Transplantation Science for Students

Hello and welcome to the Gifted Life Podcast where we have conversations about organ, tissue and eye donation. You can always find us at thegiftedlife.org. I'm Maurice Dio. I'm Joey Bluedrow.

And I'm Sarah Blakemore. Coming up on the podcast today. We'll be talking to someone who went from a myth spreader to a myth buster. And here exactly what it was that opened his eye to the donation.

And we're going to talk about how to improve your self-control with minimal willpower. Oh, I like that. All that and more right here, the Gifted Life next. Here on the Gifted Life we are excited to introduce you to two of our newest friends from donor Alliance.

And Gaspers, how are you, ma'am? I'm doing great today. Thanks. Good.

Tell us what you do over at donor Alliance. Well, donor Alliance is the Organ Procurement Organization in Tissue Bank for Colorado and most of Wyoming. We are based in Denver and I am the public education coordinator. I manage our educational programs for grades six through 12 as well as our collegiate programs.

And also work with the driver-lions offices. And we love it and we love to partner and bring that information to you. Our listeners are asked is that when you hear this episode, please help us share so that more people can get this information. So Anne is introducing us to kin.

Turnip seed. Hey, kin. Hello, everybody. I'm going to talk about the podcast.

So kin, tell us what you do for donor Alliance. Well, I am fortunate enough to be one of the instructors and we go out to middle school high school junior colleges and technical schools to talk to them about donor Alliance and the benefits of being donors. And more importantly, answering questions and handling challenges. It's a great job, Maddy.

Oh, I love it. And I was talking to Anne and we were talking about hopefully getting you guys on the podcast and she couldn't wait for us to meet you because you also have a tie to donation and a tie to Louisiana. So podcast group, that's okay. Again, talk about your brother, your tie to Louisiana and your passion for donation.

Well, actually again, I am a we were from Mississippi and my brother went to college in Louisiana. So that's how he ended up in Louisiana. He ended up going to say, but for me, when as we grew up, the one thing they absolutely told was, yes, at any time you in a situation where you could lose a limb or you in terms of donating body parts, we were always told not do it. The only thing that will happen is that they will, that they, the great they would take the body parts and donate them to somebody else.

And so it was always a big no no. And that was growing up and became an adult. I passed on that same rungiest information. Then for me, as I was working, I got a call.

I got to go to Colorado. I got a call that my brother was on the desk door that he had his third heart attack. And that the one thing we needed to do was to come down and say goodbye. So we came down and as the violent intervention would have it, he was on the desk door.

A lady was killed in the car accident. And he ended up getting hurt hard after being tested to make sure he was strong enough to handle the things he was first on the list. And so that changed his life, my life, my kids, his kids. And there I was once he made the three operations and everything was okay.

Then I signed him into the mirror and say, you know, what have I done all these years? All the people that I have influenced that being an organ donor was a bad thing. So now, here I am. I feel with all of this guilt, I feel with appreciation and I got my big brother back.

And the family did not want to be contacted. So there's nothing I can do. I mean, I can't express the guilt. I can't really express the gratitude.

So all this was weighing on me as I came back to Denver and looking for some way to alleviate that thing. And fortunately, my daughter brought me a message about donor alliances looking for potential instructors. So I pursued it, talked to them. And it was like Manosville.

It was a chance for me to alleviate some of my guilt, but at the same time, they convinced all the people that I had influenced me over time. So I ended up getting with the organization, went through the training and, oh, I guess for you, I almost never used it. Now, I have had the honor to go to elementary school, middle school, high school, junior colleges, and even had the opportunity to talk to adults in adult programs. So I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to be able to teach and talk.

And hopefully as time goes on, I get to the point where I feel that I'm making the men slowly, people that I negatively influence. So that's my story. What a story. Joey Sarah, are you like me?

Like my mouth is like, wow. Yeah, it's I can imagine, Ken. And you can probably speak to it that to have someone who's going through the kind of that circle of, you know, not believing in donation and then having that, that personal experience, the impact that that much must have on these, you know, youngsters, these six, seven, eight graders. It must be amazing to watch.

I am. Yeah, I think that that's the real value of our program. And I forgot to mention earlier, our program is called Transplantation Science. And we teach the science behind organ and tissue donation and transplantation through four different stations.

So it's very interactive. We bring it, ordinance, and ordinance specimens and, sorry, clathinated organ specimens and other materials into the classroom so they can get up close and personal and learn really what these the benefits are of transplantation and donation. And I just have to tell you that I've observed, Ken Tach and the passion he brings to the classroom. He has such a great rapport with kids no matter whether they're six graders or juniors in high school in an anatomy and physiology class or even adults.

