a letter from our president and CEO
“The tour was extremely beneficial to our liver department coordinators in several ways. It allowed them to appreciate the job that Indiana Donor Network does and the importance of the teams working together. It provided them with an understanding of what the donor process looks like from the OPO perspective as well as the donor families. It has helped them in doing their job when doing donor call by having the experience and opportunity to speak with staff at Indiana Donor Network about the recovery process, thus easing their anxiety about a call.”
Tabitha Garing | team lead at IU Health University Hospital
As 2024 began, we set an ambitious goal: 1,200 organ transplants. We are incredibly proud to share we not only met this target, but we exceeded it by a significant margin. Thanks to the generosity of 509 donor heroes, Indiana Donor Network facilitated 1,388 organ transplants, saving 1,216 lives in 2024. This achievement positions us as one of the top organ procurement organizations in the nation. More importantly, these record-breaking results underscore our commitment to meeting and exceeding the highest standards in organ donation to save and heal as many lives as possible.
We also achieved remarkable success in tissue recovery. Donations from 1,592 tissue donor heroes resulted in the recovery of 17,360 tissues, holding the potential to save and heal countless lives. These achievements reflect the unwavering dedication of our staff, who work tirelessly to maximize these gifts.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are setting even higher goals. We remain committed to pushing boundaries and discovering new ways to maximize our lifesaving impact. Thank you for your partnership and your support.
Kellie Tremain, RN, MBA
President and CEO
2024 Organ Numbers
Vast Increases in Evansville Donors
In 2024, the Evansville, Indiana region saw a significant increase in donation. Specifically, Deaconess Gateway and Midtown Hospitals experienced a combined 268% increase in organ donors compared to 2022, despite a decrease in total deaths in the region year over year. This success is credited to enhanced staff support and a strategic focus on hospital education.
Additionally, family advocates – Indiana Donor Network professionals who approach and care for potential donor families in the hospital – partnered with hospital partners to increase authorization from 53% to 66% this year, recognizing more donor families than ever saying “yes” to donation. The table below shows combined data for these two hospitals.
“Our leadership team’s commitment to enhancing hospital education created a clear pathway for success. In partnership with Deaconess, we have worked together to serve our community effectively. As an Evansville native, I am proud to be part of this mission and to continue building strong relationships with our healthcare partners.”
Sara Offerman | Evansville-area Hospital Liaison
Deaconess Gateway and Midtown Hospitals – Combined Data
| YEAR | REFERRALS | REFERRAL DEATHS | ORGAN DONORS | TISSUE DONORS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1784 | 1241 | 16 | 59 |
| 2023 | 1753 | 1225 | 38 | 73 |
| 2024 | 1887 | 1121 | 59 | 98 |
| YEAR | REFERRALS | REFERRAL DEATHS | ORGAN DONORS | TISSUE DONORS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1784 | 1241 | 16 | 59 |
| 2023 | 1753 | 1225 | 38 | 73 |
| 2024 | 1887 | 1121 | 59 | 98 |
2024 Tissue Numbers
Increasing Tissue Authorization Rates
Throughout 2024, the Indiana Donor Network tissue services and Vital Link Donation Center teams sought to find new ways to save and heal lives through tissue donation and transplantation through regular evaluation of recovery data. Among these were an increase in staff education and changes to rule-out criteria, leading to an increase of 199 tissue and/or eye donors, up more than 14% from 2023.
Logistical Coordination
for Even More Lifesaving Transplants
Indiana has two transplant centers: Indiana University Health and Ascension St. Vincent, both in Indianapolis. Indiana Donor Network assists those centers by coordinating the importation of organs for their patients. To that end, the Indiana Donor Network import and logistics team operates 24/7. In 2024, the team evaluated over 22,000 organ offers and coordinated the acceptance of 430 organs for transplantation into Hoosiers.
To strengthen hospital partnerships, the import and logistics team also organized tours and meet-and-greets with staff at IU Health and Ascension St. Vincent.
