Issuu

QUARTER 4 • 2026

DONATION

Connection A newsletter for our frontline partners

New Leadership at MTN

In This Issue MTN Updates New Leadership at MTN ............................ 1-2 Thomas T. Crouch Learning Center .............. 2 The Wait is Over: mwtn.org is LIVE! ............. 2 Donate Life Rose Parade® Floragraph Honoree .........................................................3

Hospital Partners New Clinical Triggers for Potential Organ Donor Referrals .............................................4 Investigate Before You Extubate: A Vital Partnership for Nursing, RT and MTN .........5 New Tissue Donation Opportunity: Spinal Recovery Expands the Gift of Healing .........5

Licensing, Treasury and Department of Revenue Partners When the Question Becomes Personal ........ 6 DMV T-Shirt Store Coming in November .....7 Question of the Quarter: If I register as a donor, will they save my life? ........................7

idwest Transplant Network is pleased to name Lori Markham, MSN, RN, CCRN, CPTC as the new President and Chief Executive Officer. She assumed leadership of the organization on Aug. 3. Markham succeeds Jan Finn, who announced her retirement earlier this year after a 35-year career with MTN. Markham brings more than 25 years of progressive leadership in organ and tissue donation to her new role. From 2017 until now, she served as Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer. She was responsible for directing strategy and operations across the organization’s complex, multi-state donation service area, as well as overseeing donor care, surgical recovery, aviation operations, regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement. Her career at MTN started in 1996 as an Organ Procurement Transplant Coordinator. She’s held nearly every clinical leadership role at the organization. By training, she is a critical care registered nurse and earned a Master of Science in Nursing (Nurse Executive) from Research College of Nursing at Rockhurst University and is a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator. Markham is widely recognized as a national authority in organ and tissue recovery, currently serving as the Chair of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Organ Procurement Organization Committee. She serves on the OPTN Allocation Out of Sequence and Normothermic Regional Perfusion national workgroups, as well as the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) Foundation Board of Directors and the AOPO Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD) National Task Force. She is a past member of the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO) Board of Directors. “I had the best job, and I thought I would do that forever. Never did I dream I’d be sitting in the CEO role. I’ve organically grown into the position, and I’ve been afforded so many great opportunities by Midwest Transplant Network. I’m very excited to see where I can take our organization,” said Markham. (Continued on page 2)

New Leadership at MTN (Continued from page 1) MTN is also pleased to announce Nancy Harper, PMP, MBA as the new Chief Administrative Officer, effective Aug. 3. She is responsible for leading administrative functions to ensure a strong foundation for teams across the organization, as well as leading multiple departments – Quality, Information Technology/Security Management, Aviation, Strategic Development/ Process Improvement, Business Intelligence and Regulatory Compliance. Harper joined Midwest Transplant Network in July 2022 as Senior Director, Information Technology Services. In that role, she collaborated with leaders to develop, implement and operate key information systems, ensured compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and led strategy for cybersecurity. She serves on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network’s (OPTN) Network Operations Oversight Committee. “Nancy is an excellent leader. This is a well-deserved promotion and a continued opportunity to make an impact at Midwest Transplant Network,” said Markham.

Thomas T. Crouch Learning Center

r. Thomas T. Crouch was a brilliant pioneer, colleague and friend. A nephrologist dedicated to healing and advocating for those awaiting transplant, he helped shape Midwest Transplant Network as a founding Board Member. He is remembered for his leadership, kindness, compassion and generosity. As one of MTN’s greatest champions, he took immense pride in our lifesaving and life-enhancing work. Midwest Transplant Network has invested in a dedicated learning center and SIM laboratory to support internal education, training, simulation and collaboration. Named in his honor, the Thomas T. Crouch Learning Center will strengthen onboarding, skill development and readiness across the organization. The renovated space at the Westwood, Kansas office reflects MTN’s commitment to innovation, safety and continuous improvement. The new learning center will open in the fourth quarter of 2026. Additional details about the learning center: • The space will house a state-of-the-art simulation lab to include an ICU room, operating room, and a family room, all equipped with a control center and observation room. • Most of the simulations will serve the Family Services, Organ and Tissue Procurement departments. However, the lab will be available for any department that would like to implement simulation training into their staff development. • The learning center will include office space to house the Corporate Education team as well as other department educators. • The space offers two new conference rooms focused on hosting staff development programs and workshops. 2 • Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at mwtn.org

The Wait is Over: mwtn.org is LIVE!

he new Midwest Transplant Network website is officially live. The redesigned site is fresh, vibrant and remains a vital tool to support our mission and increase awareness of organ, eye and tissue donation. It serves as a dedicated space to share the stories of our donor heroes, transplant recipients and partners who bring hope and healing to our community. The new website was designed to better connect with donor families, recipients, healthcare partners and volunteers. Explore resources and more: mwtn.org

Donate Life Rose Parade® Floragraph Honoree

idwest Transplant Network is proud to honor a donor hero from Kansas with a floragraph portrait on the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float.

