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March 16, 2024 30 mins
Did you know every organ donor can save up to eight lives and improve the lives of 75 more people through tissue donation?  That's the message from Tennessee Donor Services whose mission is to save and improve lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.  2023 was a record-breaking year in the state for organ and tissue donations in Tennessee but the need remains great. Recently John Clark spoke with Jill Grandas, Executive Director of TDS for this episode of TENNESSEE MATTERS. 
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(00:00):
It's Tennessee Matters on the Tennessee RadioNetwork. Welcome to Tennessee Matters. I'm
John Clark on the Tennessee Radio Network. Tennessee Donor Services is a top performing
nonprofit organization serving nearly six million tennesseeans. Their exceptional team of professionals saves and

(00:22):
improves lives by connecting life saving oregonI and tissue donations to patents who need
them. Our guest today is JillGrandis. She's a corporate executive director of
Tennessee Donor Services. Well, Jill, it's good to have you on today.
Good to have you on the showtoday to talk about what you do.
What does Tennessee Donor Services do well. I so appreciate being able to

(00:45):
be on the show and tell youa little bit about what TDS does.
Tennessee Donor Services is an organ procurementorganization or what you'll you know for short,
we're an OPO. We're a federaldesignated program who is responsible for many

(01:07):
things, but ultimately responsible for makingsure that the gifts of donation get to
the patients that are waiting on thetransplant list that need them. So,
you know, there's a lot ofthings that go into that. There's obviously
a lot of stakeholders involved in that, transplant hospitals, hospitals where the donations

(01:29):
happen, the general public obviously,because making sure we get the word out
about the importance of donation is everimportant, and making sure we get more
and more registrations to sign up forbeing an organ donor. So that's that's

(01:52):
what we do. So our responsibilitiesare are large, and we just want
to make sure we get as manypeople transplant it as possible. That's right.
We all should have it on thedriver's license. Is that we have
it on there? It is?It is, yes, all, yeah,
absolutely. In Tennessee, there isa little heart that comes up on

(02:15):
your driver's license when you designate yourselfas a donor, and you can do
that either when you renew your licenseor or get a driver's license. You
can also go to Bethegift Today dotcom and register directly online, so there's
more than one way to do it, but absolutely, and then we can

(02:38):
check the registry in the event ofa death where someone is eligible to be
a donor, we can actually goon and check that registry through the Department
of Safety and Homeland Security. You'vehad a long standing positive support relationship with

(02:59):
that Department of the State of Tennesseeand have you know, have such a
great partnership. We appreciate all thework that they do to help us maintain
the registry and to promote it throughoutTennessee. You had you set a record
last year in that you had alot of donor, a lot of donors,

(03:19):
a lot of donations, a lotof that stuff. Can you talk
about that a little bit? Sure, we are very proud of increasing donation
year over year for the last manymany years. But in twenty twenty three,
we exceeded five hundred donations, fivehundred donors gifts of Tennesseeans who had

(03:47):
either signed up to be a donoror their family made that decision at the
time of death. So actually itwas five hundred and six well donors in
Tennessee, which was a record year. And like I said, we you
know, so proud to you know, to say that, you know,

(04:11):
the generosity of Tennesseeans just exceeds itselfyear after year. Almost fourteen hundred patients
benefited from those over five hundred donationsas well, saving the life of almost
fourteen hundred patients that we're waiting forsome type of organ transplant. It's really

(04:31):
really a miracle Tennessee. For thesize of our state. You know,
we are we we have a hugehigh percentage of people who say yes to
donation comparatively to other parts of thecountry, right, and that's you know
that is I think that will goup even more this year. I think

(04:54):
so people just should really have areal a heart for doing it if it
will for doing exact Yeah, it'syou know, we we are. We
are blessed to have a great groupof staff, healthcare professionals, Our outreach

(05:14):
professionals do such a fantastic job ofeducating the public. And then are like
I said, our healthcare professionals whoare dealing directly with hospitals that are providing
the donation, who are making thosereferrals to us, who are working with
the transplant programs, dedicated to makingsure our mission is fulfilled and we're doing

(05:40):
it better and better all the time. So so proud of so proud of
everybody that works on our team.Well you definitely should be, because you
guys, you guys, that's athat's a great Now take us through the
process. If someone you know,they they want to be an organ donor,
and they not just not just that, but the whole the pole process

(06:00):
of organ donation and what entails organdonation. Yes, I sure can't explain
that. Well, if a patient, you know, is hospitalized for some
type of injury or illness that bringsthem to a point where they are not

(06:21):
going to survive, we are referredby the hospital to come and evaluate that
individual for their eligibility to become adonor. So, you know example,
you know, we would get acall from the hospital. Our staff would

