Projects & Programs

The Journey Continues

The Journey Continues Podcast

The Journey Continues is a podcast committed to promoting kidney health and organ donation through powerful stories. Host Monica Fox is a kidney transplant recipient and the Director of Outreach and Government Relations for National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. This series features the journeys of kidney patients, transplant recipients, donor families, and industry experts who continue to educate the community through their own experiences and stories.

The Journey Continues is available on all podcast platforms

For more information, contact Monica Fox, Director of Outreach and Government Relations, National Kidney Foundation of Illinois | [email protected]

Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Partnership

The IHSA partnership is a statewide initiative to promote organ, eye & tissue donation awareness, education and registration. The initiative’s mission is to increase donor registration among high school students, specifically 16- & 17-year-old. Donate Life Illinois participates in major sporting events, state finals and honor high school donor athletes.

The partnership with IHSA was initiated following the enactment of the Drive for Life legislation that allows 16- & 17-year-old to register to be organ & tissue donors.

For more information contact Lisa Dodson, Senior Community Outreach Specialist, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network | [email protected]

Student Registry Challenge

The Student Registry Challenge will bring awareness and education on organ, eye, and tissue donation to high school and college campuses, while also encouraging as many as possible to sign up on the donor registry.

Mid-America Transplant

Flags for First Responders will be an opportunity to distribute Donate Life flags to police, fire, and EMT departments to be displayed throughout the year to show their support of donation to the community.

For more information about both programs, contact
Sara Danner, Community Engagement Coordinator, Mid-America Transplant | [email protected]

SAY YES!
To Organ, Eye & Tissue Donation

The SAY YES! initiative is funded by Donate Life Illinois to increase donor registration. The initiative has a host of social media sharable and printable materials that can be used to conduct a virtual or in-person registration campaign.

For more information on how to get involved, contact Tina Montgomery, Supervisor, Community Affairs, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network | [email protected]

Donate Life Transplant Games
of America

Donate Life Illinois sponsors the official state team for the national Donate Life Transplant Games. Transplant Life Illinois organizes and manages Team Illinois to participate in the Games, held every two years in a different location within the United States. The five-day, multi-sport festival is open to living donors, donor family members, and solid organ transplant recipients as well as bone marrow, cornea, and tissue transplant recipients. More than an athletic event, the Games highlight the success of transplantation; honor the lasting legacy of donors; provide hope to those who continue to wait; and promote donor registration.

For more information, visit the website at www.transplantgamesofamerica.org.