“The tour was extremely beneficial to our liver department coordinators in several ways. It allowed them to appreciate the job that Indiana Donor Network does and the importance of the teams working together. It provided them with an understanding of what the donor process looks like from the OPO perspective as well as the donor families. It has helped them in doing their job by having the experience and opportunity to speak with staff at Indiana Donor Network about the recovery process, thus easing their anxiety about a call.”
Tabitha Garing | Team Lead at IU Health University Hospital
Embracing Technology
Liver and Kidney Perfusion
Indiana Donor Network was the first organ procurement organization to utilize the ground-breaking liver machine perfusion device, the LifePort Liver Transporter. This first use resulted in the successful transplantation of a liver from a 90-year-old donor. The milestone took place after two years participating in an FDA-authorized continued access study to evaluate its use.
“We strive to find new and innovative ways to utilize technology and push the boundaries of what is possible for donation and transplantation. Our goal is to end the wait for lifesaving organ transplants. This is another step in that direction.”
Kellie Tremain | President and CEO
The device emulates a human body through a process called oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion. This process pumps an oxygenated, nutrient-rich preservation solution through the liver to maximize viability outside the body.
Utilization of the LifePort Liver Transporter is the organization’s second venture into implementing perfusion technology to increase the rate of organ transplantation success. In 2021, Indiana Donor Network began utilizing kidney perfusion devices to sustain function and extend testing and transportation time for donated kidneys. The organization’s 11 kidney perfusion devices were utilized in 2024 to keep 487 kidneys functioning outside the body from recovery to transplantation, which is just over 65% of all kidneys transplanted.
With machine perfusion, donated livers and kidneys can remain viable for transplant for a considerably longer time than static cold storage, allowing more time to test and assess the organs’ health and keep them in better condition for transplant.
Growth in people
“In 2024 we brought our total workforce up to 372 while also investing in staff development and real-time upskilling. This intentional growth has had a significant impact in fulfilling our lifesaving mission as one of the top-performing organ procurement organizations in the country.”
– Julie Ann Poepsel Smock | Director, Human Resources
“In 2024 we brought our total workforce up to 372 while also investing in staff development and real-time upskilling. This intentional growth has had a significant impact in fulfilling our lifesaving mission as one of the top-performing organ procurement organizations in the country.”
– Julie Ann Poepsel Smock | Director, Human Resources
Referral Response Coordinators Increase Timeliness throughout the State
The year 2024 marked the first full year of the referral response team, resulting in on-site arrivals faster than ever before. Referral response coordinators decreased median on-site arrival times – the time between a hospital’s referral and when an Indiana Donor Network coordinator is on-site – by more than 50% compared to 2023, even with a significant increase in cases. However, our service area experienced less ventilated deaths in 2024 compared to 2023, making this efficiency even more impressive. By building strong relationships with our hospital partners, referral response coordinators ensure seamless communication and improve the donation process.
Improved response time is not the only goal for referral response coordinators. In addition, this team is charting comprehensive, accurate data for colleagues while establishing their presence throughout hospitals and building key relationships that make donation happen where opportunities in the past may have been missed.
“I am at an advantage because I am here every day making those connections – hospital partners know what questions I am going to ask, they know what information I need – which helps me get timely updates to my team and keep things moving with clear communication to donor families. Doctors and nurses are protective over their patients and families, and the donation process is much better when the family is informed and not waiting or unsure.”
Patti Butterfield | Referral Response Coordinator at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis
The referral response and process improvement teams at Indiana Donor Network worked together over the summer of 2024 to streamline the entire referral response process. Rather than implementing strictly top-down decision-making, leadership brought workgroups together as the primary sources of input to evaluate effectiveness, consider changes and ultimately overhauled the entire referral process – with input and emphasis from the staff in the field who do the work.
Improved Workspace for On-site Staff
Indiana Donor Network relocated its administrative offices to a new building in 2023, creating opportunities to update the Organ and Tissue Recovery Center in 2024. These improvements have enhanced the work environment for our dedicated staff, who are on site 24/7.
