Donate Life America

"Receiving my 2 livers has helped me be the best daughter I can be to my amazing mom. I always find time to volunteer and share my story with people going through the same issues as I have. I wanted to stay alive and well to continue pursuing my career as a middle school teacher. Teaching is my passion, and I need to stay around as long as possible to impart knowledge to the adolescents in the inner city that I grew up in. Of course, living with transplantation isn’t easy, but I do all I can to stay strong. Taking care of my transplant allows me to make a conscious effort to stay healthy. A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins takes up most of my diet. Proper rest, along with balancing stress, helps me to be at my optimal best. Weight training, hiking, walking, and yoga help keep my body strong to keep up with my active lifestyle. My faith also helps me to stay grounded and tackle any obstacles along my way. I hope I have been and will continue to be a positive role model for anyone undergoing organ transplantation. I want people to know, especially young minority women, that life can and will go on after double transplantation. Like I never thought I would be able to do, one can lead a fulfilling, complete, and well-rounded life after having not 1 but 2 liver transplants." – Velicia 💙💚 #DonateLife #NMDAM2024

Adriana Castillo is a Donate Life Ambassador and has been able to share her experiences with the hopes of bringing greater awareness to the topic of organ, eye and tissue donation. Adriana had been on dialysis since 2015 due to her diagnosis of Polycystic Kidney Disease and was active on the waiting list until 2022 when she received devastating news–her heart function had declined, and she was no longer a candidate for kidney transplantation. She did not let this deter her, and with her new prognosis, she committed herself to the goal of strengthening her heart. Within a year, she was able to get her heart health back to the point where she could be listed on the transplant waiting list again and received the lifesaving call for a new kidney in December of 2023. She continues to live and honor her donor every day. 💙💚 #NMDAM2024 #DonateLife Thank you to Donor Network West for sharing this story!

Charlyce was diagnosed with kidney failure when she was just 16 years old, so she could never experience a ‘normal’ high school experience, as she had to undergo dialysis 3 days a week. Thanks to the generosity of a 17-year-old registered donor, Morgan, Charlyce received a kidney transplant that allowed her to live a normal life. Since her transplant, singer-songwriter Charlyce has produced many albums and books and spends much of her time volunteering with OurLegacy Organ and Tissue Donation. Unfortunately, in 2019, Charlyce’s kidney began to fail, and she had to start dialysis treatments again. In May 2023, Charlyce received her second kidney from a generous donor and hasn’t looked back. She serves her community through her non-profit work by providing resources, financial support, and other help to patients in renal failure, their families, and other kidney recipients. 💙💚 #NMDAM2024 #DonateLife

Eden was born with biliary atresia and put on the national transplant waiting list for a liver at 5 months old. After a month on the waitlist, Eden's family reached out online for a living donor and her cousin, Nadia, volunteered to be tested. She was a match, and in January of this year, they both underwent a successful transplant. "Eden is now very healthy and happy, enjoying her life post-transplant! She once was unable to eat on her own, sit up, or even leave her hospital room due to the complications of the liver disease. Now, she is meeting all her milestones, loves trying all kinds of food, and is physically strong and active. Nadia has recovered quickly and is back to caring for her own family, working, and now advocating for living organ donation!" Eden's family feels they can never thank Nadia enough for her many sacrifices to give Eden the chance to live and thrive. Every day they have with Eden is treated as a gift, and they never take that for granted. 💙💚 #DonateLife Learn more about living donation and register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at DonateLife.net

Born in New York City in 1936, Dr. Clive Callender decided at seven that he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. In 1969, Dr. Callender joined the Howard University School of Medicine faculty. In 1974, he founded the Howard University Hospital Transplant Center, a first among historically black medical schools. He became only the 3rd African American transplant surgeon in the country at that time. With the mission of enhancing organ donation awareness and reducing the number of patients awaiting transplant in minority communities, he founded the National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) in 1992. Today, Dr. Callender is still an active educator at Howard University. 💙💚 #NMDAM2024 #DonateLife Learn more about Dr. Callender and MOTTEP at www.natlmottep.org

August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM), a collaborative effort to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye, and tissue donation. Why is NMDAM needed? 60% of national transplant waiting list patients are from multicultural communities. The need for donation and transplant is more pronounced in minority communities where disproportionately higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease contribute to organ failure, especially kidney failure. You can find resources to share and read more about NMDAM at nmag1.org and DonateLife.net. 💙💚 #DonateLife #NMDAM2024 NMDAM is a collaborative effort of the National Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Multicultural Action Group (NMAG).

In honor of #WorldEmojiDay, drop an emoji(s) in the comments to describe your connection to organ, eye and tissue donation! Answer with all that apply to you! #DonateLife Register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at RegisterMe.org or in your iPhone Health App—then you can add this one: 🏆 🏆 Registered donor ❤️ Heart recipient 💚 Liver recipient 🧡 Kidney recipient 💜 Lung recipient 💛 Pancreas recipient 💗 Small intestine recipient 💙 Tissue recipient 👁 Cornea recipient 🌹 Donor family 🥇 Caregiver 🎉 Friend is a recipient 💝 Friend was a donor 💔 Loved one/friend/family member died while waiting 🦋 Family member is a recipient ⏰ Currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant 💪🏼 Living donor ⭐️ Donation and transplant professional 🩺 Healthcare provider ♻️ Believer

"My son, Justin, received a new heart on his 18th birthday, and we adopted Mouse post-transplant while he was in the hospital. Mouse was the first thing that made him smile post-transplant and gave him something to look forward to when he went home after being in the hospital for 3 1/2 months. Mouse was born the same day that Justin was listed for a heart transplant, so we think they were meant to be together." –Michelle 💙💚 Today is #NationalKittenDay but there's no kitten around about the importance of registering your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. Sign up right meow at RegisterMe.org or in your iPhone Health App 🐾

Happy #NationalVideoGameDay! 1 donor can save 8 lives. Be a #DonateLife hero every day and register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at RegisterMe.org or in your iPhone Health App 💙💚🎮

Wishing you a safe & happy #FourthofJuly! 💙💚 #DonateLife Register your decision to be an organ, eye & tissue donor at RegisterMe.org or in your iPhone Health App.