Record Number of Organ Donations at Queen's Gives Life to Many

Left to right: Tony Sagayadoro (kidney recipient), Frank Ginoza (father of a donor), Yolanda Domingo (holding a photo of Steven Ginoza, from whom she received her heart), Harris Melemai (received heart 10 years ago) and Calvin Nakamoto (five year heart recipient).

Organ donors help more people than most imagine. Six recent donors at Queen's resulted in 19 life saving transplants, and eight corneal and 50 tissue transplants. Five of the organ donations-an unprecedented number-occurred over a seven day period in July. The Organ Donor Center of Hawaii held special lunches to thank Queen's staff for exceptional work.

At the lunches were past recipients of organs. Yolanda Domingo received the heart of 28-year-old Steven Ginoza, who hit his head in a fall and died. Yolanda suffered from an enlarged heart and could barely walk across a room without shortness of breath. Tony Sagayadoro, who had total renal failure, received a kidney from Steven.

One of the six recent donations happened on August 19, 2002. The parents of a 6-year-old boy sought to bring something positive out of a tragic situation. The little boy's liver was given to a 52-year-old woman in California. Married with one child, she enjoys dancing, reading and music, and looks forward to returning to her work as a librarian. The kidneys were given to women from Maui, and freed them from daily dialysis treatments. One is a 37-year-old RN who is a wife and mother with a 10-year-old son. The other recipient is 41-years-old and has three teenaged children.

Most of the donors also gave their eyes for corneal transplants. The gift of sight has been restored to eight people. Donated bone may allow physicians to treat between 50 and 100 patients, many of whom face the loss of a limb. Heart valves can be used to correct valvular heart disease in children and adults.

Over 80,000 Americans need organ transplants to save their lives, and hundreds of thousands more can benefit from tissue and cornea transplants. One person's commitment to donate can impact as many as 50 people, plus their families. Even if you sign a donor card or it says "organ donor" on your driver's license, the most important part is to tell your family, because they will be asked before donation can take place. For more information, please contact the Hawaii Coalition on Donation at 808.737.1719 or at www.hcod.org. The Organ Donor Center of Hawaii can be reached at 808.599.7630.