(06:41):
respond directly to the hospital and evaluatethe patient's past medical and social history to
see if there was anything that wouldprevent them from being a donor and what
organs and tissues they were eligible todonate. We would then assess the family's

(07:03):
readiness to make that approach to them, either to tell them your loved one
did sign up to be a donorthey you know, they signed up on
the Tennessee registry, or to talkto the family about what the options are
in the event the person was notregistered, and we would give them all

(07:24):
the information about the details of donation, what organs are available for them to
donate, what that opportunity. Lookslike the timing of it would be,
you know, just to give themsome give them you know the details of
all that would occur as a resultof the donation, and then we would

(07:49):
run the list basically to figure outwhere the patients are that are going to
be the best match for the donorthat we are trying to you know,
place those organs for patients who arewaiting. So we've got to figure out
where they are and who's the match, and then we would contact those transplant

(08:13):
programs. We don't contact the patientsdirectly. We contact the centers where the
patients are listed, and we coordinatewith them to come and do the organ
recovery, which is like an operationfor removing the organs for transplant, and

(08:33):
then they would be sent, youknow, sent back to the transplant centers
where they're going to be transplanted intothe patients that have been waiting on the
list. So once the donations,once all the organs have been transplanted,
then we are able to follow upwith that family and let them know where
their gifts went and who benefited fromthem. We don't share individual names,

(08:58):
not to say that that can't happen. But we don't do it immediately.
But when families and patients decide thatthey'd like to meet each other, that's
really that's that certainly is an option. We've had that to happen many times.
It is an anonymous gift. Butif both parties decide they'd like to

(09:20):
meet each other, then that canbe arranged. Can one I'll ask you
this because this is what I askcan can an organ? Do you donate
everything at once or just certain thingsat once? You know what I mean?
If you think, well, thisguy they need organ donations, they
need a kidney or liver or somethinglike that. Do you do it all

(09:43):
at once or you do it allat once? It all happens at once.
Yes, you know, during thepart of the evaluation process again,
when we're when we have the listof patients who match the donor, the
all of that happens at one time. We coordinate the recovery uh with the

(10:05):
transplant programs of the kidney, theliver, heart, lungs, et cetera.
Whichever organs are going to be ableto be transplanted from that patient.
It all, it all happens simultaneously. And so then then yeah, then
you're done because you have everything likeyour organ donations are your your heart,

(10:28):
your lungs, your liver, yourkidneys, your pancreas, I mean so
many things, yes, and doyou take them? You take them all
at once? I know, youknow it depends on you know, if
it depends on the age the patient. So you know, every organ would

(10:48):
be evaluated for its eligibility to betransplanted into another person. So sometimes,
uh, you know, depending onyour aid, your past medical history,
you might not be eligible to donateall of the organs that you know,
but part of them. So everyonethat is eligible to be transplanted would be

(11:11):
that would be what happens in thatsituation. So it's very individualized. Is
there any well, I guess thereis one thing that's needed more than any
other. Is there something more neededmore than others? There are? Well,
there's I mean, there's certainly aneed for all the organs that we've
discussed. Uh. There are morepatients waiting for a kidney, okay,

(11:35):
uh though than any other. Youknow, a lot of a lot of
people are are able to continue livingwithout a transplant if they need a kidney
because of dialysis. So but youknow, having to go to dialysis three
or four times a week for fouror more hours during those sessions is very

(12:00):
grueling. It is really a difficultsituation for patients who are waiting for a
kidney transplant. But so most mostpatients that are on the list are waiting
for a kidney. So that's that'sthe majority of the waiting list. What
about your iBank, but an Ibank when somebody gets they need eyes,

(12:22):
they need things with their eyes.Is that something that's very popular? Now
I need you know. Cornea transplantationis so successful. Yes, you can
donate your corneas. We coordinate thatas well. We do have an I
bank within our program. So andwe the corneas are recovered and are you

(12:46):
know used in uh cornia transplantation sovery highly successful. It's such a great,
you know, a great option forsome How do you get a cornea
transplant who can't see? Obviously,the gift of sight is a miracle in

(13:07):
and of itself, right, itreally is, it really is. Uh
Now, now what do you dothen? Do you turn then turn the
body back to the family. Yes, so funeral arrangements can occur to follow
the donation, and we would wework with the funeral home and the family
on all that timing. So we'reyou know, communicating with the funeral home

(13:33):
to make sure that uh that youknow, the transportation and the funeral arrangements
can occur once the donation has beencompleted. What about religious organizations things where
people have religious beliefs that that don'tlet them donate that now, any anything

(13:54):
revolving that that right now, Well, there's really not a lot. I
mean, I think people have amisconception that religion is somehow plays a part
in or or that there are religiousobjections. Really, most all religions that

