Southwest Transplant Alliance

Ryan was born with biliary atresia, a disease that blocks the bile ducts. Despite remaining healthy until his late 20s, he eventually required a liver transplant. "One day, it was very sudden; I felt terrible and couldn't keep food down," he shares. Ryan's girlfriend at the time Trine was also a liver recipient and played a major role in helping him prepare for a transplant. After waiting for six months, Ryan received the gift of a new liver in 2008. He credits this gift with giving him a future – the chance to marry the love of his life and grow their family to include three wonderful kids. Ryan is forever grateful to his donor hero and their family for saying “yes” to donation. 📽️ Check out Ryan's full story: https://bit.ly/3xQP5ml #LiverTransplant #DonateLife

As we celebrate STA’s 50th anniversary, we are looking back each month to remember special moments in time! The Glenda Dawson Donate Life Registry was established in 2005 by the 79th Texas Legislature and named in honor of Texas state representative Glenda Dawson. Elected in 2002, Dawson served two terms as the Texas House Representative for the 29th District. She was a grateful kidney transplant recipient and passionate advocate for organ donation. Today, Donate Life Texas continues to partner with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and Texas Parks & Wildlife, encouraging Texans to register their donation decision! Stay tuned for more flashbacks to significant moments and memories from our last 50 years of saving lives through donation. #50Years #DonateLife 📷 Photo courtesy of the Legislative Reference Library of Texas

🏆 Congratulations to STA's General Counsel Fibbens Addo Koranteng for being named a finalist in this year's D CEO Magazine Corporate Counsel Awards! This recognition honors outstanding in-house attorneys across Dallas-Forth Worth. 📅 Fibbens will be featured in the October issue and recognized at an exclusive awards event this fall where winners will be announced! Please join us in congratulating Fibbens and all of the 2024 honorees. See the full list of finalists 👉 https://lnkd.in/gX2JiQfy

Calling all golf enthusiasts and donation champions – the 30th Annual Phil Berry Transplant Tournament is coming up on September 30th! 🏌️ ⛳ Grab your golf clubs and get ready to swing for a cause. Funds raised from this spectacular event help provide critical financial relief to transplant recipients and their families so they can focus on healing. Sign up to play or sponsor today at the link below! 🏌️♀️organ.org/golf

We are thrilled to announce that STA has been recognized with Global Achievement in association with the 2024 UNIVANTS of Healthcare Excellence Award Program! 🌎 🌟 Our abstract, “No Time to Lose with Lives on the Line – Maximizing Efficiency in the Lab to Save More Lives Through Organ Donation,” illustrates how many teams within our organization work together toward our shared mission of saving lives. Congratulations to our laboratory, clinical, recovery, and donor services teams for their continued efforts in maximizing the potential of every donated gift, improving resource utilization, and reducing costs – all in the name of saving more lives through organ and tissue donation! Read more about this recognition and our abstract at https://lnkd.in/gGRAVUq

Team Texas has been going for the gold at the 2024 Transplant Games of America in Birmingham, Alabama – and the competition continues through Wednesday! Congratulations to these familiar faces who earned some shiny new medals over the weekend: 🥇 Rowan, liver recipient – gold in swimming 🥉 Alix, heart recipient – bronze in ping pong 🏀 Plus, a big round of applause for Team Texas' basketball squad who pulled out a couple wins yesterday and will advance to the next round today! Help us cheer them on (along with everyone at the Games) in the comments below! Interested in attending the next Transplant Games in 2026? Here’s what it's all about... 👇 Every two years, the Transplant Games bring together thousands of people from all 50 states, including transplant recipients, living donors, donor families, caregivers, individuals on the waiting list, and other donation supporters for a truly unique and inspiring week. With 20 competitions and more than 60 special events, there is something for everyone to enjoy – most of all, being surrounded by others whose lives have been touched by donation. #TransplantGames #TeamTexas #TGA2024

Did you know STA has an Epidemiologist? Matilin Rigsby, MPH has been with the STA team for nearly a year and plays a key role in serving our lifesaving mission with a focus on innovation. She evaluates recovery processes, analyzes data, and recommends strategic opportunities to increase efficiency and improve performance. Her use of predictive analytics to advance performance is a testament to her innovative spirit, leading to what’s next in donation and maximizing opportunities for donation. Matilin is a lifelong learner. She is currently studying for her PhD at Liberty University and holds a Master of Public Health from Texas A&M University. She is known for her dependability, positive attitude, and commitment to excellence. We truly appreciate all she does to support STA and serve our lifesaving mission with passion and joy! #IAmSTA Learn more about our team and career opportunities at organ.org/jobs!

A big thank you to the City of Richardson Texas and Mayor Dubey for issuing a proclamation in honor of Southwest Transplant Alliance's 50th anniversary of saving and healing lives! We are grateful to celebrate this milestone and proud to continue serving this incredible North Texas community for the next 50 years and beyond.

Today, we are honoring the life and legacy of Justen – a wonderful husband, father of two girls, and loving grandfather. Justen loved his family and his Dallas Cowboys! He is remembered as someone who brought immense joy and laughter to those around him. After being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 11, he continued living life to the fullest. Later on, at age 34, a complication called diabetic ketoacidosis arose and he became a heroic organ donor. His family knew that he would want to help others because that’s who he was in life. His generosity saved three lives and healed many others. His family continues to honor his legacy and share his story. Please join us in taking a moment of silence today to honor Justen. #DonateLife 💙 💚

Jessica Dominguez, a proud Latina podcaster and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, has always proudly supported organ donation. Little did she know that she would end up being the recipient of a life-altering gift! After struggling with severe breathing difficulties due to a deviated septum, Jessica's daily life was marked by headaches, exhaustion, and limited activities. Thanks to the gift of donated cartilage, she underwent a rhinoplasty which improved her breathing by over ninety percent! These days, she is able to fully immerse herself in life once again, engaging in activities like running and podcasting. Jessica believes that her donor hero’s legacy continues through their generosity. Thank you to for MTF Biologics sharing Jessica’s powerful story.