media Kit
YOU are Making Life Happen
You may not know it, but as a member of the media, you play a key role in the donation process.
Your reporting is a large part of how people get their information and decide how they feel about organ and tissue donation. A study looking at attitudes about organ donation show the most common source of organ and tissue donation information in the United States is MEDIA. We ask that you recognize your responsibility to those donor families who find comfort in their loved ones final legacy, along with those who are waiting for a life saving transplant. The following information will guide you. We will equip you with copy, words and facts so you can craft a story that’s easily understandable and meaningful for your audience.
Questions? Let us know! Email us anytime at info@lopa.org
Father’s Day 2017
Bill Conner bikes 2600 miles to meet his daughter, Abbey’s heart recipient. This news story, coordinated by LOPA, made hundreds of millions impressions throughout the world.
April is National Donate Life Month
Help us raise awareness for the critical need for organs and tissues for transplant and honor all the heroes who selflessly gave the gift of life by participating in National Donate Life Month each April. One way, is by wearing your best blue and green on National Blue and Green Day.
In addition to wearing blue and green on-air, you can also commemorate the day by sharing social media posts with your followers. Please click the button below for exclusive access to 2 pre-made images for you to download and share.
UNDERSTANDING DONATION
Donation can save and enhance lives in a variety of ways. Most notable are organs that are transplanted into very sick people--giving them a second chance at life. Organs that can be donated are: heart, lungs, liver/hepatocytes, pancreas/islet cells, kidneys, and intestines. Yet, people suffering with more common ailments such as sports injuries, eye diseases such as glaucoma, and clogged veins can be treated with donated tissues. Burn victims and those with severe wounds also benefit from tissue donation.
Stats, Facts and Language
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Organs recovered by LOPA: heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, small intestine
• One organ donor can potentially save the lives of up to 8 people.
• Tissues recovered by LOPA: bone, skin, tendons/ligaments, heart valves, saphenous vein.
• One tissue donor can help heal the lives of 75 people.
• There are three eye banks in Louisiana. They are responsible for recovering corneas for transplant.
• There are over 100,000 Americans currently waiting on a life saving organ transplant.
• There are approximately 2,000 people waiting in Louisiana on the national waiting list.
• Only a small percentage of all individuals will have the potential to donate organs upon their death.
• In order to become an organ donor, an individual must have a traumatic brain injury, be supported by a ventilator and die in a hospital.
• Registering to be a donor will not affect any medical treatment you may need.
• All major religions support organ and tissue donation.
• There is no additional cost to your family.
• Donation still allows for an open casket and other traditional funeral arrangements.
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“RECOVERY” of organs not “harvesting” of organs
“RECOVER” organs not “harvest” organs
“DETERMINE BRAIN DEATH” not “declare brain death”
“MECHANICAL or VENTILATOR” support not “life” support
“DONATED ORGANS AND TISSUES” not “body parts”
“DECEASED DONOR” not “cadaver” (when used in a donation context)
Multiethnic Communities and Transplantation
Although organs are not matched according to race/ethnicity, and people of different races frequently match one another, all individuals waiting for an organ transplant will have a better chance of receiving one if there are large numbers of donors from their racial/ethnic background. This is because compatible blood types and tissue markers—critical qualities for donor/recipient matching—are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnicity.
A greater diversity of donors may potentially increase access to transplantation for everyone.
In Louisiana, patients from communities of color make up 63% of the waiting list for a life saving transplant.
Anyone can register to be a donor!
Organ and tissue donation begins with a simple decision to say YES.
A family discussion is strongly encouraged so that all family members, or next of kin, are aware of a person’s decision to donate. You can register to be a donor one of the following ways…
Visit lopa.org/register and fill out an online registration form. This registration is exactly the same as saying YES at the Office of Motor Vehicles.
Register within the LA Wallet app by clicking on menu and then selecting Organ Donor Registration. You can also check your registration status within the app.
Say YES when renewing or receiving a driver’s license or identification card.
Donor registration is a legally binding decision that individuals make for themselves. Organ procurement organizations (OPO) work with family members to carry out the decision of the potential donor in the event donation becomes an option.
LOPA was established in April 1988 as the only federally designated, nonprofit organ & tissue recovery agency for the state of Louisiana. LOPA recovers donated organs and tissues, places them for transplant and offers support for families throughout the entire donation process.
The agency manages the Louisiana Donor Registry, a database of individuals who have registered to become organ, tissue and eye donors. LOPA plays a vital role in educating Louisianians about donation.
By partnering with Louisiana eye banks, universities and hospitals, LOPA broadens the impact of its Core Purpose of MAKING LIFE HAPPEN.
LOPA’s abridged BRAND GUIDE helps to create consistency in public education efforts.
Please read the guide by clicking the button.
Interview Topics
Monthly Interview Topics & Observances
JANUARY - Donate Life America Rose Bowl Parade Float - Florographs - New Year’s Resolutions
FEBRUARY - National Donor Day - Valentine’s Day (Show your heart...say YES to organ and tissue donation!) - Black History Month
MARCH - Kidney Health Awareness Month
APRIL - National Donate Life Month - National Blue & Green Day
MAY - National Nurses’ Week - Cystic Fibrosis Awareness
JUNE - Father’s Day - Pride Month
JULY - Independence Day (highlight a donor/recipient story of a war veteran)
AUGUST - National Multi-ethnic Donor Awareness Month - National Breastfeeding Week - Cataract Awareness Month
SEPTEMBER - OMV Appreciation - Baby Safety - Hispanic Heritage - Childhood Cancer - NICU Awareness Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness - National Suicide Prevention Awareness
OCTOBER - Biliary Atresia Awareness - Breast Cancer Awareness (Areola Complex)
NOVEMBER - Faith and Religion/Donor Sabbath - National Diabetes Month - Thanksgiving
DECEMBER - Christmas (THE greatest gift) - AIDS Awareness
Other Interview Topics
Girl Scout Patch Program - air around Girl Scout Cookie time
Regional Fundraisers/Events
AHEC of a Summer Program
Sudden Impact Program