(14:15):
we're familiar with are supportive of donationeven and have have had statements from the
religious leaders of those different religions tosay, you know, organ donation is
really the you know, an ultimateact of human kindness and with support,

(14:39):
with support, sharing the gift oflife with others. And then do you
do you have disparities in the typeof racial disparities right now? In terms
of that, yes, we havebeen working really hard in our outreach programs

(15:00):
to improve the numbers of registrations inthe communities of color in Tennessee. We
have partnered with Mahary Medical college,you know, for different outreach opportunities.
One in particular that has been,you know that we started last summer and

(15:22):
we're getting getting ready for a yearor two is a partnership with Mahary to
educate medical students who are attending MaharyMedical College. Because when we met with
mahiry uh I guess it was twoyears ago and said, do you know,

(15:43):
we really would like some help tryingto figure out the best way to
uh improve the number of black registrantson Tennessee Registry and we're really not seeing
a lot of movement and thought,we must not be doing something right in
terms of accessing that community in sucha way that would make our registration numbers

(16:07):
go up in that population. Andthe reason we wanted to do that is
because when when they're when patients ofcolor are waiting the match because of you
know, some of our genetic makeupin different ethnicities match better when that donor

(16:30):
is available. And so we trywe're trying to make sure we're reaching out
to the community so that they understandand will register so that in the event
that they can come of donor,then that improves the odds of that of
a patient of their ethnicity waiting onthe list to get that organ because it

(16:56):
will do it. You know,studies show uh that they will do better.
So that is one effort that weare trying to do is to make
sure we improve the number of blackregistrations on the Tennessee list. But then
also in our in our world,we don't see a lot of black professionals

(17:22):
coming into organ donation and transplantation interms of you know, for example,
physicians who become transplant surgeons. There'sprobably less than five percent of the transplant
surgeons in the United States. Butso doctor Hildreth, you know, pointing
out that statistic to us was why, you know, why don't we have

(17:45):
a program where we can do betterat educating black healthcare professionals. Maybe they'll
be interested in becoming a transplant progistor an a prologist or a surgeon.
And that you know, you know, he expressed it best. When patients

(18:06):
see themselves in their caregivers, they'remuch more accepting, they're you know,
more trusting, and you know thatis that would be something of importance for
us to focus on. So we'reworking with Harry to do just that.
We're getting ready to do your numbertwo of our summer research programs. So

(18:30):
we have ma hairy students that shadowalongside our clinical staff, our healthcare professionals,
and our recovery surgeons, so they'reactually able to experience the recovery surgery
surgery. So they just they getan exposure like no other uh and there's

(18:53):
no other program in the United Statesthat has done this that medical students actually
get to participate firsthand. They're workingalongside our staff in the hospital. They're
exposed to family interactions where families aremaking decisions about donation. So it's just

(19:14):
a you know, an immersion reallyinto donation and transplantation that gives them the
exposure to see what really happens.And the students that came with us last
year, you know, at theend of their training, at the end
of the research experience, they werejust amazed at the process, at the

(19:41):
sensitivity of the process, and themiracles have come from it. And they
all said, you know, said, even if I don't become a nefrologist,
even if I'm not a transplant surgeon, when I'm a physician in my
community, I can advocate for nationand help people understand the importance and trust

(20:06):
the system that this really works.So it was. It was an amazing
experience for our staff and for thestudents, and we are going to be
repeating it year after year. We'rehoping, well, we're not hoping.
We know that we have a programthat can be replicated in other parts of

(20:30):
the country for other medical schools.We also have other HBCUs in Tennessee like
FISC and TSU where nursing professionals comeout of that program, and at FISK
where other professionals that you know,we all we have you know it departments

(20:52):
in an accounting and human resources.We have all tons of departments that support
Tennessee donor services. So why nothave other internships available for students who could
come and shadow what happens behind thescenes at a donor program and get involved.

(21:15):
Yeah, you can do this.You can certainly do it at other
colleges too. It's Chris is agreat program we have. Yeah. Do
do you have actually you said thetransplant surgeons. Do you have surgeons that
that's all they do are transplants?Oh? Yeah. At our at Tennessee

(21:36):
Service, we have a surgeon whoremoves or we call him a recovery surgeon.
So he's an experience he's an experiencedformer transplant position or surgeon rather,
but he has kind of work withus to just perform the organ recovery operation.

