May 28, 2024 (Virginia Beach, Va.) -The LifeNet Health Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, hosted a conference for over two dozen community and faith leaders in the Hampton Roads area. The event aimed to strengthen dialogue on organ donation awareness, forge stronger partnerships, and ultimately increase donor registration rates.

The LifeNet Health Foundation (the Foundation) recognizes that engaging with community and faith leaders is critical to clarifying donation misconceptions. Through fostering open dialogue and collaboration at events like this recent luncheon, the Foundation is dedicated to building bridges that connect diverse groups, united in the common goal of saving lives through education about the critical importance of organ donation.

The event opened with a presentation by LifeNet Health representatives Todd Hubler, VP, OPO Executive Director, Kia White, Multicultural Community Affairs Director, and Community Education Coordinators, Autie Hines, and Kevin Lyles. They outlined the organization's mission and goal to save more lives by increasing organ donation awareness. This introduction set the stage for a lively Q&A session where the team addressed and dispelled prevalent misconceptions related to organ donation. The key topics discussed included healthcare access for registered donors, the impact of organ donation on funeral arrangements, and the ethical oversight involved in the donation process.

Attendees were reassured that registered organ donors receive the same high-quality emergency healthcare as non-donors, highlighting that emergency room staff do not have access to donor registration information and care is never compromised by donor status. This underscores the health sector's commitment to providing equitable and high-quality medical care to all individuals.

Furthermore, it was clarified that organ donation does not interfere with funeral arrangements. Specialized recovery teams utilize advanced restoration techniques and collaborate closely with funeral directors to ensure that all funeral services can proceed as planned, honoring the donor’s life and the family’s wishes without any compromise to the service’s appearance or timing.

LifeNet Health representatives also emphasized the strict regulatory environment under which organ and tissue donation operates. Federal and state laws rigorously oversee all donation activities to prevent profiteering. Additionally, the roles of Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) were discussed, highlighting how these organizations ensure fairness, medical urgency, and compatibility as the primary considerations in organ matching, thereby maintaining the highest ethical standards in the donation process.

“We were grateful to welcome respected community and faith leaders and have an opportunity to address challenges around organ donation,” said Kia White. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering trust, transparency, and equity in every aspect of the donation process and continuing to empower communities with the facts needed to ensure that every individual can make informed decisions about donation. This will foster hope and ultimately save lives.” 

In attendance, was Reverend Dr. Leo Whitaker, Executive Minister of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia (BGCVA). He added, "John 15:13 states, ‘Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.’  All of humanity is the recipient of the grace of the cross by the Lamb of God who purchased our salvation on Calvary.  In the spirit of the Savior’s sacrificial gift, each Christian would be faithfully following the example set by Jesus when donating blood, cells, kidneys, lungs, plasma, a portion of your liver, or tissue to someone in need.  In addition, anatomical gifts will transform the lives of so many people who are praying for a miracle."

To register as an organ donor and potentially become a hero in someone's life, please visit: Donate Life Virginia

For those interested in becoming a living donor and making a direct impact, you can sign up on the living donor registry at: Donate Life - Living Donor Registry

Media Contact: Jessica Lee; jessica_lee@lifenethealth.org; 757-807-8220

About Baptist General Convention of Virginia (BGCVA)

The BGCVA’s mission is to unite and equip churches, ministries, associations, and constituents to do holistic ministry that propagate the Gospel and supports education and missions in the state of Virginia and beyond. BGCVA was established in 1899 in support of education through Virginia Union University and its school of theology. BGCVA operates out of Virginia Union University, with a membership of over 1,079 African American churches and 30 associations. To learn more, visit: https://www.bgcva.org/

About The LifeNet Health Foundation

The LifeNet Health Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization dedicated to strengthening LifeNet Health’s mission of saving lives, restoring health, and giving hope.

We focus on four key areas: providing comprehensive services for our donor families, promoting high–quality educational programs for both the public and healthcare professionals, fueling medical innovation, and fostering enduring community connections. For more information, go to www.lifenethealth.org/foundation