Expanded Break Area for Staff
Building a CT lab significantly reduced break room space. In response, the facilities team repurposed office space to create a larger, comfortable break room where clinical staff can eat, rest and collaborate.
Rest Spaces for 24-Hour Shifts
To support teams working around the clock, we added three sleep rooms in 2024, with a fourth set to open in 2025. These spaces allow staff to rest between cases while staying on site and on call.
Enhanced Call Center Workspace
With increasing donation rates, call volumes at our Vital Link Donation Center have grown. At the end of 2024, we moved the Vital Link team to a larger, more secure space with natural light, personal lockers and a dedicated training area.
Meeting the Needs of Hospital Partners
Our hospital services department expanded in 2024, strengthening relationships with Indiana hospitals and standardizing educational resources such as presentations, printed materials and digital offerings. These efforts improved efficiency and adaptability, enabling staff to better serve hospital partners.
For example, IU Health Riley Hospital for Children required all critical care nurses to complete one of our online education modules. Standardized resources like these allow hospital liaisons to deliver consistent, high-quality education, including in-person training, group sessions, and online learning.
“We are adapting and growing our resources to create the best possible environments for lifesaving donation.”
Christy Cannon | Hospital Program Coordinator
Volunteer Advocates Supporting the Mission
In 2024, Indiana Donor Network managed 375 dedicated volunteers who contributed more than 17,000 hours. Activities included presentations, staffing booths at events, creating comfort shawls and assisting with other grief support resources, and assisting with various tasks in our offices.
“I advocate and educate for Indiana Donor Network and Donate Life Indiana in honor of our oldest son, Justin. He saved 5 lives through organ donation and made life better for many others through tissue donation. Justin was the first one in our family to get a heart on his driver’s license, so I know young people can make a difference and bring hope to others.”
Janice Langford | Mother of a Donor Hero and Volunteer Advocate
Growth in Partnerships
“Our relationships with healthcare professionals and community organizations are essential to amplifying our mission and encouraging Hoosiers to say ‘yes’ to donation.”
– Emily Kibling | Director, Community Development
“Our relationships with healthcare professionals and community organizations are essential to amplifying our mission and encouraging Hoosiers to say ‘yes’ to donation.”
– Emily Kibling | Director, Community Development
Saying Yes Isn’t Just for Driver's Licenses
In 2022, legislation was passed at the Indiana Statehouse making Indiana the first state in the U.S. to require professional license applicants be asked if they would like to be organ and tissue donors. This legislation, authored by State Senators Blake Doriot and Ed Charbonneau, expanded registration opportunities to one in six working Hoosiers who must receive a professional license for their work, including the fields of accountancy, cosmetology, healthcare, plumbing, real estate and many more. Since then, other states have followed suit.
Incorporating the donation question in Indiana Professional Licensing Agency applications launched in 2024, offering a registration option alongside the BMV, the DNR, the Donate Life Indiana website, and Apple’s Health app.
“The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency is proud to partner with Indiana Donor Network and Donate Life Indiana in promoting its critical mission of saving and enhancing the quality of life through organ and tissue donation and transplantation.”
Lindsay Hyer | Executive Director, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Working with our Funeral Director Partners
In October 2024, Indiana Donor Network hosted 64 attendees at its annual Funeral Director Symposium, held in a new on-site training center. The event featured educational presentations, networking opportunities, and inspiration for participants. Recorded presentations were shared with those unable to attend in person.
Post-event surveys showed increased support for organ donation, especially among attendees with whom we had limited previous interaction.
“My greatest takeaway from this event was the value of the donation program in regard to how much as well as how many families it truly serves.”
Funeral Director Symposium Attendee
Strengthening Relationships with Coroners
County coroners are involved in about half of organ donation cases. As such, relationships with coroners, as well as forensic pathologists and prosecutors, are critical to Indiana Donor Network. The organization took steps in 2024 to strengthen these ties:
At the Amplify Donation and Transplantation Summit, a session led by Marion County Coroner’s Office drew significant attendance and inspired further collaboration, including an invitation to present at the 2025 Indiana State Coroner’s Conference.
Indiana Donor Network added a third forensic outreach coordinator to its hospital services department, improving the ability to provide education and support to coroners throughout the state.
At the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council summer conference, Indiana Donor Network leaders educated participants on how organ and tissue testing benefits death investigations and presented the video below, highlighting key insights.
Donors Join the Fight Against Blood Cancer
In partnership with Ossium Health, Indiana Donor Network now recovers stem cells from donors to develop lifesaving therapies for blood cancer patients. Watch the video to learn more about how this innovative collaboration is saving lives.
In addition to leading the partnership with Ossium Health, Indiana Donor Network Director of Tissue Services Lindsay Hamilton became the secretary of the Recovery and Donor Eligibility Council of the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), the organization’s largest council.
In this role, Hamilton is at the forefront of issues related to tissue donation, helping to educate others on the topic and building relationships within AATB and with peers at other tissue banks. Additionally, she serves as an active member of the AATB Standards Committee.
In addition to leading the partnership with Ossium Health, Indiana Donor Network Director of Tissue Services Lindsay Hamilton became the secretary of the Recovery and Donor Eligibility Council of the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), the organization’s largest council.
In this role, Hamilton is at the forefront of issues related to tissue donation, helping to educate others on the topic and building relationships within AATB and with peers at other tissue banks. Additionally, she serves as an active member of the AATB Standards Committee.
Educating and Inspiring our Partners
Ashley Wilcoxen (center), wife of donor hero Ryan Wilcoxen, participates in a panel discussion with her recovery nurse Brad Beaty (left) and Indiana Donor Network manager of hospital services Erin Wilson at the 2024 Amplify Summit.
The 2024 Amplify Summit brought together more than 400 healthcare professionals to discuss organ and tissue donation. With the theme “Sharing the Journey,” the event emphasized collaboration across disciplines.
In addition to Amplify, our hospital services team conducts regular presentations, new nurse orientation meetings and other informative events with hospital partners.
In October, Indiana Donor Network hosted a grief training workshop for professionals who professionally work with individuals through traumatic grief. Subject expert Litsa Williams, therapist and co-founder of What’s Your Grief, discussed neuro-informed tools for working with sudden and stigmatized deaths with over 150 attendees. By providing advanced education around this topic, the aim is to ease the heavy burden of our partners who work with families experiencing death, which should also positively impact our donor families.
Quotes from Amplify Summit attendees:
- “This was a wonderful event! Thank you for all your hard work to provide us with this education.”
- “I enjoyed it and am very thankful for the opportunity and the immense amount of learning.”
- “This was my first time attending and it was time well spent.”
- “The summit was amazing! Loved hearing from all different presenters and donor family involvement.”
- “Your passion and dedication to organ donation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and education is always so evident.”
Growth in Efficiencies
“By leaning into opportunities for clear, organized work, we are simply able to do more to advance our mission, aligning resources and personnel as efficiently as possible.”
– Steve Johnson, FACHE | Chief Operating Officer
“By leaning into opportunities for clear, organized work, we are simply able to do more to advance our mission, aligning resources and personnel as efficiently as possible.”
– Steve Johnson, FACHE | Chief Operating Officer
Maximizing Potential Lifesaving Gifts
Over the past five years, the number of organ donors from circulatory death (DCD) has risen drastically. From 2016-2019, we had no more than 38 DCD donors each year, which represented less than 20% of all donors each year. In contrast, the chart below shows how DCD donations have increased since 2020.
This trend has taken place while the number of organ donors from brain death has increased through 2023 and remained steady in 2024.
| YEAR | DCD DONORS | DCD DONORS AS A PERCENT OF TOTAL DONORS | % INCREASE OF DCD FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 264 | 51.9% | +19% |
| 2023 | 222 | 47.1% | +98% |
| 2022 | 112 | 32.4% | +40% |
| 2021 | 80 | 27.0% | +48% |
| 2020 | 54 | 21.4% | +42% |
| YEAR | DCD DONORS | DCD DONORS AS A PERCENT OF TOTAL DONORS | % INCREASE OF DCD FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 264 | 51.9% | +19% |
| 2023 | 222 | 47.1% | +98% |
| 2022 | 112 | 32.4% | +40% |
| 2021 | 80 | 27.0% | +48% |
| 2020 | 54 | 21.4% | +42% |
“DCD is incredibly challenging because of the complexities associated with the process. Helping families and hospital staff understand the process and feel comfortable within it is how we can save more lives.”
Jenna Hyde | Manager, Family Services
Caring for the immediate grief and support needs of families as they decide to withdraw medication therapy has allowed Indiana Donor Network family advocates to maintain an incredible overall DCD authorization rate of 72% amid a significant increase in total conversations.
DCD organ recovery has led to a significant increase in our capacity to save lives and fulfill our mission, and adjusting our operations to effectively respond to these donors has been a very intentional focus for Indiana Donor Network. DCD cases often require more rapid action from our staff, as timeliness is a key factor for organ donation to be viable.
To further support these opportunities, Indiana Donor Network has adapted roles to ensure staff have clearly defined duties for each part of the donation process. This level of specialization has created efficiencies when compared to an “all hands on deck” approach that was less defined.
“Our ability to become more specialized, defining clear roles for each part of the donation process, ensures that our work can proceed seamlessly.”
Sherry Quire | Director, Organ Services
‘Head of Bed’ Kits Streamline Key Supplies
The supply chain team at Indiana Donor Network orders, stocks, organizes, tracks and delivers critical supplies to our staff for organ and tissue recoveries. In 2024, they handled ordering, receiving, inventory, kit-making and regulation compliance for over 95,000 total supplies used by Indiana Donor Network recovery staff.
Consistently working to find efficiencies and streamline processes, they worked with the organ team to create “head of bed kits” in 2024, which contain various medications often used in organ recoveries.
These supply kits streamlined supply usage by making critical supplies more readily available and easy to administer, allowing staff on our organ recovery teams to be more responsive to donor heroes. They additionally allowed for better tracking of critical medication through improved usage visibility, which aided in restocking and supply reconciliation.
Doing More In-house: Biopsy Lab
Organ services staff created space for a biopsy lab within our Organ and Tissue Recovery Center early in 2024 and conducted its first in-house frozen section biopsy in February 2024. By the end of the year, we completed 378 intraoperative kidney biopsies and 62 intraoperative liver biopsies in our facility.
The average turnaround time for the results of these in-house biopsies is just over 20 minutes. This is a significant improvement from our previous process, in which we couriered specimens to an outside pathology lab, taking 60-90 minutes to complete.
This new capacity has significantly decreased delays associated with biopsy wait times and reduced the cold ischemia time for recovered kidneys and livers. It has also reduced OR time and sped up our ability to allocate biopsied organs for lifesaving transplants.
Taking Flight More Efficiently
Smaller jets, improved travel
TxJet is an organ transport aviation subsidiary of Indiana Donor Network, flying lifesaving missions coast to coast since 2014. To better serve transplant centers, TxJet has introduced the Cirrus Vision Jet to its fleet of aircraft, allowing lifesaving organs to be transported in a safe and reliable way while reducing emissions. These jets utilize state-of-the-art technology and safety features, and the key benefit of the Vision Jet is the reduced cost to operate compared to common aircraft types used when transporting an organ for transplant.
The Vision Jet uses less fuel compared to small or mid-sized jets, an efficiency that is particularly impactful when an organ is sustained in a perfusion device and transported on an aircraft without other passengers or surgical personnel. This, combined with a lower cost of maintenance and personnel, means that organs are delivered to transplant centers without several added costs that larger jets incur. By avoiding unnecessary expenses, TxJet and the transplant centers it serves can allocate more resources to other aspects of their lifesaving missions.
Growth in Reaching Hoosiers
“We are grateful to those who allow us to share their experiences with organ and tissue donation – their stories truly inspire others and save lives.”
– Mark Back | Director, Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs
“We are grateful to those who allow us to share their experiences with organ and tissue donation – their stories truly inspire others and save lives.”
– Mark Back | Director, Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs
From the Dirt Track to the Silver Screen
Driven2SaveLives is an Indiana Donor Network program that educates thousands of race fans each year about organ and tissue donation, encouraging them to learn the facts about donation, talk with their family, friends and loved ones about donation, and make the choice to sign up to become a donor.
In 2024, Indiana Donor Network completed a documentary film, “Driven to Save Lives,” featuring stories of real Hoosiers within the racing community who have a connection to organ donation and transplantation. The film held its world premiere during the 2024 Heartland International Film Festival on Oct. 12 at Newfields in Indianapolis.
“We hope this film resonates with people and shows them the real-life impact one person can have through organ and tissue donation. These are stories of real people facing real life-altering circumstances. This film can save lives.”
Taylor McLean | Executive Producer and Senior Marketing Program Specialist
“Driven to Save Lives” features stories from race fans on all sides of organ donation, including a patient on dialysis who is waiting for a lifesaving kidney transplant, parents of a young man who saved five lives and healed numerous more as an organ and tissue donor hero, and a transplant recipient embarking on a trip to meet her donor hero’s family.
Woven through these stories is the evolution of the Driven2SaveLives program, including the heartbreaking and inspiring journey of racing star and donor hero Bryan Clauson and his family, who have worked with Indiana Donor Network to ensure his legacy continues to influence Hoosier racing fans in the years since his tragic accident.
Since premiering the film for hundreds of viewers in October, Indiana Donor Network has been working with contacts in the entertainment industry to land “Driven to Save Lives” with a distributor to reach a broader audience.
Spreading a Lifesaving Message
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Minority Donor Awareness
Liam’s 10 Year Heartiversary
Carved in Corn
Miss Hoosier Heartland
Impactful Events
Indiana Donor Network Foundation proactively raises money to support transplant recipients and the families of donor heroes through year-round fundraising and various events. In addition to the support the Foundation proceeds provide for donor families and transplant recipients, Foundation events bring awareness and inspiration to attendees and their communities about the importance of organ and tissue donation. Each of our recurring events saw increased attendance and funds raised compared to 2023.
Angel Fund Gala
Angel Fund Gala is our annual black-tie event featuring live music, exceptional food, and several ways to donate to the Foundation, including a silent auction, raffles and mystery bags. In a new venue, attendance increased by 16% to over 300 guests. But more importantly, proceeds nearly doubled from 2023, raising more than $103,000. In addition to transplant recipients and donor families, as of 2024 the Angel Fund also now also allocates funds to support those waiting for a lifesaving transplant.
Fore Life Open
For several years now, our annual golf outing, the Fore Life Open, registered a maximum capacity number of players. With the introduction of some new games and prizes for participants and generous contributions from sponsors, proceeds increased compared to previous years, and we managed to get all 18 holes played despite Mother Nature’s attempts to disrupt the day!
Strut 2 Save Lives
We love seeing our families and supporters bring their four-legged furry friends to our annual Strut 2 Save Lives. This year’s event registered 54% more attendees than in 2023, reaching over 240. Our Foundation also had additional increases in fundraising activities such as raffle ticket sales and swag purchases. Proceeds from Strut benefit the Bryan Clauson Legacy Fund, which provides critical assistance to the families of donor heroes.
Walk to Save Lives
Attendance for our annual Walk to Save Lives increased by 28% compared to 2023, with over 650 people, plus local media, joining us on the canal in downtown Indianapolis to support organ and tissue donation. New in 2024, we unveiled new branding for the event and strategically involved our aftercare services team to have an accessible space so that donor families could easily interact with the people who have provided their support post-donation.
In addition to our Foundation fundraising events, we look for opportunities to share the importance of organ donation and honor donor heroes through non-fundraising activities.
Downtown Indy’s Fourth Fest
Once again, Indiana Donor Network, along with Donate Life Indiana, served as presenting sponsors of the street festival and concert at Downtown Indy’s Fourth Fest, an annual Independence Day celebration. With signage around the main stage, announcements and testimonials about the power of organ and tissue donation on the PA, and several staff and volunteers on site to educate the public, this partnership reached over 20,000 attendees at the event.
Three Rivers Festival Parade
2024 marked the first year that Indiana Donor Network served as a supporting sponsor of the Three Rivers Festival Parade in Fort Wayne. We had over 50 people walking with our group along the parade route, including donor families, community partners and transplant recipients, putting our lifesaving message in front of thousands of spectators in Allen County.
Night of Light
Night of Light
Our December Night of Light event in Evansville celebrated donor heroes by inviting families to share the company of others, decorate an outdoor pine tree with ornaments and participate in other holiday-themed activities. In 2024, the free event welcomed 148 attendees, plus local media, and featured remarks from the mother of a donor hero whose 37th birthday would have been on the day of the event.
Sharing Stories that Inspire
In 2016, 4-year-old Maddy Guzman Maya’s body was failing. Diagnosed with a rare defect that affected the functionality of her intestines, she was hospitalized in 2016 waiting for a rare, multi-organ transplant.
1,600 miles away, 3-year-old Landon Haight was playing on a Montana beach when a dock collapsed. Landon was severely injured. After an airlift to a hospital in Washington state, Landon’s parents were informed that he would not survive his injuries.
Christian Foley, Landon’s mother, made the decision to save lives through organ donation.
Landon’s liver, stomach, intestine and pancreas were transported across the country to Indianapolis, where they were successfully transplanted at IU Health Riley Children’s Hospital to save Maddy’s life.
In March 2024, after several years of communication by phone and web, Christian Foley traveled with her family from Montana to meet the person whom Landon saved through organ donation in person. This meeting took place at Indiana Donor Network, where both families were willing to share their emotional union with news media, hoping to inspire others with their story.
Our aftercare and communications teams worked together, along with the Haight and Guzman families and Maddy’s attending surgeon, to set up the meeting and balloon release in a way that offered local media coverage while respecting the intimate nature of the event.
Opportunities like this are uncommon, and Indiana Donor Network staff work diligently to make the most of these meaningful interactions. This story generated 34 news clips across five states, including all four Indianapolis network affiliate stations, amounting to 13.1 million combined viewership and readership, undoubtedly inspiring many to think positively about organ donation.
Growth in Supporting Families
“We have a responsibility to make an impact however we can. There is power in knowing that you are not alone dealing with death and grief.”
– Jamie Rivas | Director, Family Services
“We have a responsibility to make an impact however we can. There is power in knowing that you are not alone dealing with death and grief.”
– Jamie Rivas | Director, Family Services
2024 Grief Support by the Numbers
By its very nature, Indiana Donor Network enters the lives of the families generally at a time of grief, loss and emotion. Our aftercare support coordinators and family advocates offers a variety of support resources to the families of donor heroes.
Integral to this support is one-on-one companioning. Different than counseling, staff avail themselves to those who welcome someone who can listen, show compassion and simply be present to their pain and grief. Indiana Donor Network offers training to donor family members who have already utilized our aftercare services and are interested in volunteering to offer peer companioning to new contacts.
Those who opt in also receive resources to commemorate their loved one and information about how to potentially connect with the recipients of their loved ones’ lifesaving gifts.
“We aim to bring a bright light to a dark place for families experiencing grief from the death of a loved one. When there is an opportunity to make even a small difference, we will take it.”
Courtney Tilotta | Manager, Aftercare Support
Events to Honor donor Heroes
Supporting Children
Our aftercare services team also offers a children’s grief support program. Caregivers can enroll anyone up to age 18 for a full year of support.
Children and teenagers receive developmentally appropriate grief resources based on their age, mailed to their home in their name, throughout the year. Mailers include acknowledgement of an anniversary, back to school tips in July, and general grief resources among other items such as “worry worms” for younger children, pictured here.
Additionally, caregivers receive email updates about these resources in advance, to ensure they can continue to play an active role in their support. In 2024, Indiana Donor Network enrolled over 260 children for grief support.
A Space for Families to Say Goodbye
The Bryan Clauson Legacy Suite is a one-of-a-kind intensive care room at Indiana Donor Network, offering a private space for families to spend time with their loved one as preparations are made for their organ donation. Mike Frey and his family were among the first to utilize this space, spending time with his son, Cade, prior to his donation in 2020. “As a parent, you want to be there with your child. But every family’s circumstances are unique,” said Mike.
Since Cade’s donation, Mike has been involved in advocacy for Indiana Donor Network Foundation. He speaks at schools and has raised funds at truck rallies, in addition to his own personal contributions, supporting the Bryan Clauson Legacy Fund.
Among several renovations to the Indiana Donor Network Organ and Tissue Recovery Center, the Bryan Clauson Legacy Suite was relocated and now connects to a new private ICU. With the added space that this new location provides, an opportunity arose to add additional resources to the room to support families.
Mike Frey, fully understanding the potential difficulty of keeping kids and families content for hours or days during such difficult times, had a vision to support the space. He helped add a TV, games, toys and space for youth who may be spending great lengths of time in the space with their families.
Indiana Donor Network is proud to maintain close relationships with several families of donor heroes, respectfully listening and incorporating their input where possible. In 2024, over 30 families utilized the Bryan Clauson Legacy Suite In 2024, all of whom received grief support from our family services staff during their final goodbyes.
“Families want to be there, to be comfortable. Focusing on those final moments can be difficult, especially if also dealing with children. I just hope these things can help anyone in that space feel calm and comfortable amid tragedy.”
Mike Frey | Father of a Donor Hero and Donor Family Council Member
Creating the Indiana Donor Memorial
In September 2024, Indiana Donor Network announced the development of a new memorial, set to reimagine the first floor of the Indiana Donor Network headquarters into an interactive memorial space to honor donor heroes of the past, present and future.
The ambitious project featured input from Donor Family Council, a group of donation advocates who work with Indiana Donor Network to bring the perspective of families of donor heroes to board meetings, donor family events, adjustments to family services and more.
Staff from various departments worked with Boston-based Trivium Interactive to conceptualize the space and interactive components. Artistic design and build were handled by Indianapolis artist Quincy Owens. The contemplative space was designed to be an immersive experience featuring touchscreen interactive kiosks, responsive lighting and sound, and a wall of digital displays embedded behind a scrim with integrated wall graphics.
The centerpiece of the memorial is a four-story Tree of Life, standing as a symbol of resilience, growth and interconnectedness. Donor heroes are symbolized by the tree structure and organ and tissue recipients will be symbolized by 83 lighted lanterns, an indication of how many lives can be saved and healed by a single donor.
Names, personalized narratives and tributes, and photographs submitted by the families of organ and tissue donors can be input into the memorial’s system and displayed on digital screens within the space. When a donor hero is accessed through the interface, the Tree of Life will dynamically change in color, symbolizing their legacy. Each family will be surrounded by the changing lights of the lanterns, while their loved one’s tribute is displayed and the soft sounds of nature and music fill the space.
Additionally, an interactive website is being developed that will mirror the Donor Memorial kiosk experience. The goal is to provide families and friends of Indiana donor heroes from throughout the world the opportunity to memorialize their loved ones through a virtual experience.
“With this memorial, we honor Hoosier donors who chose to give a selfless gift in their last moments that went on to impact, heal and save others’ lives. For that, they will never be forgotten and will always be heroes. This permanent space will serve as a sanctuary of remembrance, tribute and reflection for their families for years to come.”
Kellie Tremain | President and CEO
Indiana Donor Network thanks the sponsors, partners and donor families who made financial contributions to help bring this memorial to life. With the completion of the memorial in early 2025, staff are excited to utilize this space. Indiana Donor Network will host an event in April and open hours throughout the rest of the year for donor families.
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