Within the Washington metropolitan area, there is one Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), which includes the District of Columbia; Montgomery, Prince Georges, and Charles counties in Maryland; and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and Fauquier counties in Virginia for a total of 3.88 million (1995) people

Washington Regional Transplant Consortium (WRTC)
8110 Gatehouse Road,
Suite 101 West
Falls Church, VA 22042,
703-641-0100 FAX: 703-641-0211
http://www.wrtc.org
e-mail: jeff@wrtc.org or michelle@wrtc.org

WRTC is the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) for the National Capital Area. WRTC is the official link between organ and tissue donors and the patients waiting for transplants. WRTC works with the staffs of local hospitals to offer the option of organ and tissue donation to families who have lost loved ones. WRTC oversees the recovery and allocation of donated organs within the Washington Metropolitan area and also plays an important educational role. WRTC works with medical professionals, support organizations and the general public to help dispel myths about organ donation as well as increase awareness of the need for and value of transplantation.

In addition to overseeing the recovery and allocation of donated organs, WRTC plays an important educational role. The organization sponsors many programs aimed at educating both the medical professionals and the general public in order to dispel myths about organ donation, and to increase awareness of the need for and the value of transplantation. Forty-two hospitals in the Washington metropolitan area furnish organs which are allocated to the area’s seven transplant centers at; Children’s National Medical Center, Georgetown University Hospital, Howard University Hospital, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington Hospital Center, and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital.

WRTC’s educational programs include patient seminars for people waiting for organ transplants. This is an opportunity for patients to have questions answered, to learn more about the organ procurement process and to talk with transplant recipients. Sometimes a donor family member attends to share their view of the gift of life their loved one gave. These seminars, which are offered several times a year, are co-sponsored by the local Nations Capital Area Chapter of Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO).

Other programs include a Speakers Bureau, which offers information sessions for people who would like to volunteer to attend health fairs, civic meetings and media events as spokespersons for WRTC; Teens for Transplant, a high school program which involves young people in many aspects of organ and tissue donation and transplantation, and a donor family advocacy program.

WRTC is one of only a few OPOs in the country with a staff devoted solely to donor family advocacy. Donor families are followed for several years and are offered grief seminars and other support. A donor family gathering held each spring attracts more than 700 attendees. (NCAC TRIO hosts a reception following the gathering.) Each family is offered the opportunity to participate in the quilt project by stitching a patch to honor their loved one. In 1997 the forth quilt was unveiled. In addition, a donor family council meets several times a year to advise WRTC staff on donor family issues. Donor families are the best advocates to educate the community about the importance of organ and tissue donation and many donor families are active members of the speakers bureau.