And he just really brings that to the classroom and shares so much knowledge of the students. And I have to tell you that I just looked up the data, kind of taught over 29,000 students over the last 11 years. Which, you know, it's quite amazing. Oh my gosh, so sorry, Joe, like we all, Kim, we got to get to you.

We have something. Let's go ahead, Joe. Well, it's such a great program. And you can, I guess you guys can speak to it a little more.

But just on the surface seeing that you guys connect to the students in so many different ways, you know, there's some of us, you know, that love to learn through the science aspect. I love that portion. That's what drew me to nursing, you know, initially. And then the addition of having that, that emotional side to it and that connection that Ken brings, it must be, you know, it seems like an all around wonderful program that you guys have there in Colorado and Wyoming.

Yeah, it's, we've just been expanding the program every year. And I have to say that Ken's experience with the program and knowledge has really helped train a lot of our other educators. So that passion that you do bring Ken is really important. Can you share maybe some experiences you've had with the students that you've taught?

Oh, it's gone. It's gone. I guess I've gone into some schools where, I mean, tough schools. I've gone into schools where kids were really accepting from the very start.

And again, schools that what the biggest satisfaction is having. Some of the teachers will have the students send letters back. And those letters coming from the students are pretty rewarding. So, for instance, people saying that my parents didn't believe in being a donor, but I am convincing them that they need to be.

Some people saying that I have family members who have been recipients and that they are sharing those stories with their peers. So it's kind of a rippling effect that we are seeing. So you know that the program has benefited to know that the message that you're delivering and getting to people and helping the cause. And it doesn't matter whether it's in schools where students are attending, doesn't matter where they are tough at schools, kids are listening.

Kids will absolutely listen. And you come out of that knowing and saying to yourself, you know that I think I'm getting a difference here. That is what's rewarding. I love that here on the Get to Life we talk about one person making a difference, Ken.

Like Ken, Ken, Ken, it's you, man. I do want to talk about we've been reading up and we are excited at Loba to learn about the transplantation science, but you talked about four stations when we were doing our research. So I kind of want to know a little bit about each of those stations and what you guys teach and then any resources for teachers in your area or here because I think there's an online component. So either in person or online, can you guys fill us in on that?

Sure. I'm going to like Ken talk about the sort of each station, because he's the one that teaches it and then I can chime in on the resources that we have both in person and online. So we really have, and we're blessed to have organs that we can share with the students. I'm telling you that nothing like being able to see a human heart or to see a lot or to see the effects that smoking cigarettes and weed and vaping hands on the lungs.

But we're going to talk about four seconds. So first, the station one, we will have organs and all of our organs are slightly different, but it will be a human heart and students will get to touch a human heart and you tell you that it's pretty cool. Wow. Then we'll have a lung, liver and kidneys and they'll get to look at that.

We can tell them, we can show them how large their lung is as compared to the ones that we have and everybody is amazed at how large their lung is. And then the station two will talk about the human heart and as an exercise where they will go through, the students will go through to determine which person should get a heart. So they have to go through the six candidates, the one heart and they'll have to go through and figure out whose person should get the heart based off of criteria that's given to them. So they'll have real life and they get to make the decision to get the heart.

And that's pretty amazing within itself. Station three and station four, station three. Station three, we'll talk about the cornea. We'll go through the cornea and cornea blindness which comes from aging, hereditary and infection and we'll talk about how that is handled.

We'll talk about how that cornea is replaced and that is intriguing to everybody. And then the station four, we'll talk about scan and how scan is transplanted from burns and that too is amazing. So when you look at that, we'll scan them and so we'll talk to them how bone is used even in terms of dentists using bones from people who donated their body and again, scan. So it's pretty amazing, pretty interesting.

That presentation will take the thing you might understand here. That presentation will take about 30 to 40 minutes and then what comes after that is we'll go through and answer all the questions that the students will go through in the book. And that's what a real value comes in and that they can ask us any questions about kidneys and then stories will come up about their families and kidneys and we'll talk about how the organs toxins and then we'll have a closing that we learned and in their closing and encourage them to talk, play the word and to hear what we said about the benefits of being the only. So it's amazing and rewarding every time we do classes and every time for me over the 11 years, it requires us rewarding and fulfilling.

So that's kind of the overview of the first thing. I think can you sell the program short a little bit when you say it's pretty interesting. I've been around for 18 years and this is absolutely one of the best all around education programs that I have heard anyone present. I think it's wonderful what you guys did, the creative what you guys did and as I said before the impact on these kids must be immense.