We are humbled to announce that this year’s honoree is Chase Langston of Parsons, Kansas. Chase was cared for by Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri. At 19, Chase was a teenager with an adventurous spirit. He embraced life with passion and enthusiasm. He loved to cheer on the Kansas City Royals, ride his beloved horse, Ginger, and feel the rush of adrenaline in rodeo competitions. Chase’s signature farewell, “Long live cowboys,” remains a cherished mantra for those closest to him. After graduating from Labette County High School in 2022, Chase attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College to study ranch management. He planned to continue his education at Oklahoma State University and Texas Christian University. Giving came naturally to Chase. In middle school, he used his allowance to buy a new pair of shoes for a classmate who was being teased. On another occasion, he stopped to change a woman’s tire after she had been stranded in the rain. Chase was kind to his core. He shared an especially close bond with his sister, Emily. While she was in nursing school, they talked about organ donation. Chase’s response was simple and unwavering: “Well, you can’t use it once you go to heaven.” Already a registered donor, he made it clear he wanted others to have the chance to live.

When he died unexpectedly in a car accident, his family never questioned what he wanted. Chase’s generosity meant his legacy would live on – not only through the lives he saved as a donor hero, but in the people he inspired to register as organ donors, and the many more who will see him honored on the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float. The Langstons will travel to Pasadena, Calif., for Rose Parade® events hosted by OneLegacy, the organ procurement organization of southern California. The 2027 OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float will be featured during the 138th Rose Parade® on Friday, Jan. 1, beginning at 8 a.m. PST.

About the Parade & Float The 2027 Rose Parade® theme is Welcome. The OneLegacy Donate Life float theme is Guiando Tu Camino – Guiding Your Journey, and honors the path shared by donor families, recipients and those still waiting. This vibrant and culturally inspired float represents the journey of donation as one guided by love, legacy and connection. Organ, eye and tissue donation creates a bridge between lives, offering comfort in loss and hope for the future. A newsletter for Midwest Transplant Network's frontline partners • 3

Hospital Partner Education About This Newsletter

his insert is intended for clinical staff and not for the general public. Please post in a highly visible clinical area such as a break room.

New Clinical Triggers for Potential Organ Donor Referrals

he ICU and ED play a critical role in the organ donation process. Recognizing clinical triggers and notifying MTN in a timely manner is essential to ensure every potential donor can be appropriately evaluated. As eligibility for organ donation expands, clinical triggers for referrals are evolving. Effective Oct. 1, our clinical triggers will be updated.

When to Call MTN Please call MTN at 1-800-DONOR-91 (1-800-366-6791) within 60 minutes if your ventilated patient meets any of the following criteria:

• Conversations regarding poor prognosis or withdrawal of lifesustaining therapy • GCS < 8 • Palliative consult to discuss end of life goals or comfort care • Planned brain death/death by neurologic criteria testing • Family mentions donation DO NOT EXTUBATE before contacting MTN. An update to MTN is required when:

By the Numbers

Total Organs Transplanted Jan. 1 – Aug. 31, 2026

55 hearts

10 pancreata

• Brain death testing is discussed or planned • Neurologic decline/hemodynamic instability • Scheduled goals of care meeting or pursuing comfort care in the next 24 hours • Changing code status to limit interventions If you are hearing any of the following comments, a family may be ready for a donation conversation: • “They wouldn’t want to live this way.” • “I just want them to be comfortable.”

88 lungs

183 livers

301 kidneys

1 intestines

Please do not mention MTN or donation to the family. ALWAYS INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU EXTUBATE. Report every cardiac death within 60 minutes of time of death. Please contact your Hospital Services Coordinator for any questions. New badge buddies and resources reflecting the updated clinical triggers will be coming soon. Thank you for your continued dedication, collaboration and commitment to donation. Together, we are honoring every opportunity to save and improve lives.

