LIFEGIFT ORGAN DONATION CENTER

Public education:public education and outreach are vital components of lifegift's mission. In its work to increase organ and tissue donation, lifegift educates the community about donation and encourages texans to join the donate life texas registry to designate themselves an organ and tissue donor. Lifegift seeks to create a culture of donation with a particular emphasis on building trust and relationships with multicultural communities to dispel myths about donation and create strong connections between lifegift and the people it serves. With the support of an active volunteer program, lifegift hosts public events, partners with associations, businesses, and elected officials to develop and implement awareness campaigns, participates in numerous community events and activities to promote donation and the donor registry, and works with the media and within the social media environment to educate the community and encourage texans to join the donor registry. Some highlights from the work of lifegift's communications team includes events centered around national donate life month in april, multicultural awareness month in august, hispanic heritage month in september, two community races (second chance runs) hosted by lifegift in fort worth and houston, and the development and distribution of weekly and quarterly newsletters geared towards our hospital partners and volunteers. Lifegift's goal in interacting with families given the opportunity to donate their loved one's organs and tissue is to provide a sensitive and supportive environment that encourages generosity and ensures the family feels heard and supported. This support extends beyond the time of the donation through lifegift's family support program. All tissue and organ donor families are enrolled in this program, which provides a series of mailings, activities and events that honors the donor and provides support and solace to donor families. Donor families receive a series of mailings throughout the first year of loss, beginning with an family support packet provided after their loved one's passing. Families may choose to correspond or connect directly with their loved one's recipients, which lifegift facilitates. Lifegift also provides general recipient health updates upon request and can assist families with finding additional support in their community if they need it. Lifegift also provides donor family-focused webinars, a quarterly e-newsletter and hosts an annual remembrance ceremony for families to honor their loved ones.