I have a couple questions, just because I want to copy, Ken. I mean, I'm not a very innovative dude, but I can copy some from some of the best. So I was wondering what are you guys using models as far as the, you mentioned the heart, you mentioned the lungs and you also mentioned like lungs with that have had smoking impact on it or, you know, marijuana impact on it. Are you guys using models or you actually have the organs there in a container for the embassy?

So we're using the organs for instance. For me, I have a lung that came from a person who was 26 years old, two pack of big cigarettes, smoking and smoke weed. And we'll have some of them plastic but some of them plastic maybe. And so the kids really get to see feeling hurt.

The other thing that really helps too is especially never to get into the call, because we're not shut up. Then we're able to bring them up and make them part of the program. We'll have, we're showing the class where the kids lungs, left lung or right lung start and then boom, everybody's into it and overwhelmed. So that makes for never having the bad class.

When you get the realm around and it works every time, every time. And so we get to see what they want the kids to walk out. They absolutely, they absolutely understand what we intended to teach and it enforces the message. I love that and definitely have to be flexible when you're out in the community.

Ken, I join you out in the community as well. But I too, I'm going to look for these resources. So I know that you guys were saying can do in person following COVID-19 and safety issues and then online as well. So Anne, can you kind of fill us in on how we can get more information?

Sure. And I'll just add that we get our plastinated specimens so they've done through a plastination process. And we order those through the University of Maryland at State Anatomical Board and they come from people who have donated their whole body to science. And so that's kind of how we are able to provide these.

We also have funding through our Emily Keys, John W. Buckner Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund. And that's, all of our educational programs are supported through that fund that people don't need to at the driver license office when they go through the renewal license or get a new driver license. For our Translplantations Science program, we have all information about that on our website at www.donorlance.org slash Translantations Science.

We have an in-person program that we've been managing for many, many, many years. And I have to tell you, I was resistant to trying to put it online because teachers tell us time and time again, the greatest value of this program is that the students get to see the organs, they get to try on corneoblyness classes and work through a workbook that has activities for each station. And so we provide those workbooks. The whole program is free to any teacher that wants to sign up for the program.

We schedule these to be anywhere from a 45-minute class to 90-minute class to a two-hour class, depending on the class situation for teachers. We often schedule our educators to go into school and teach, for example, all some grade science classes for the day. Sometimes we schedule three educators for the same school on the same day. And then we've had to shift over the last few months, as everyone has, to create a digital curriculum.

And so we've shifted a little bit and we had some of our educators filmed short two-minute videos about each station from their homes and we posted those online as our digital curriculum. We provided our workbooks as PDF files for teachers and students. That's something I'd like to change because a PDF is not really easy to use for students, but we did also create a Google form where kids could write in their answers on the Google form. And we've been trying to provide these resources to teachers.

I think over the last few months it's been challenging for teachers to know what resources to use and how to access things and what they need to just let go of. And so we're hoping to improve upon what we've created because there's always a improvement for our program all the time. And we're going to improve some of the aspects of it, like the workbook aspects of it, for the fall semester. We also created over the last couple of years what we call our transplantation science traveling trunk where we ship the materials to our teachers in Colorado, Wyoming, so that they are, you know, smaller schools that are more remote are able to have the same access.

And then we've actually been hosting Zoom conferences with an educator for the last couple of years. So our educators and teachers that had taken part in that were pretty well versus Zoom before, you know, the COVID happened and they had to start switching their instruction to Zoom. So we felt good about helping out the community in that way. We lost taken notes.

I was still taking notes, Ian. As an educator, the same, the glue that holds us all together is really in and the work that she does in the background. So we play what she has done and then we'll go out next week. And then we'll come back and do and ask and review if there's anything we need to change.

We'll change those suggestions that we have and make that happen. So in a lot of instances, we have the easy part and in the background, talking to the teachers, being creative, coming up with new ideas. I guess, in essence, is what I'm saying is, I think we have a pretty good team and I am quite proud of us. Yeah, I mean, I think you should be.

So I work with families who are making those end of life decisions. And what we like to tell everybody in the community is stay informed and make an informed decision. And I think that's exactly what y'all are doing. You're reaching out to kids who are reaching out to their families, you're keeping that conversation going.

And it's creating a powerful positive change in your community. So I mean, thank you so much. This is very powerful and very impressive. And the, you know, our call to action, we don't register kids in classes.

And I really don't know any opos that probably have that as their main purpose for educating in classrooms. Our main purpose is to encourage students to have a conversation with their family that night, tell them what they learned in class. And we've created a family discussion survey, we have paper format and digital format, and we encourage teachers to assign that as a class assignment homework, extra credit, however they want to do it. And then they send those back to us so that we can collect data on, you know, what is going on in these conversations.