(22:00):
But yes, at transplant programs likeVanderbilt University of Tennessee in Saint Thomas
Erlanger, those are those hospitals arealso transplant centers. Okay, they perform
kidney transplants, Vanderbilt performs part lung, liver, pancreas. They perform all

(22:22):
transplants that are possible. Yeah,so yes, there are those. Those
centers are specific to transplant that oursurgeon is for doing organ recovery. Is
then he is he or she basedin a certain place and then they're they're
there or did they travel around therather state to do that? He's based

(22:47):
in Nashville, but he travels allover the state. Oh okay, Okay,
so he is he's okay, Sookay, so that's what he does.
Well, I didn't I asked youthat because I didn't realize there's surgeons
that just do this. Yeah,yes, yeah, absolutely, Well that's
a that's a highly specialized yeah,and a very very you know, critical

(23:07):
critical role. And his expertise isjust fantastic. Yeah, and he can
he can that he can take iteyes, eyes or something else. His
expertise is in the removal of adomin boording, liver, kidneys, pancreas.

(23:29):
Okay, so I didn't so thenthe eyes would do somebody else or
something like that. Right, theeyes are you know those? The or
the skin we have special technicians whoare trained. We have special technicians for
training and that have trained for that. And then your liver, your liver
is different from your skin or whateveryou have. Just this just depends on

(23:53):
what you have. Okay, youknow the bone, skin and other types
of tissues. We we have highlytrained technicians who specialize in recovering tissue,
bone and the ie tissue as well. Now I want to make I want

(24:14):
you to make this clear to people, because I think people sometimes think,
well, I might be I mightbe alive and and and they'll have to
take me out with that might bealive and too too dead or too alive
or too something like that, andthen they go ahead and let and let
me go. They kill me inother words, to to get this surgeon
to them, what do they say? Yeah? Yeah, which is which

(24:40):
is absolutely a misconception that is inno way happens. Yeah, the hospital
when when a pission comes to thehospital, the healthcare professionals there are there
to say your life. That istheir role. That is what you know,
That's what happens when you when youget to the hospital. Emergency medicine

(25:06):
is to say uh, and noother option is A is viable for a
patient and that is you know,and there are certain criteria obviously that would
prompt the hospital to make a phonecall to us to evaluate a patient pre
donation. And that is when deathis imminent or has occurred. So what

(25:32):
there is that that is a thatis a very popular misconception. That's not
true. That's I wanted to getthat out there. I didn't know how
to say it except did kill you? I mean, I didn't know how.
Let's just be honest. I mean, that's what either think and that's
what people are thinking out there andthen and I didn't think. I didn't

(25:52):
think it's true at all. Iknow it's not true, not true at
all at all. Well, whatwould you say to people who are one
to get involved and don't I don'tI don't know if I want I don't
want to put my name on thelist, and to do that, I
don't feel bad. What do youtell people at that point, Well,
I think the you know, thestories speak for themselves. You know,

(26:15):
people's lives are saved as a resultof donation and transplantation. Otherwise, these
folks are going to die because they'retheir in stage organ failure. They have
no other chance. But we canbe a life, you know, we
can. We can save lives whensomething happens to me and I am not

(26:42):
I'm no longer going to live.I want my organs to save somebody else
I don't need them or you know, I don't need them anymore after that,
and I can save life. They'redoing that, And we have so
many patients, thankful patience whose lifehave been saved. It's just it's to

(27:07):
hear their stories, to hear theirtestimonies about their how thankful they are to
begin begive a second chance whom theyotherwise would have none. Uh is amazing.
So that I mean, I wouldsay, you know, listen to
the stories uh these patients, andyou listen to the stories of the donor

(27:33):
families who got so much solace andpeace from being able to help something else
on their worst day, and thefact that they are able to think of
others on their worst day is amiracle. Selfless is just an understatement or

(27:56):
the kind of decision that must befor someone. But to think of others
and to you know, put youknow in the in like I said,
in their in their worst day,in the midst of their grief, they
come up and you know, andstep up and say, yes, I

(28:17):
want my loved one to help somebodyelse live. If someone is interested in
donating, I know they can doit when they when they do their driver's
license. But if they want toright now the listeners show and they want
to donate right away, what canthey do? Well, they can get
They can go to the registry isbe thee gift today dot com. Then

(28:37):
register to be the donor. Thatis that is the best thing to do,
is to get on the registry.Also, having a conversation with your
family is important. That way they'llthey'll not be surprised, they'll support your
decision. Uh. In the eventthat something happens and you are you know,

(28:59):
you have the opportunity to be adonor. That what your family already
knows what your wish was well.Thank you so much as we've been a
pleasure to talk to you, andI appreciate you take your time, appreciate
it so much. Absolutely, thankyou. Thank you for helping us get
the word out and to reach outto the community and you know, make
this important and get everybody educated aboutit. We appreciate it so much.

(29:23):
We thank Joe Grandi for being ourguests on today's program. She's a corporate
executive director for Tennessee Donor Services.If you want to find out about the
Tennessee Donor Services, visit tennesseedonor dotorg. For questions or comments about today's
program, you can email me,John Clark at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks
for listening. I'll talk to younext week right here on your local radio

(29:44):
station on Tennessee Matters.
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