Saving Lives Together

DMV staff are front-line champions, committed to asking the donor registration question to customers every day. Cascade Life Alliance celebrates our DMV partners for their dedication to our mission to save, enhance, and heal lives through organ donation and transplantation.

Observed Sept 15-Oct 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor and celebrate the history and culture of Hispanics and Latinos and to recognize and appreciate their contributions to the world. We also take this time to raise awareness about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplant in the Hispanic/Latino community. There are currently more than 22,600 people of Hispanic/Latino heritage on the transplant waiting list. Over 300 of them are from Oregon and Washington.

The discussion aims to:

• Help answer any questions you have about the process
• Share our experience with our letter programs
• Provide you with recommended guidance

Rebecca Simon from Cascade Life Alliance and Matt Webber from Vision Gift will be leading this discussion. They will share the correspondence process and help answer questions about what can be shared in your initial anonymous correspondence.
The meeting will be via Zoom, so please make sure your computer and you are familiar with the application prior to our gathering.

Last year there were more than 100,000 Americans on the waitlist for a lifesaving organ transplant…and less than half received one. This is why registering to become a donor is so important. Another way to be a donor is the Living Donor Program which gives people the chance to give a kidney or a portion of certain other organs—like in Shaela’s case – the liver. Shaela Williams’s doctors do not think waiting for an available liver through organ donation is viable and have suggested the partial donor program through the University of Washington.

Although living donors are most often family members, anyone can explore the option of being a living donor!

Questions? Email livingdonor@me3williams.com
UW Living Donor Liver Transplant Program 

T’Neil, a 17-year-old rising high school senior, suffered a brain bleed from which she did not survive. Described by those who loved her as kind hearted, graceful, and often the brightest person in the room. At a young age, T’Neil knew who she was and what she wanted. She was a natural leader in whose presence you felt safe and valued. After all efforts to save T’Neil’s life had been exhausted, T’Neil’s family decided that saying “YES” to the gift of life would be the best way to honor her life and add to her legacy. T’Neil’s gifts saved 6 people, restored sight to 2 others through cornea donation, and helped to heal up to 75 others through tissue donation. T’Neil’s story has inspired many in her community to consider giving the gift of life and register their decision to be organ, eye and tissue donors. 💙💚 #DonateLife

The Blossom Pin Award is granted to hospital personnel who go above and beyond in their support of saving lives through organ donation.

“My ‘Sonshine’, Kenneth “KJ” Rhodes, II, was the embodiment of love, light, and laughter. KJ spent his 29 years of life pouring into others and making EVERYONE feel like they were uniquely his best friend. He was carving a path for himself that was rooted in social justice, with particular desire to target his efforts toward making the future brighter for our children and youth – especially, young black males. I am proud to say he shared my gift of a poetic voice and had begun creating some powerful music with profound lyrics. He was kind, encouraging, never met a stranger, and was selfless to the core. His smile was his trademark. Upon his passing, many noted and stated that the only thing bigger than his smile was his heart. Indeed, it was and is now part of a precious gift and mighty legacy he leaves behind.” #DonateLife #NMDAM2023

Congratulations to A Donation Conversation-a documentary for winning Best Picture!

Alin was a resident doctor, getting ready for her big move to New York. Suddenly, she was diagnosed with heart failure, and everything changed. Thanks to Lucy, her organ donor hero, Alin was able to live on, and give others a second chance at life.

At Cascade Life Alliance, we are striving, along with AOPO members across the country, to achieve 50,000 transplants in 2026.