(Emporia, KS) — In collaboration with Midwest Transplant Network (MTN), Newman Regional Health performed its first-ever triple organ procurement surgery (kidneys and liver) on Saturday, April 10th. As a result of this organ and cornea donation, four people were helped, including a 50-year-old male and a 48-year-old female.

MTN is a federally certified, not-for-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) that works with donors, families, hospitals, and other professional partners to extend legacies, provide hope, and give life. When Newman Regional Health was notified by the patient’s family of their strong desire to proceed with organ donation, MTN began collaborating with Newman Regional Health staff to assist in the donor management process ensuring successful organ recovery.

“We were humbled by the opportunity to help this family fulfill their loved one’s last wish of giving life to others and seeing hope come out of tragedy,” said Julia Pyle, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer. “The patient’s family was a strong advocate in the donor management process and together we were able to make this happen right here at Newman Regional Health. It is inspiring to see this type of selfless giving during a stressful time.”

More than 80% of eligible Kansans generously have joined the organ, eye and tissue donor registry. In 2020, 271 deceased organ donors and 28 living organ donors gave the gift of life. Still, the need for donation and transplantation far surpasses the number of available organs. Currently, there are more than 400 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the state of Kansas, and hundreds more could benefit from life-enhancing tissue transplants, such as heart valves, skin grafts or tendons.

“Organ, eye and tissue donation offers others a new chance at healthy, productive and normal lives,” says Midwest Transplant Network’s Public Affairs Manager, Michala Stoker, BSN, RN. “Joining the donor registry is a gift to your family and friends, giving them certainty of your decision, and is a symbol of hope to those awaiting transplantation. More than 107,000 people nationally await lifesaving organ transplants and hundreds of thousands more need corneal and tissue transplants. On average, 17 people in the U.S. die each day because they do not receive the transplant they need in time. One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of more than 100 people by donating tissue.”

Learn more about organ donation and register today at sharelifemidwest.com.

Newman Regional Health Business Development 1201 West 12th Avenue Emporia, KS 66801 (620) 343-6800 x22524 www.newmanrh.org

About Newman Regional Health: Newman Regional Health is a not-for-profit 25-bed Critical Access Hospital owned by the citizens of Lyon County, Kansas. Recognized as a Level 4 Trauma Center, Newman Regional Health provides inpatient acute and medical rehabilitation services along with a full range of emergency and outpatient care to patients of all ages in Lyon County and surrounding areas in East Central Kansas. Newman Regional Health offers 24/7 care with a newly renovated, state-of-the-art 19-bed emergency room and 10-bed Clinical Decision Unit. With a mission to improve health in the community by providing high quality care and a vision to be a valued, trusted partner and regional provider of exemplary services, Newman Regional Health receives recognition as a top Critical Access Hospital each year.

About Midwest Transplant Network Midwest Transplant Network has been connecting lives through organ donation since 1973. As the federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) for Kansas and the western two-thirds of Missouri, Midwest Transplant Network provides services including organ procurement; surgical tissue and eye recovery; laboratory testing; and 24-hour rapid response for referrals from hospital partners. Midwest Transplant Network ranks in the top 10% in the country among OPOs, which reflects the organization’s quality, professionalism and excellence in partnerships throughout the region. For more information, visit mwtn.org.