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National Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop (NDRCW)
July 20-22, 2007, Washington, DC
The 2007 National Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop (NDRCW), the 10th Federal Government ceremony to honor the Nation’s living and deceased donors, took place in Washington, DC on July 20-22, 2007.
This event was sponsored by the Division of Transplantation, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with the assistance of the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) National Donor Family Council and many other transplant associations and organizations.
Saturday’s program included a plenary session, workshops and sharing sessions for living organ and marrow donors, organ and tissue donor families, and donation professionals. The Sunday recognition ceremony featured special presentations and tributes in honor of the generosity of America’s heroes – living organ and marrow donors as well as those who donated organs and/or tissues after death. Among the recipient speakers on Sunday sharing their story of receiving the gift of life, were a cord blood recipient, kidney-pancreas recipient, and a cornea recipient. A special video tribute was shown, with names and photos of loved ones who donated organs and/or tissues after death as well as living donors.
The NDRCW is held every other year, and all the Nation’s living donors, donor families and friends are invited to attend. There is no cost for registration or for attending the Saturday workshops or Sunday’s ceremony. Individuals or sponsoring organizations are responsible for costs such as housing, travel, meals and incidentals. In 2007, over 400 people attended the NDRCW, including donor families, living donors, transplant recipients, donation professionals, families, and friends.
For more information about the activities that took place at the 2007 National Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop, please contact the Division of Transplantation at 301-443-7577, visit www.organdonor.gov or call the National Donor Family Council at 800-622-9010 or email us at donorfamily@kidney.org. Please stay tuned to www.donorfamily.org for information on upcoming events.
January: National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
A time to highlight the importance of giving life through the donation of blood and to honor past and present donors and encourage new ones. The theme, Give Blood ...The Gift of Life, is as constant, as the need for blood.
February 14: National Donor Day
Focused on five points of life: organs, tissues, marrow, platelets, and blood. Many nonprofit health organizations sponsor blood and marrow drives and organ/tissue donor card signings across the Nation. Initiated by the Saturn Cooperation and its United Auto Worker partners.
April: National Donate Life Month
Organ procurement organizations, transplant centers, and other organizations sponsor special awareness events and donor recognition ceremonies to promote donation awareness.
August 1: National Minority Donor Awareness Day
Intensive awareness campaign focuses on obstacles related to minorities and donation, promotes healthy living and disease prevention to decrease the need for transplantation and reaches out to all ethnic groups. Observances have included prayer breakfasts, health walks, and donor drives. Sponsored by the National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program.
November: National Marrow Awareness Month
A special nationwide effort to recruit volunteer marrow, blood stem cell, and umbilical cord blood donors and to increase patient awareness of the option of unrelated transplantation.
November, Two Weekends Before Thanksgiving: National Donor Sabbath
Faith communities across the country focus on the critical need for organs, tissues, marrow, and blood, and their life-enhancing capabilities. Faith leaders participate in discussions of donation with their congregants, and faith communities sponsor donation awareness activities during this 3-day celebration of life.
Alternating odd-numbered years: National Donor Recognition Ceremony & Workshop
Donors and their families from across the country are honored in the Nation's Capital by the Federal government and the transplant community for giving the Gift of Life. Includes Saturday workshops and a donor recognition ceremony on Sunday.
Alternating even-numbered years: U.S. Transplant Games
Olympic-style athletic events for transplant recipients celebrate the life-enabling gifts given by organ and tissue donors. Organized by the NKF. Medals are awarded to recipient winners, and to living donors and donor family members at separate recognition ceremonies. The Transplant Games illustrate that transplantation works to extend and enhance life.
Visit the National Kidney Foundation Newsroom for additional articles on organ and tissue donation.
