There are numerous health organizations throughout the country that can be a valuable resource to patients with critical illnesses. Many are household names; -- American Red Cross, American Heart Association, etc. If you think of them simply as research organizations, or as fund-raisers, or as impenetrable corporations, it's time to reassess. While research (and fund-raising to support it) is one focus of these organizations, so are education and patient support programs.

We encourage you to get in touch with the local or national office of any health organization related to your illness. The programs offered vary from organization to organization, and even within chapters of an organization. But all the services are free, and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you'll learn.

American Association of Kidney Patients, Inc.
3505 E. Frontage Rd.
Suite 315
Tampa, FL 3360
800-749-2257
FAX: 813-636-8122
http://www.aakp.org/

This organization was formed by people on dialysis or with kidney transplants to help those with kidney failure cope with its physical, mental and emotional impact on their lives. Its purpose is to promote the welfare of kidney patients through education and advocacy. Self help and patient education are key elements of local chapter activities.

American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30329
800-227-2345

A non-profit health organization that supports education and research in cancer prevention, diagnosis, detection and treatment, with special services available to cancer patients. Some chapters offer limited medication grants.

American Diabetics Association
1660 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
800-232-3472

A non-profit health organization that assists the general public, diabetics and health-care professionals with education and support, including books, literature and seminars.

American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231-4596
800-AHA-USA1/800-242-8721
214-373-6300
FAX: 214-706-1341

Callers are routed to a local American Heart Association office and can obtain information about heart disease and the type of support services available in the local area. Also, callers can receive a free brochure, "About Heart Transplants."

American Heart Association
Virginia Affiliate
7203 Poplar Street
Annandale, VA 22003
703-941-8500
800-666-4483

Nation's Capital Affiliate
5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20015
202-686-6888

Maryland Affiliate
Montgomery County Division
Prince George's County Division
839 Quince Orchard Blvd.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-990-8900

American Liver Foundation
1425 Pompton Avenue
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
800-223-0179
201-256-2550
FAX: 201-256-3214
http://www.liverfoundation.org/
A voluntary health organization dedicated to liver research and education. It offers public and professional educational programs and promotes awareness and understanding of the liver and liver diseases.

American Lung Association
1740 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
800-LUNG-USA / 800-586-4872 or
212-315-8700
Non-profit, voluntary health organization that offers information to people considering lung transplant, and to those who are at any point in the lung transplant process. Callers can receive a fact sheet on lung transplantation and a list of transplant centers nationwide. This association can provide referrals to local support groups, as well as contacts with other people who have had or are awaiting a lung transplant.

American Lung Association of Northern Virginia
9735 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
703-591-4131

American Lung Association South Atlantic Regional Center
9737 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
703-591-6504

American Lung Association of DC
475 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-682-5864

American Lung Association of Maryland inc.
814 West Diamond Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-990-1207 or
800-638-5574

American Red Cross Services
National Offices
4050 Lindell Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63108
800-2-TISSUE / 800-284-7783

The American Red Cross works directly with health care facilities in collecting, storing and providing donated human tissue such as bone, skin and heart valves. It serves only as a referral agency for solid organ transplant donations. Some 43 Red Cross chapters nationwide are involved in tissue donation services, procurement, distribution and/or public education campaigns. The precise scope of each chapter's activities varies considerably, according to local needs. Initial registration as a bone marrow donor can be accomplished when donating blood.

It should be mentioned that just because you are an organ transplant recipient doesn't mean that you cannot donate blood, platelets, etc. Your medications are the determining factor.