And we found that the grand majority of students, their parents are registered as donors, which is fantastic. But now they're having that conversation with their kid, which is so important before they go into the driver license office to get their permit or license. Well, I, I love this program. I love that you took the time to let us know a little bit more about it.

And kin, just the fact that in order to honor your brother's donor, you're working so hard to save more lives, to make life happen. To me, that is just incredible. And I'm excited at what you guys have going on in Colorado and Wyoming. And you and I talked about college curriculum as well.

I love when we partner up because education is key and our big goal is to make life happen across the board. So I think the more we do that, the more we all learn and the better we all are. Agreed. So if you want more about what we talked about here on the giftedlife donor Alliance.org slash transplantation science, that's donor Alliance.org slash transplantation science.

And kin, kin, thank you guys enough. Thank you. Okay, good talking to you all. On the gifted life, we take a moment for mental health.

Yes, Sarah, what you got for us today? Okay, guys, today we are going to talk about self nudging and the idea behind it. And what are some really simple things we can do to help ourselves. Okay.

So the idea behind self nudging is that anyone can design their own environment in a way that can make it easier for higher quality and a lot more production and making better choices. So we always talk about it on the podcast, like what are ways that we can improve our physical, mental, spiritual selves, right? And that's really what this corner is about is talking about that. So one way to do this is we're going to improve our self control because I know that's kind of difficult for people, especially when we're quarantining, right?

I mean, I've been snapping. Yes. So the idea behind self nudging is really easy things that you can do to improve your self control, right? So let's talk about it.

So one thing we can do that's really, really easy is we can use reminders and prompts. I like to put post it notes, whether they're like physical ones or like on your computer, I know you can do those post it notes to remind you and give you positive affirmation throughout the day to keep making those healthy choices. You can always choose a different frame. So when we frame things differently in our minds that are positive, I know it can be hard to go to the gym.

Sometimes you can talk yourself out of it. But if you reframe it and remind yourself that it's you're trying to improve, you're doing better, you want to feel better, it's really powerful what our mind can do, right? Yes, Sarah, you talk about the gym and you know, it's funny. I just had a lunch break and I probably should have put a little post it note right over my snack bowl so that I didn't need that kick hat.

But the gym part is not an issue because I do it as soon as I wake up. So I don't even have an option to tell myself, no, I can't or no, I'm not. So I just make sure that that's not an option. I wake up about five hit the gym and then don't give myself that option to try to weaves a lot of it because I've got multiple other things going on.

Is that snack bowl that gives me trouble? Right. And I love that you mentioned that because that's what we're talking about structuring your environment, structuring your day so that you can improve yourself. So that's great.

Another really good tip is that you can reduce accessibility to temptations. I know you said putting a post it note on that snack bowl. The right way is not buying junk food at all to have in your house or that is me. I have made that change, mister.

I'm getting made in that way. I don't buy any at my house. It's because I'm in the office and other people buy it. That's the problem.

I have a little kid running around who loves snacking. And so during quarantine, especially, I noticed that they were just really going through these snacks that at first I was buying it just as a treat, right? So then I bought a basket that's dedicated to apples, bananas, cucumbers. So you got to go through that first.

And then I'm not buying as much of the other stuff, which also helps me because the COVID fluff is real. It's an honest effort in the grocery store to avoid that aisle and to spend more time in vegetables and fruits for me. So that's helping. Right.

And I know we've been mentioning a lot of physical things, but it's also, if you're having high anxiety right now, and I know the media can be, we're getting a lot of information and a lot of it's negative right now. So reducing our accessibility to that, whether that's taking time away from watching the news, even for an hour or just reduce your accessibility to things that are going to cause you harm. That's really what that's happening. Yeah.

And so the last really quick little tip I want to give is that increase your accessibility through social pressure. So I know right now a lot of people are very active on social media and are telling you what are ways that you can help others. So when we hold ourselves accountable and when we bring in that social accountability to it'll increase and help us make better choices. Yeah, I like that.

We always start our day. Hopefully we're light and make somebody else's day brighter in some way, shape or form, whether it's greeting the neighbor or something like that. But I'm trying to put that in the play for them. So that's comes natural, but then I still have to work at it too.

So I hear that that's an neat list. Yeah. So just remember, you know, you can self nudge yourself into making a healthier lifestyle. So these are just really quick tips.

Hope it helps. I love it. Maybe you have a topic you'd like me Sarah to cover info at the giftedlife.org. We'd love to hear from you.

