Donor
AMA: Should I be a living organ donor?
Hi everyone! My name is Sharyn Kreitzer and I'll be hosting an AMA tomorrow here on the TransplantLyfe forum.
I have been a transplant professional for 25 years. I started as a social worker and then became an outreach and education coordinator and in 2015 I became an administrator for a VA transplant program in the Bronx. I really loved working with the veteran community and in 2020 I created a stand alone nonprofit called DOVE (Donor Outreach for Veterans) to help increase access to kidney transplant for Veterans throughout the US. In the past 2 years DOVE has helped 22 Veterans get a life saving living donor transplant!
After 25 years of working as a transplant professional, I became a I became a kidney donor myself last summer! I'm really proud of this and excited to share my experience with you all and hopefully give you special insight from both perspectives as a professional and patient. Please join the conversation tomorrow or reach out when you can!
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Hi @Sharyn I'm so excited to hear more from you! I loved getting to meet you at the Veloxis Transplant Innovation competition. It was incredible hearing about your foundation. As someone with a dad who is a vet and a husband who is active duty, I really respect what it is that you are doing for the veteran community. These people are the last to ask for help, even when they so deserve it. I can't wait to hear more from you. You are a wealth of knowledge.
Transplant Patient
This sounds amazing! I’m so excited to learn more about you and what you do, Sharyn!
I am excited to be part of this community and share my experience as a donor. For those who would like to learn more about DOVE it is a community directed, veteran centric donor outreach program. Please see this video to understand more.
I believe communities working together can solve the organ crisis. What other communities can we tap into?
@Sharyn I think this is such a good point! We really can tap into so many communities. The military community is such a big part of my life. I’m grateful to see more ways for vets to be taken care of. Your work is incredible and this video made me cry 🥲🥲
This is so neat! I love hearing about professionals in the field giving back in the living donor way. This is a story that needs to be shared.
After I donated a portion of my liver to my son it opened my eyes up to a new world and all the ways people can give to help others. Bone marrow, kidney, a portion of the liver, monetarily, as a support person.
I admit sometimes I don't know how to bring up living donation in conversations with people without them feeling like I have an agenda. But other times I just shout it from the roof tops!!