American Red Cross Service Tissue Services
National Headquarters
2025 E Street, NW
Suite 207
Washington, DC 20006
202-728-6503
FAX: 202-659-2439
e-mail: mayr@usa.redcross.org

Biliary Atresia & Liver Transplant Network
3835 Richmond Avenue
Suite 190
Staten Island, NY 10312-0190
718-987-6200
FAX: 718-987-6200

Coalition on Donation
1100 Boulders Parkway
Suite 500
Richmond, VA 23225-8770
804-330-8620
FAX: 804-330-8593

Mid-Atlantic Coalition On Donation
c/o National Kidney Foundation
Attn: Gwen Maddox
5335 Wisconsin Avenue. Suite 830
Washington DC 20006
202-244-7900
FAX: 202-244-7405
or
Mid-Atlantic Coalition On Donation
c/o Washington Regional Transplant Consortium
Attn: Toni Webb
8110 Gatehouse Road, Suite 101W
Falls Church, VA 22042
703-641-0100
FAX: 703-641-0211

The Mid-Atlantic Coalition On Donation is responsible for Donor Awareness programs coordinated regionally and/or nationally. The territory covered includes Washington DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Programs include both public service campaigns and paid advertisements. The "Share your life, Share your decision" campaign is a long standing program of the Coalition.

County of Fairfax County Virginia Commission
on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation
Department of Health
10777 Main Street
Suite 203
Fairfax, VA 22030-6903
703-246-2485
FAX: 703-273-0825

The Fairfax County Commission on Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation was created in 1994. It's mission is to serve the people of Fairfax County Virginia as a resource for problems and guidance regarding organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

This is the first "local commission" and serves as a model for other "community" commissions throughout Virginia and the rest of the nation.

Eye Bank Association of America
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 601
Washington, DC 20036
202-775-4999
FAX: 202-429-6036
http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/
e - mail: Restoresight@internetmci.com

Hepatitis Foundation International
30 Sunrise Terrace
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
201-239-1065
FAX: 201-857-5044

International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry
Medical College of Wisconsin
PO Box 26509
8701 Watertown Plank Road
Milwaukee, WI 53226
414-456-8325
FAX: 414-266-8471
http://www.biostat.mcw.edu/
e-mail: ibmtrmh@hpo4.biostat.mcw.edu

International Pediatric Nephrology Association
Hospital of the Albert Einstein College
1825 East Chester Road
Bronx, NY 10461
718-904-2857
FAX: 718-409-1048

International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation
14673 Midway Road
Suite 108
Dallas, TX 75244
214-490-9495
FAX: 214-490-9499
http://www.ishlt.org/

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International
432 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016-8013
800-JDF-CURE / 800-223-1138
FAX: 212-725-7259
Non-profit health organization supporting diabetes research. Provides information and brochures on diabetes. Offers referrals through its chapters.

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Capital Chapter
1400 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-371-0044
Lions of District 22-C

Eye Bank and Research Foundation, Inc.
9470 Annapolis Road
Seabrook, MD 20706
202-EYE-BANK / 202-393-2265
301-577-7800
FAX: 301-577-0218

NAACP Black Donor Education Program
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
410-358-8900
The NAACP has identified organ donor awareness as a top priority. The primary goal is to increase black support of organ donation across the country through educational efforts developed for area schools, churches, community organizations and departments of motor vehicles offices.

The percentage of African-Americans population needing a kidney or heart transplant is five to six times greater than the American population as a whole. In 1996 the donation percentage from African-Americans is on par with the American population as a whole. Organs are "color blind." However, the success of any organ transplant is greatly enhanced when it comes from the recipient's cultural makeup or ethnic group. Generally, the better the "match" the less anti-rejection medication that the recipient must take. This is important as these medications are expensive and are not easy on the recipient's body. These medications have to be taken several times per day by the organ recipient for the rest of their lives. Therefore the patients have to be monitored, under a doctor's care, for the rest of their lives. This monitoring, especially during the first year, is also inversely proportional to the "match" with the donor. Better matches require a little less monitoring.

National Kidney Foundation
30 E. 33rd Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016
800-622-9010 or
212-889-2210
FAX: 212-689-9261
http://www.kidney.org/
The National Kidney Foundation is a non-profit, voluntary health organization seeking answers to diseases of the kidney and urinary tract through prevention, treatment and cure. The Foundation is committed to the goal of ensuring that everyone who needs a transplant is able to get one. Its nationwide organ donation program supplies organ donor cards and information about organ and tissue donation to the public. Special public information programs are developed annually to increase public awareness. In addition, its 52 affiliates nationwide provide a variety of services including: free patient literature about kidney and urological diseases, dialysis, and transplantation; support groups for patients and their families; information and referral services; assistance in the purchase of prescription drugs; transportation to and from treatments such as dialysis; and financial aid. For more information call or write to one of the following Washington metropolitan area affiliates.