In every episode of the gifted life, we honor a hero. Today, our hero comes to us from our partner over at Donor Alliance. Today's hero is Kinsey Kingry. Sydney Rhodes remembers her sister, Kenzie's sweet laugh and freckles and describes her as a glue that did and still does keep her family together.

Kinsey was a good student, a typical teenage girl that enjoyed driving around in her little Honda Civic, listening to music with her friends. Kinsey tragically passed away in October 2004, just four days before her 18th birthday. As a registered donor, Kinsey was able to save the lives of five recipients through Organ Eye and Tissue Donation. Sydney has shared in our transportation science video that Kinsey was 17 years old, a high school student, and was at a party.

Things got a little out of control and there were a few guns in there, so she was shot. She wanted to be a donor. It was a conversation that we had had in our family prior to her dating her driver license. So it was never a question of whether she would be one or not.

Without three days after that, we received a letter from donor Alliance saying that she had been a donor. She had saved five lives. Sydney shares that it takes what is the most unbearable pain and brings her joy. There are five people that have received her organs.

There's her heart recipient who they actually met who is now a part of her life and who walks around bearing her heart. And when Sydney thinks of how much she misses her and loves her, there are five other families out there that wouldn't have their people if it weren't for her. It's almost 16 years after becoming a donor, but Kinsey lives on not only in her recipients, but also through their families and her own family. If you'd like to see more about Kinsey's story, please go to donorlands.org slash transportation science.

And now we pause and say thank you to Kinsey for the gift of life. In our question and answer segment today's question, I'll go ahead and read to you, Lori, since this is in your wheelhouse. What age should I talk to my child about organ donation? Should I wait until they get their driver's license?

Since you have a few little road grads running around for you should be right there for you. Yeah, I have two thoughts on this and I'm just glad that we're actually having this conversation because as a community educator, we do go out and talk to kids before they get their driver's license. I think that's also important, but I have a five-year-old, a six-year-old, a 13-year-old here at home. And because they're around all these amazing volunteers, whether recipients, donor families, are those waiting?

They understand donation and they understand the concept that someone gave and that's the right thing to do. It's an act of charity, it's an active love, it's an act of hope. And so they are already talking about a heart on their license to help friends that they've met and friends that have become family. So I think when the kids are ready to start talking, then you do it.

So we don't get into the science of it with the little ones, but we do have an organ, anti-doll, and we talk about organ function and things like that. We do that in schools with Girl Scout groups as well. And so I think it's well received. My other thought on that is that we have a sweet donor family and in my mind, I'm seeing a picture of Ava Grace, who had just graduated from kindergarten.

Ava Grace had a twin sister. So working with that family to understand donation, working with her twin sister, who was so young to understand the concept of donation, didn't understand the science behind it, but beginning to understand that it's an active love that others are able to live, that her sister is a hero. I just have seen it work. And the more we talk about it, the more we answer their questions, we speak on their level.

I think that plays into our mission of making life happen, of giving the gift of life, of working together to save more lives. So I think if the child is ready, if they're asking questions, if they're curious, we answer those questions, the best of our ability, and we just help them understand the big picture. Love, life, hope, donation. Yeah, what a great question.

We want to hear from you. Do you have any questions for us? If so email your questions to info at thegiftedlife.org. You can also give us a call at 504-648-3477.

We might even play your message on the podcast. And that'll do it for the Gifted Life episode 139. Thank you for listening. Remember, you can register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor anytime at registerme.org.

Also thanks to Kin and Anne for putting together such an amazing program for students about donation that will most certainly be borrowed by many in our industry after listening to our podcast. I love that. Love our partners. The best place to find us, to find that information is on our website, thegiftedlife.org.

You can listen to any episode on our website, or you can listen on Apple Podcast, Google, Spotify, wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you do listen on Apple Podcast, please leave us a five-star rating and subscribe so that others can find our podcasts. And you can also follow us on any social media. You can like our page on Facebook, the Gifted Life Podcast, and you can follow us on both Twitter and Instagram at Gifted Life Pod.

Thank you for listening. Our ask is that you share this podcast so that others can learn and we can make life happen. We want you to go out and do something you wouldn't normally do to help us make life happen. We're a team.

Thanks for listening. This is a production of Loba, or the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency. The Gifted Life is hosted by Lori Steele, Joey Boudreau, and Sarah Blakemore, our executive producer at Kirsten Heins, producer Isha Long Caraway. Intern is Rebecca Rannam, and we are recorded, engineered and mixed in our Covington, Louisiana Studio by Troy Perez.