Donor Alliance Honored for Participation in Military Organ Sharing Program

DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - Oct 6, 2011) - Today, Donor Alliance, the non-profit organ procurement organization and American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming, received an award for its participation in the Military Organ Sharing Program. Representatives from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center presented Donor Alliance with this honor only offered to one organ procurement organization each year.

The Military Sharing Program allows military members and their families the opportunity to designate donated organs to military beneficiaries listed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. According to Lt. Col. Edward Falta MD, director of organ transplantation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the program provides active duty military personnel and their families who need a kidney transplant with a greater chance of receiving an organ than they might normally have had since most military families move around frequently.

In 2010, Donor Alliance provided two kidneys through the Military Organ Sharing Program and one of these kidneys was donated by United States Air Force Academy Cadet First Class Marc Henning, whose parents attended the award ceremony alongside the recipient of their son's kidney, Robert Lee Logan, veteran of the U.S. Navy. The families met for the first time while in Colorado for the ceremony.

A senior at the Academy when he ended his life in September 2010, Marc Henning gave the gift of life to many through the donation of his lungs, kidneys, pancreas, liver, skin and bone. His mother Linda also received a graft of her son's bone during a dental procedure in July 2011.

"Marc again became a part of me," Linda said. "I will not only keep his spirit in my heart but a piece of him lives on within me as well."

Kidney recipient Robert Lee Logan explained, "Prior to my transplant, I was on dialysis for five years and on the transplant waiting list for three years. Marc's gift has changed my life. I have felt better than I've felt in years, have gone back to work, am planning a trip with my wife and can swim and play in the ocean with my grandkids for the first time. I am honored to have part of such a wonderful person, Marc, within me."

"More than 28,000 lives are saved each year in the United States through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation, giving hope to the nearly 112,000 people in the U.S. and more than 2,000 people in Colorado and Wyoming who are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant," according to Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. "Of those waiting in Colorado, 71 percent are in need of a kidney and one out of five current transplant candidates have been on the waiting list for five years or longer."

"On behalf of Donor Alliance, I am humbled to accept this award alongside the Henning and Logan families. It is families like the Hennings, who during unspeakable sorrow give the gift of life and transplant recipients like Robert, who are given a second chance, that inspire all of us at Donor Alliance to come to work every day, endeavoring to save lives through the gifts of organ, eye and tissue donation."

Others in attendance at today's event included Brig. Gen. Richard M. Clark, Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy and other representatives from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

How to Register to be an Organ and Tissue Donor
You can save a life by registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. Register online at DonateLifeColorado.org; at the Division of Motor Vehicles the next time you obtain or renew your driver's license; at Colorado.gov if renewing your driver's license online; or by calling 1-888-256-4386 and requesting a Donor Registry form.

About Donor Alliance
Donor Alliance is the federally designated, non-profit organ procurement organization and an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. As a recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of transplantable organs and tissues, Donor Alliance's mission is to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To achieve this mission, Donor Alliance employs an effective family approach and recovery programs in more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance also inspires the public to register as organ and tissue donors through community partnerships, public outreach and education campaigns throughout its donation service area.