4 • Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at mwtn.org

New Tissue Donation Opportunity:

Spinal Recovery Expands the Gift of Healing

idwest Transplant Network is pleased to announce a new tissue recovery partnership with Legacy Donor Services Foundation and Vivex Biologics, beginning August 2026. This collaboration allows for the recovery of nucleus pulposus (NP), a specialized spinal tissue used in innovative therapies designed to help patients manage pain and improve quality of life.

Investigate Before You Extubate:

A Vital Partnership for Nursing, RT and MTN

n critical care, nurses and respiratory therapists (RTs) stand shoulder to shoulder through high-stakes moments, supporting critically ill patients and their loved ones. When a terminal extubation is planned, the shared commitment to patient advocacy takes on an urgent purpose. To ensure no opportunity for donation is missed, you must always Investigate Before You Extubate. The assigned registered nurse must ensure that Midwest Transplant Network has been notified prior to every terminal extubation, regardless of the patient’s diagnosis or age. Because RTs manage the airway and execute the extubation, close interprofessional communication is essential. MTN is uniquely skilled to evaluate suitability, and every eligible family deserves the opportunity to discuss donation.

Why the MTN Referral Matters Before support is withdrawn, partnering with MTN creates an essential safety net: • Seamless Alignment: Open communication between the bedside RN, RT and MTN keeps everyone coordinated on the timeline. • Timely Evaluation: It grants MTN staff adequate time to evaluate organ, eye and tissue donation potential. • Empowering Families: Most importantly, it ensures grieving families are given the supported opportunity to save and heal lives through donation. By working hand in hand, nursing and respiratory therapy ensure every transition is handled with clinical precision and profound respect.

Spinal recovery offers a remarkable opportunity to extend the impact of tissue donation. NP is the soft, gel-like center of the intervertebral disc that helps absorb shock and distribute pressure throughout the spine. Over time, aging and injury can cause this tissue to deteriorate, reducing the disc’s natural cushioning ability. Donated NP tissue can be used to supplement tissue loss associated with disc degeneration, providing medical professionals with an additional treatment option for patients experiencing chronic back pain. A single donor has the potential to help more than 25 individuals through the recovery of this specialized spinal tissue. By expanding the number of people who can benefit from one donor’s gift, spinal recovery further enhances the life-changing impact of donation. Eligible tissue donors between the ages of 15 and 55 may be considered for spinal recovery. The procedure will be performed following dermis recovery and includes the placement of a prosthetic device to maintain the donor’s physical appearance and preserve dignity throughout the donation process. Recovery will focus on vertebral segments from approximately T2 through L4, allowing for the greatest clinical benefit while maintaining established recovery standards. As with all tissue donation, the process is conducted with the utmost respect for the donor and their family. This new opportunity highlights the continued evolution of tissue donation. Through the generosity of donors and the support of our hospital partners, more patients will have access to innovative therapies, demonstrating once again how one donor can create a legacy of healing for many. A newsletter for Midwest Transplant Network's frontline partners • 5

When the Question Becomes Personal

eptember is National DMV Appreciation Month – a time to thank DMV staff and driver license partners for their vital work supporting organ, eye and tissue donation. In this edition of Donation Connection, we are proud to highlight a special story about one couple’s personal and professional connection to organ donation. Kim Deeter spent six years working at a DMV, asking customers if they wanted to become organ, eye and tissue donors. Often, she heard deeply personal stories about why donation mattered. Her husband, J.R., was already a registered donor when he found himself needing a lifesaving heart transplant. They share a unique perspective on the gift of donation shaped by Kim’s years of encouraging others to register, and J.R.’s experience receiving that gift firsthand.

Q&A with J.R.:

Q&A with Kim:

Tell us about your heart transplant journey.

Tell us about your role at the DMV and what it meant to ask people about becoming an organ, eye and tissue donor.

I am Transplant #846, Nov. 12, 2019, from Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. I first received an LVAD heart implant in October 2018, also from Saint Luke’s. How and what did you feel when you learned a heart had become available? I was listed for transplant on Nov. 7, 2019. My 55th birthday was on Nov. 10. We received “The Call” on Nov. 11, and I was transplanted on Nov. 12, 2019. Such a short span of days for all this to take place...my only thoughts were of the unexpected moment that had arrived so suddenly, the need to communicate with family and then the reality of what was going to happen. What comes to mind when you think about your donor hero? Have you met or communicated with your donor hero’s family? At almost seven years post-transplant, I have sent several cards and letters through MTN, hoping that they have reached my donor family. I have not received anything back yet, although I do hope to someday be able to express my gratitude and respect for the decision of the gift of life that I received. How has receiving a heart transplant changed your life as an individual and as a family? The obvious answer is the fact that I am still here, able to share time with my family. I am a grandfather to two beautiful children now, and that would not have been possible without this amazing gift. I continue to work, participate in activities and events, and hopefully contribute to the lives of others. 6 • Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation at mwtn.org