National Kidney Foundation National Capital Area
5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20015
202-244-7900

National Bone Marrow Donor Program
3433 Broadway Street, NE
Suite 500
Minneapolis, MN 55413
800-627-7692
FAX: 612-627-5899
http://www.marrow.org/
e-mail: INFO@MARROW.ORG

It should be mentioned that just because you are an organ transplant recipient doesn't mean that you cannot donate platelets, etc. Your medications are the determining factor.

National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP)
Ambulatory Care Center
2041 Georgia Avenue, NW
Suite 3100
Washington, DC 20060
202-865-4888
FAX: 202-865-4880
The percentage of the Minority-American population needing a kidney or heart transplant is up to five to six times greater than the American population taken as a whole. In 1996 the donation percentage from each of the Minority-American populations is on par with the American population as a whole. Organs are transplanted based on Blood Type and Size and the need of the recipient. The success of any organ transplant is greatly enhanced when it comes from the recipients cultural makeup or ethnic group. Generally, the better the "match" the less anti-rejection medication that the recipient must take. This is important as these medications are expensive, and are not easy on the recipients body. These medications have to be taken by organ recipient's several times a day for the rest of their lives. Therefore the patients have to be monitored, under a doctor's care, for the rest of their lives. This monitoring, especially during the first year, is also inversely proportional to the "match" with the donor. To explain this another way, Organs are "color" blind, but the chance of receiving a highly compatible organ is much greater when the donor comes from the recipient's ethnic group. This is not a part of the organ allocation or placement procedure for cadaver organs as it is for tissue donations. However, for living-related and living-non-related donors this becomes a very great consideration. MOTTEP promotes healthy eating, drinking, etc., in short living, as the best way to avoid needing a Transplant.

Old Dominion Eye Bank
1001 East Marshall Street
Richmond, VA 23219
800-832-0728
804-644-6332
FAX: 804-649-2879

Old Dominion Eye Bank of Northern Virginia
Fairfax Hospital
3300 Gallows Road
Falls Church, VA 22046
800-832-0728
703-698-3355

The Partnership for Organ Donation
2 Oliver Street
Boston, MA 02109-4901
617-482-5746
FAX: 617-482-5748
e-mail: info@organ-donation.org
The Partnership was created to close the gap between the number of organ transplants that are possible and the number of organ donations that actually occur. It researches, develops, and delivers state-of-the-art programs to educate professionals and the public and fosters collaboration among key organizations and groups to share information, coordinate efforts, and effect lasting improvements in organ donation.

The Northern Virginia Community Foundation
The Committee for Transplant Awareness Fund
P. O. Box 1341
Fairfax, VA 22030-0225
703-689-0055
or
Janet Miller Kreutter
Executive Director
P.O. Box 9851
McLean, VA 22102
703-917-2600
FAX: 703-902-3564
The Committee for Transplant Awareness is an approved fund of the Northern Virginia Community Foundation. Its mission is to promote organ and tissue donation. For more information or to inquire about the grant process contact the executive director. This organization was established in 1996.

Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO)
1000 Sixteenth Street, NW,
Suite 602
Washington, DC 20036-5705,
202-293-0980 or
800-TRIO-386 outside metro area
FAX: 202-293-0973
e-mail: TRIO@primenet.com
TRIO is an independent non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life of transplant candidates, recipients, and their families. Through a network of local chapters, it serves its members in the areas of support, advocacy, awareness, and education. (For information on local chapters, see "Support Groups.") TRIO members are advocates for donors, in appreciation for their gift of life, and do everything they can to help the next candidate become a recipient. Please see the TRIO membership application form.

TRIO - Nation's Capital Area Chapter
PO Box 7633
Arlington, VA 22207-7633
703-920-TRIO / 703-920-8746
FAX: 703-534-7759
e-mail: tai01@aol.com
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