LifeGift Feel Good Fridays

LifeGift Team Member Spotlight: Charles Wiltz, Organ Operations Logistics Coordinator

LifeGift is honored to fulfill the decision of people in our community to save lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. LifeGift organ operations logistics coordinator Charles Wiltz manages transportation and logistics for the organ donation process, ensuring the safe and timely delivery of organs, donors, blood, specimens and surgical teams. He collaborates with medical professionals, transportation teams and organ procurement organizations to facilitate seamless donation and transplantation logistics.

Charles has worked with LifeGift for more than 16 years, supporting hospital partners and LifeGift colleagues. “Our goal is to support donation clinical specialists, donation recovery specialists and organ placement specialists while coordinating all transportation needs,” says Charles. “With my background and having one designated team oversee this aspect of the process is a tremendous advantage. This allows our LifeGift team members to focus more on donor management, kidney perfusion and organ allocation.”

“I was drawn to LifeGift by the selfless act of a donor family who chose to donate their loved one's organs, ultimately saving my mother's life,” shares Charles. “Before joining LifeGift, I worked in physical therapy for 13 years. When I discovered the opportunity to be part of the very organization that gave my mother a second chance, it felt like a true calling. This incredible blessing has not only allowed me to provide for my family but also to fulfill my purpose.”

Charles adds that he feels attached to the mission of LifeGift. “Working at LifeGift has had a profound impact on my life, allowing me to fulfill my purpose of service. I believe we all have a calling instilled in us as children to make the world a better place. Being part of the LifeGift family gives me the opportunity to offer hope and live out our core values both at work and beyond. The past 16 years have truly been a blessing.”

National Donor Day is February 14th

Celebrated every year on February 14th, Donate Life America’s (DLA) National Donor Day is an observance dedicated to spreading awareness and education about organ, eye and tissue donation. By educating and sharing the Donate Life message, we can each take small steps every day to help save and heal more lives and honor the donor’s legacy of generosity and compassion.

National Donor Day is a time to focus on all types of donations—organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelets and marrow. Join us by participating in local events, sharing social media messages and encouraging others to register as donors.

National Donor Day also is a day to recognize those who have given and received the gift of life through organ, tissue and eye donation, are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, and those who died waiting because an organ was not donated in time.

How can you get involved?

In addition to registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor or contributing to the DLA cause, you can also download National Donor Day images and Donor Day Valentine’s cards to raise awareness about donation throughout social media—link these images to other resources for your friends and followers to utilize within your local and online communities.

The DLA Tribute Wall is one way to honor loved ones on National Donor Day. You can also read through DLA’s Stories of Hope, inspiring organ, eye and tissue donor and recipient stories. Explore more things you can do to support DLA and advocate for organ, eye and tissue donation every day of the year.

LifeGift Supports Texas Blood, Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Registry Day - February 26

In 2020, State Representative Gene Wu, State Senator Borris Miles, LifeGift, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Legacy Community Health, The HOPE Clinic and Be the Match celebrated the first-ever Texas Blood, Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Registry Day. During the 86^th legislative session, Representative Wu passed HCR 42, designating February 26^th as “Donor Day” in the State of Texas. Senator Borris Miles is a kidney transplant recipient and a champion of organ and tissue donation.

“This was such a significant milestone for all Texans, and we’re so honored to be a part of it,” says Kevin Myer, LifeGift president and CEO. “We are privileged to work with our local and state government representatives, and this is just one in a series of steps to educate our communities at large.”

LifeGift is privileged to partner with Representative Wu and Senator Miles along with other organizations, to share with Texans the important message of blood, bone marrow and organ and tissue donation. To view the State of Texas House Concurrent Resolution, click here.

LifeGift is proud to collaborate with our hospital and transplant center partners to advance organ, eye and tissue donation, bringing hope to the communities we serve in Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock and Amarillo. Please email us at communications@lifegift.org with any questions or support needs!