During the time when I was a driver’s license clerk (total of six years through March 2026), we were required to ask if the customer wanted to be an organ donor. After I became a title clerk, those conversations never stopped, except now I get to ask if they want to make a monetary donation to the Organ Donor Fund. Do you remember any conversations with people about donation that stayed with you over the years? When wearing our organ donor T-shirts, customers had a tendency to share their experience with donation. One day, when giving personalized organ donor plates, a woman shared it was in memory of her son. And so, we shared a few tears. Prior to J.R.’s heart transplant, did you think much about organ donation or the possibility that someone in your own family might one day need a transplant? I have been a registered organ donor for as long as I can remember. One of the questions that a social worker asked prior to qualifying to be a transplant recipient was “How did we feel about organ donation?” My response was that I was not asking someone to do something that I myself wasn’t willing to do. Read J.R. and Kim’s full interview: mwtn.org/blog

DMV T-Shirt Store Coming in November Question of the Quarter:

If I register as a donor, will they save my life?

his is one of the most common misconceptions about organ donation—and an important one to understand.

When someone is brought to a hospital after a trauma, the medical team’s first and only priority is to provide the care necessary to save that person’s life. Being a registered organ donor does not change the medical care you receive.

he online T-shirt store will open again this November. The store will feature the same shirt that was offered in the spring. So, if you missed out on ordering a shirt for a new employee, you’re in luck! No more than two short-sleeve shirts per employee will be available to order. A long-sleeve option will also be available for purchase with a discount code. This is an early notification so you can plan ahead. No action is needed at this time. We will send additional communication closer to the store opening with information and details about orders. Please stay tuned for more information this fall.

In fact, the teams caring for a patient and the teams involved in donation are separate. Doctors and medical professionals responsible for treating a patient are focused on doing everything medically possible to save their life. Donation is considered only after all lifesaving efforts have been exhausted and death has been legally declared. So, when does donation become part of the conversation? When a patient is declared dead, the appropriate donation professionals become involved. They work with the patient’s family and hospital to determine whether organ and tissue donation can proceed. A donor designation never means that someone receives less care. It simply means that, if donation becomes possible, the person’s decision to help others through donation will be honored.

Why does this matter at the DMV? For many people, the DMV may be the place where they first encounter the opportunity to become a registered donor. A simple question like “Do you want to be an organ donor?” can lead to questions or concerns about what registration actually means. A donor registration is a decision to help others—not a decision to receive less care. Every donor registration represents a willingness to give hope to someone who may one day be waiting for a lifesaving transplant. And every time a DMV employee asks the question, you help make that choice possible. Thank you for being an important part of our lifesaving mission. A newsletter for Midwest Transplant Network's frontline partners • 7

Mission Saving lives by honoring the gift of donation with dignity and compassion

1900 W. 47th Place, Suite 400 Westwood, KS 66205

Vision Leading organ and tissue donation through excellence, quality and partnerships

Follow Us /MidwestTransplantNetwork /MidwestTransplantNetwork /MidwestTransplantNetwork @MWTransplant Midwest Transplant Network

November Nov. 1–30 • Faith and Hope Month

Upcoming Events Event Audience Key

This November, connect your faith community with MTN’s Community Engagement & Public Relations staff. If your faith community is interested in presentations, providing resources or an online toolkit, please reach out to Nichole Asquith, Community Engagement Specialist. For more information: nasquith@mwtn.org

General MTN Hospital Partners Licensing, Treasury and Department of Revenue Partners

Nov. 1–30 • Eye Donation Month Midwest Transplant Network and Saving Sight, a community partner, encourage awareness about the importance of eye donation and transplantation. For more information: mwtn.org/eye-donation-month

January View all upcoming events: mwtn.org/events

Jan. 1, 2027 • OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® Float at the Rose Parade® The Donate Life community will host a float in the Rose Parade®. The OneLegacy Donate Life float’s theme is Guiando Tu Camino – Guiding Your Journey and will include a floragraph of 19-year-old donor hero Chase Langston of Parsons, Kansas. Check local TV listings for details about time and broadcast channels. For more information: mwtn.org/rose-parade