Transplant Foundation

TO SUPPORT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION.

TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE MISSION OF GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM THROUGH ITS COMMITMENT TO:- IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS AWAITING TRANSPLANTATION BY MAXIMIZING THE AVAILABILITY OF DONOR ORGANS AND TISSUES WHILE UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST MEDICAL, LEGAL, ETHICAL AND FISCAL STANDARDS THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENTS AND CLINICAL TRAININGS SUPPORTED BY TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION TO THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE;CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.- WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGION'S HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO ENSURE THAT THE FAMILY OF EVERY POTENTIAL DONOR IS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION IN A COMPASSIONATE, TIMELY, INFORMATIVE AND CARING MANNER;- PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS TO POSITIVELY PREDISPOSE ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION SO THAT DONATION IS VIEWED AS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH PROGRAMMING SUCH AS DONORS ARE HEROES GRANTS;- SERVE AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE BY PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES OF DONORS AS WELL AS TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS ITS REGIONAL TRANSPLANT FAMILY SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM WHICH FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING THOSE WHO TRAVEL FOR TRANSPLANT RELATED SERVICES IN THE HERSHEY/HARRISBURG, ALLENTOWN, READING, NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, BRYN MAWR AND DELAWARE AREA TRANSPLANT CENTERS. LODGING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS TRAVELLING FOR TRANSPLANT SERVICES TO THE PHILADELPHIA ARE THROUGH GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE. ADDITIONALLY, SCHOLARSHIPS SUCH AS THE JESSICA BETH SCHWARTZ COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ARE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT ADVANCEMENT OF RECEIPIENTS. - SERVE AS A LEADER IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION THROUGH STATE OF THE ART TRAINING & CONSULTING OFFERED BY GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE, AS WELL AS THROUGH FUNDING THE INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF DONATION & TRANSPLANTATION GRANT PROGRAM INITIALLY ESTABLISHED IN 2015.IN ADDITION TO ITS ONGOING COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND GRANT PROGRAMS, AND THE PROGRAMMING THROUGH ITS GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE, TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO SUPPORT GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE, A RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE-TYPE SETTING, WHERE FAMILIES OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING TRANSPLANTS AT TRANSPLANT CENTERS IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION ARE ACCOMMODATED NEAR THE SITE OF THE SURGERY AND FOR FOLLOW-UP VISITS. FOUNDATION SUPPORTED THE PLANNING, DESIGN AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND NOW THE OPERATIONS OF FAMILY HOUSE. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM AS DETAILED ABOVE IN PART IIIA. SPECIFICALLY, TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION FULFILLED ITS MISSION IN 2021 THROUGH ITS ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE, THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TEAM PHILADELPHIA ENTRY INTO THE TRANSPLANT GAMES OF AMERICA, THE GIFT OF LIFE DONOR DASH, THE LIVING DONOR CEREMONY, AND ITS ON-GOING SUPPORT OF THE INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION GRANT PROGRAM. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION ALSO SUPPORTS COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THROUGH GRANTS ISSUED TO SCHOOLS AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP, AND SCHOLARSHIPS. IN ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM EXPENSES SUPPORTING THESE INITIATIVES, TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION INITIATED ITS REGIONAL TRANSPLANT FAMILY SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM WHICH FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING THOSE WHO TRAVEL FOR THEIR TRANSPLANT RELATED CARE TO TRANSPLANT CENTERS IN THE HARRISBURG/HERSHEY, ALLENTOWN, READING, NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, BRYN MAWR, AND DELAWARE AREAS BY FUNDING CERTAIN FOOD, LODGING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION EXTENDED SUPPORT THROUGH A GRANT FOR THE ON-GOING OPERATION OF GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE. GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE: TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION FULFILLS ITS MISSION TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING THROUGH ITS EDUCATION AND RESEARCH DIVISION, THE GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION, THROUGH ITS INSTITUTE, SEEKS TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE, SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE DONATION PROCESS. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION FOCUSES ON THESE OBJECTIVES BECAUSE THE SUPPLY OF ORGANS AND TISSUES FOR TRANSPLANTATION CONTINUES TO FALL SHORT OF EXPECTATION. