Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO)

Join us for the "Interreligious Dialogues on Organ Donation and Transplantation" webinar series, presented in collaboration with AOPO, Organ Donation & Transplantation Alliance (The Alliance), and The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation, starting Tuesday, July 30. This free series will feature a diverse panel of faith leaders representing major religions practiced nationwide, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, discussing beliefs on death, dying, and organ donation across these faith traditions. The Alliance's press release, “The Alliance Partners with AMAT and AOPO for New Interreligious Dialogues Conversation Series to Increase Knowledge and Community Connections,” highlights the series' goals and the importance of understanding diverse cultural perspectives. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/grTUtBDQ. Don’t miss out — register today: https://lnkd.in/eSTYQsN8

Our President, Dorrie D., took the stage at AOPO’s Annual Meeting in a stunning pink suit, delivering an inspiring Barbie-themed President’s Address. Her message to our community was clear: together, we can save more lives through organ donation and transplantation. Dorrie’s powerful words: “If we buckle up and buckle down, I believe we as the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations have the power to make things right and save more lives. As Barbie says: “Magic happens when you believe in yourself.” And I believe in all of you. Let’s make some magic happen!” Stay tuned for Dorrie’s full address coming soon! #AOPOAM24 #AOPO50K

Continuing a two-part series on normothermic regional perfusion (NRP), NPR Health Correspondent Rob Stein gave listeners an unprecedented look inside an operating room with Tennessee Donor Services (TDS) to help audiences understand a new organ recovery procedure that holds the promise of saving more lives.    In addition to sharing how NRP improves transplantation outcomes, Stein showcases the professionalism and devotion of OPOs like TDS as they recover as many organs as possible, often overcoming difficult challenges to do so.   Many thanks to NPR and Rob Stein for highlighting a game-changing procedure and the work of the OPO community on the front lines of organ donation.    Listen here https://n.pr/4eVMQib

An OPO’s core mission is to honor organ donors and ensure their intention to give life through donation is fulfilled. A segment aired this morning on NPR Morning Edition focusing on Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP), a technique used by OPOs to improve the condition of organs they recover for transplant.   In this episode, NPR Health Correspondent Rob Stein had an unprecedented opportunity to shadow Tennessee Donor Services (TDS) for an NRP recovery effort. TDS welcomed him in to better understand the complexity of an OPO’s work and the importance of the NRP procedure. The episode showed firsthand the tireless efforts of OPO and hospital staff who work to recover as many healthy organs as possible, and under difficult circumstances.   Our thanks go to NPR and Rob Stein for the time and care they dedicated to exploring a revolutionary procedure that is saving more lives every day.   Listen here https://n.pr/45XVxV7

AOPO and its members are committed to improving equity within the organ donation system and ensuring that every donation has the potential to save a life.   AOPO members partnered with researchers at Wake Forest University on a The National Institutes of Health APOLLO study to identify higher-risk kidneys by using genetic variants rather than race to predict transplant outcomes. By collaborating with Black donor families, OPOs were able to authorize the donation of samples for this important study and ultimately inform families if they carried a gene that could increase their likelihood of kidney disease.   The study also revealed that existing evaluation criteria, like factors related to race and quality of donated kidneys, are contributing to a rising number of kidneys being declined for transplantation. This underscores the need for equity in donation and an improved system for evaluating organs that honors the gifts donor heroes make.   Read the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/efyTKd_F #AOPO50K

At our recent Annual Meeting, we hosted the impactful 3.5-hour DEIB Workshop: "Best Practices and Benchmarks for Inclusive Hiring, Retention and Advancement." Expertly led by AOPO DEIB consultants, Donyale Padgett, Ph.D., and DeAndre Lipscomb the workshop focused on fostering inclusive practices within OPOs. We explored effective strategies for networking with diverse talent, spotlighting OPOs that are leading the way. We also discussed how setting clear benchmarks can improve recruitment, retention, and advancement, and how employee resource groups can be leveraged to enhance our hiring and retention efforts. Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to these vital conversations. Your insights are crucial as we collaborate to build a more inclusive community! #AOPOAM24

AOPO was recently featured in an article on Aviation Week Network by writer Christine Boynton on the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act. Thanks to the advocacy of the organ donation and transplantation community, a critically important provision was included that will make transportation of organs via commercial airlines much safer. Transportation is an area of legislative advocacy where OPOs are highly engaged. AOPO has been on The Hill lobbying to move donor organs out of the cargo hold of planes and into the main cabin, where they can be more closely supervised.   Prior to September 11, OPOs could hand off a donor organ at the gate. Secured in the cockpit or under the supervision of the flight crew in the cabin, another OPO would pick up the donation gate-side upon arrival for immediate transfer to the hospital. Today, federal regulations require that organs be classified as cargo and a ticketed courier is necessary for in-cabin transport, a resource complicated by cost and the number of donations. Returning donor organs to the main cabin will increase the safety and efficiency of organ transportation, improve access to transplant care, decrease deaths on the national waiting list, and prioritize the sickest patients in our nation.   We look forward to the Department of Transportation taking action and convening a working group to make this lifesaving change a reality and thank our partners in Congress for their collaboration.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ezkVQzgF

It's a wrap on this year's Annual Meeting! A huge thanks to our Programs & Education Committee for crafting an agenda that tackled key challenges and highlighted innovative solutions in organ donation across the U.S. We're grateful for our members' active participation and their willingness to share successful practices with the broader community. A special shout-out to our exhibitors for their ongoing innovation and support to OPOs. Looking forward to seeing everyone next year in Colorado, June 22-24, 2025! #AOPOAM24

To close out the AOPO Annual Meeting, Jon Snyder, PhD, MS from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) explored how OPOs can leverage data analytics to enhance performance and make informed decisions on OPO operations and develop strategies for optimizing system-wide outcomes. Attendees gained insights into practical data-driven approaches to promote increased organ donation and transplantation rates. #AOPOAM24

Today, Dorrie D. President & CEO of Gift of Life Michigan begins her service as AOPO President. During her incoming President’s Address at the AOPO Annual Meeting, she shared “The value of this Association is beyond measure, and I am eager to further enhance AOPO’s support for our members over the coming year. Our success hinges on our commitment to the crucial work we undertake and our willingness to improve. The impact of our efforts is profound – not only for the donor families who we support during their toughest times but also for the thousands in dire need of life-saving organ transplants.” Check out AOPO’s press release announcing our 2024-25 Board of Directors: https://lnkd.in/eUYQwtNk #AOPOAM24