#KeepLoveAlive — How You Can Help
Support The Lane Thomas Foundation as we launch our first annual #KeepLoveAlive Campaign to advocate for pediatric organ donation.
Our launch coincides with National Donate Life Month in April, and National Pediatric Transplant Week, taking place April 18 - 24, and continues throughout the year.
See Lauressa Gillock's story in this powerful PSA.
Lauressa donated the organs of her 3-year-old daughter Olivia, who passed away from brain cancer, gifting Olivia's intestines to Angelo, her liver to Lucas, her kidneys to Scott, her corneas to a fellow Nebraskan and her heart to KeVon. She later met KeVon Long, now 8 years-old, who received his transplant at 22-months-old.
"Why would we not give back? This little boy is running and playing because of my little girl. I felt Olivia's heart beating in his chest. I'm so grateful for that." — Lauressa Gillock
Start The Conversation — How You Can Help
Start The Conversation
With over 100,000 people waiting for organ transplants, little focus has been given to the children in need of organ donations. The transplant waiting list has more than 2,000 children waiting for organs, according to the federal Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
We never want to think about the loss of our children; it is the hardest situation to ever imagine. But, to save other children’s lives, it is very important that parents, health-care professionals, and educators learn to have open conversations about the benefits of pediatric organ donations.
Over 1,000 children a year die in fatal accidents or by illness. These children have the potential to be organ donors and save the lives of other children.
START NOW! No one ever expects to be in the position of an organ donor or recipient. Start talking about it now.
SHARE REAL FACTS AND DISCOVER OPTIONS. Sharing the real facts and many options for organ donation can help parents and children decide to keep love alive and pay it forward to save a child's life!
COMMIT TO CREATING AWARENESS. When families make a commitment to discuss and build a stronger awareness of pediatric organ donation in advance of a tragedy, the likelihood of donation is greatly increased.
DECIDE BEFORE A TRAGEDY STRIKES. Most child donors are identified by organ procurement organizations who are notified by health-care professionals, but not all hospitals have trained staff to have difficult conversations with grieving parents. The best solution is for parents to make the decision to donate before tragedy strikes.
LIVING DONATION. The lives of over 50 percent of those on the waiting list can be saved through living donations such as a kidney, a lobe of a lung, or a portion of the liver, as well as blood stem cells from the umbilical cord and peripheral blood stem cells through bone marrow. Click here for more about Living Donations.- REGISTER. Parents can register on the national organ registry at Donate Life. Registry is also available for adults and driving-age children through many states’ driver’s license sign-up.
For more information about Why Pediatric Organ Donation is important for families to discuss, click here.
Hero Stories — How You Can Help
Here are just a few of the children helped by The Lane Thomas Foundation with the support of our donors. With your donation, we can help so many more!
Take The Pledge
Become an advocate for pediatric organ donation. In 2018, of the approximately 115,000 people who were on the waiting list for an organ transplant, nearly 2,000 were children. Having conversations as a family about donating organs before a tragic event happens can help save children’s lives! One organ donor can save up to 8 lives.
Will You Take The Pledge With Us?