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ABOUT GOLDEN STATE DONOR SERVICES Golden State Donor Services (GSDS) is a nonprofit, independent organization authorized by the Federal Government to accept anatomical gifts for transplantation and research. The agency is dedicated to meeting the needs of the community by providing families the option of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. In Golden State Donor Services' area, about 550 people now wait for an organ transplant, (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, intestine or pancreas). Annually, our service area has 50 - 70 people who donate one or more organs upon death. The need for transplants far exceeds the number of donations in the area covered by GSDS, and across the nation. Currently, in the United States, more than 93,000 people wait for an organ transplant. One third of them will die waiting for a transplant. GSDS' designated service area includes 11 counties in Northern California, (Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba), as well as Santa Rosa. Currently GSDS has agreements with 30 hospitals. When a potential donor is identified by one of those hospitals, GSDS is notified. A GSDS Transplant Coordinator, in conjunction with a trained social services worker (Family Care Coordinator) immediately begins work to facilitate the donation process and assesses the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry to establish if the potential donor has signed up to be an organ/tissue donor. If the potential donor is on the registry, the family is notified and the donation process proceeds. If the potential donor has not signed up on the registry the Family Care Coordinator supports the donor family and consults them regarding possible donation. GSDS then evaluates the medical suitability of the donor, manages the medical care of the donor until transplantation can take place, and taps into a national database to identify patients in need of transplants. Finally, GSDS manages the transport of organs to the surgeons who will perform the transplants into waiting recipients. GSDS' goal is to alleviate the critical shortage of organs by increasing the number of donations in our community and across the country, through public and professional education. GSDS' Executive Director, Helen Nelson states, "I look forward to working with each person within our community who can help us build on our philosophy of -- It's about giving life." Golden State Donor Services' Vision, Mission and Core Values: Vision Mission Core Values Golden State Donor Services GSDS operates in an ethically and financially responsible manner to conserve scarce resources and to ensure public trust. * 8/24/06 – GSDS moved upstairs to Suite 220 |
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