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE OVER 100,000 PEOPLE AWAITING A LIFE-SAVING ORGAN TRANSPLANT IN THE UNITED STATES AND EVERY DAY, 20 PEOPLE DIE WAITING WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM LIFE-ENHANCING TISSUE TRANSPLANTS. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO CONSENSUS SURROUNDING A SOLUTION TO THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM OF THE ORGAN SHORTAGE, TRAINING, SKILL DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, AND RETENTION OF DONATION PROFESSIONALS ARE MAJOR CONCERNS. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR PROFESSIONALS IS GROUNDED ON THE PHILOSOPHY THAT INNOVATION MUST REPLACE TRADITIONAL LEARNING IN THIS FIELD AND THAT HISTORICALLY THERE HAS BEEN AN UNNECESSARY DELAY BETWEEN THE ACQUISITION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH CLINICAL PRACTICE. TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION BELIEVES A NEW APPROACH IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSCORE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT IS LEARNED, TO TRANSMIT AND DISSEMINATE WHAT IS KNOWN, AND TO BENEFIT FROM WHAT IS COLLECTIVELY ACHIEVED.IN CONTINUANCE OF THE MISSION, TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION THROUGH GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE CONDUCTED 60 WORKSHOPS AND/OR CONSULTING OPPORTUNITIES IN 2021, COVERING FAMILY COMMUNICATION, CONSENT FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION, AND HOSPITAL SERVICES STAFF DEVELOPMENT, WITH MORE THAN 535 PROFESSIONALS PARTICIPATING IN THOSE 2021 TRAININGS. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTITUTE PROVIDED TRAINING TO 473 DONATION PROFESSIONALS THROUGH ITS WEBENCOUNTER PLATFORM, ELEARNING AND VIRTUAL CLASSROOM INITIATIVES. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE INSTITUTE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY TRAININGS TO DONATION PROFESSIONALS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. HOWEVER, IN TOTAL, THE INSTITUTE HAS WORKED WITH CLOSE TO 40 COUNTRIES TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESPONSIBLE AND ETHICAL DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION PRACTICES INTERNATIONALLY.ON OCTOBER 21, 2021, GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE GRADUATED THE FOURTH CLASS OF THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAM "THE ART AND SCIENCE OF LEADERSHIP: DRIVING RESULTS FOR DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION PROFESSIONALS". THE FULLY SUBSCRIBED EIGHT-MONTH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WHARTON SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND THE FOX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY. IT IS GEARED TOWARDS BOTH EMERGING AND EXPERIENCED LEADERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE THEIR MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE. EIGHTEEN (CURRENT AND FORMER) LEADERS FROM 10 ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATIONS (OPOS) SERVED AS COACHES, AND 35 PROFESSIONALS FROM 16 OPOS PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST CLASS OF THE INTENSIVE, MULTI-FACETED PROGRAM.IN 2012, GIFT OF LIFE INSTITUTE EXPANDED ITS RESEARCH INITIATIVES AND SUPPORT OF TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS WHEN THE TRANSPLANTATION PREGNANCY REGISTRY INTERNATIONAL (TPR) FORMERLY NATIONAL TRANSPLANT PREGNANCY REGISTRY FORMALLY JOINED THE INSTITUTE. SINCE 1991, TPR HAS TRACKED AND STUDIED THE OUTCOMES OF THOUSANDS OF PREGNANCIES IN SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS. TPR IS AN ONGOING STUDY, AND THE INFORMATION COLLECTED HELPS THOUSANDS OF TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS MAKE FAMILY PLANNING DECISIONS. THE TPR TEAM IS COMPRISED OF NURSES EXPERIENCED IN TRANSPLANT PATIENT CARE AND TRAINED INTERVIEWERS, SOME OF WHOM ARE TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS THEMSELVES. IN 2021, 5 ABSTRACTS WERE SUBMITTED AND ACCEPTED FOR PRESENTATION AT ACADEMIC MEETINGS AND 3 PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS WERE PUBLISHED. ADDITIONALLY, 19 INVITED PRESENTATIONS WERE GIVEN AT ACADEMIC MEETINGS, TRANSPLANT CENTERS AND RECIPIENT SUPPORT GROUPS.GIFT OF LIFE DASH FROM HOME: IN 2021, TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION SUPPORTED AND COORDINATED THE GIFT OF LIFE DASH FROM HOME, A VIRTUAL VERSION OF GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM'S ANNUAL DONOR DASH. MORE THAN 3,000 TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS, DONOR FAMILIES, LIVING DONORS AND ADVOCATES TOOK PART IN DASH FROM HOME, BRINGING AWARENESS OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION TO 37 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NEW IN 2021 WAS THE DASH FROM HOME CHALLENGE, WITH PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING TASKS TO EARN POINTS AND WIN PRIZES WHILE INCREASING AWARENESS ABOUT GIFT OF LIFE AND ITS LIFE-SAVING MISSION. DASH FROM HOME INCLUDED A SPIRIT WEEK OF FUN ACTIVITIES AND CONTESTS. PARTICIPANTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK OR RUN IN THEIR FAVORITE PLACE AND ON THEIR OWN TIME WHILE SUPPORTING OUR LIFE-SAVING MISSION. THROUGH PARTICIPANTS AND SPONSORS, THE FOUNDATION RAISED NEARLY $400,000. THESE CONTRIBUTIONS SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES FOR DONOR AND RECIPIENT FAMILIES, INCLUDING TEAM PHILADELPHIA'S PARTICIPATION AT THE DONATE LIFE TRANSPLANT GAMES OF AMERICA, REGIONAL TRANSPLANT FAMILY SUPPORT GRANTS AND GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE.