The next educational meeting for Organ Transplant Support will be held on Friday, February 7, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7pm CST. The meeting in February every year is the annual membership meeting for OTS, with the election for the Board of Directors for 2025. All paid members of OTS for 2025 are invited to participate in electing the entire 9 member Board of Directors for 2025. Please plan to join this meeting on February 7 so that you can be part of this OTS election for the next year.

After the election of the OTS Board of Directors on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, we will continue with our main presentation.   We are excited to announce a presentation about Conversation Starters about Organ Donation.  The speaker will be Ms. Stacy Connell, who is a Senior Manager with LiveonNY, the Organ Procurement Organization in New York. 

In this presentation, we will discuss effective conversation starters for discussing the topic of organ & tissue donation.  We will explore common reactions and responses that may arise during these discussions and provide strategies for navigating them with empathy and understanding.  By learning to engage in open and respectful conversations about organ and tissue donation, we can help spread awareness and increase support for this important cause.

.  With this topic Stacy will touch on the following points:

• Do & Don’t when having conversations

• Conversation Starters

• Inspire people

• Convey the urgency

• Open-ended questions

• Offer materials

• Reactions & Reponses when:

• The person is supportive/already registered

• The person is on the fence

                  *       The person is opposed

Stacy Connell is a Human Services Professional with more than 20 years of success innovating new programs and leading education & outreach services.  Stacy has been employed with LiveOnNY an Organ Procurement Organization in NY for 7 years.  She served 3 years as a Family Support Advocate (FSA) with LiveOnNY where she supported grieving families during their most vulnerable moment of losing their loved one, offering the opportunity of donation, and supporting donor families throughout the donation process.  Currently, Stacy serves as the Sr. Manager, Volunteer Services with LiveOnNY.

Stacy’s passion is empowering others to reach their full potential by providing them with the tools they need to succeed and paying it forward to helping others.

This OTS meeting is open to all pre and post-transplant recipients and their families.   We will send the Zoom login info the day before this meeting.  The Zoom info will also be posted on the OTS website. 

Mark your calendars now to attend this important meeting on Friday, February 7, 2025.