.

National DMV Appreciation Week is a one-week celebration held each year in the last week of September. During this week, the Donate Life Community celebrates this vital partnership through local events and outreach expressing gratitude to DMV and driver’s license partner staff and leadership across the country.

Mid-America Transplant will be celebrating National DMV Appreciation Week by recognizing local driver's license offices. Recognition will acknowledge office efforts and individual dedication to successfully increase donor registration and overall support of the organization's lifesaving mission: to save lives through organ and tissue donation.

Donate Life America also announced it named Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White as the national recipient of the DLA DMV Innovation Award. The Innovation Award recognizes a DMV or driver’s licensing partner (DLP) office(s) that has implemented a unique and engaging event, activity or practice that demonstrates how the Donate Life mission is a part of their DMV or DLP office culture. Sec. White will be recognized at the 2019 AAMVA International Conference (AIC). 

To register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit your local DMV or driver’s license partner office, or register online in the National Donate Life Registry at SayYesGiveLife.org or in your iPhone Health App. To learn more about the DLA DMV partnership and National DMV Appreciation Week, please visit DonateLife.net/DMV.

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About Donate Life America (DLA)
Donate Life America (DLA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization leading its national partners and Donate Life State Teams to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues available to save and heal lives. DLA manages and promotes Donate Life℠, the national brand for the cause of donation; motivates the public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors; provides education about living donation; manages the National Donate Life Registry at RegisterMe.org; and develops and executes effective multi-media campaigns to promote donation.

Mid-America Transplant is excited to announce more students in the St. Louis area will learn about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation via the Gift of Life Life Savers program. The Mid-America Transplant Foundation awarded a grant to Gift of Life, a Kansas City-based organization aimed at educating students about donation, to hire a part-time classroom educator for the St. Louis area.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Mid-America Transplant and Gift of Life to reach more students,” said Nicole Kellen, Director of Community Engagement at Mid-America Transplant. “We look forward to partnering with Gift of Life in educating students about this critical topic as we work to save even more lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.”

With the three-year grant, Gift of Life estimates it will be able to reach nearly 4,000 students with the lifesaving message of organ, eye and tissue donation. Mid-America Transplant’s education program currently reaches about 5,000 students annually in the region, with many touring the organization’s facility in St. Louis.

More than 30,000 students and their families at about 115 high schools in the greater Kansas City area receive presentations annually from Gift of Life. Over the past 20 years, Gift of Life has observed teenage registration rates double, exceeding 70 percent in some counties.

Life Savers Educator India Caffey, who will serve the St. Louis area, will begin contacting schools in October.