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History of Leadership & Success

Since the early days, Gift of Life has led the way for organ and tissue donation and transplantation in the U.S. and made a great impact worldwide. Here are just some of our many milestones of achievement.

In 1974, the Greater Delaware Valley Society of Transplant Surgeons established the Delaware Valley Transplant Program (DVTP), an organization that would eventually become Gift of Life Donor Program.

Since those early days, Gift of Life has led the way for organ and tissue donation and transplantation in the U.S. and made considerable impact worldwide. We’ve pioneered legislative policies and developed best practices that are now the gold standard for how to coordinate life-saving and life-enhancing gifts.

Today, Gift of Life Donor Program stands as the nation’s leading organ procurement organization (OPO), coordinating more than 53,500 organ transplants and more than two million tissue transplants in our 40+ year history.

Here are just some of our many milestones of achievement:
1974

DVTP is formed by the Greater Delaware Valley Society of Transplant Surgeons spearheaded by Dr. Clyde Barker and Dr. Aaron Bannett. The group hires Donald Denny, a social worker, as its first executive director and adopts the memorable phone number 1-800-KIDNEY-1, which would be used to identify the organization for the next 25 years.

1978

Howard M. Nathan, future Gift of Life Donor Program president and CEO, is hired as a transplant coordinator.

1981

DVTP expands outreach to hospitals. The involvement of hospital professionals and clinical staff proves key to increasing organ donations.

1982

Gift of Life’s first participation in the World Transplant Games in Athens, Greece.

1984

The region’s first liver and heart transplants are performed at Jefferson, Hershey and Temple hospitals.

Howard M. Nathan assumes the role of president and CEO.

1986

First organ donor computer program created. This groundbreaking electronic database and donor management system is utilized by more than half of the OPOs in the U.S.

1988

Medicare certifies DVTP as the official OPO for the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware hospitals.

1990

Forty area organ transplant recipients compete in first U.S. Transplant Games. Team Philadelphia is the largest team at the competition and sets the stage for future competitions.

1993

DVTP expands life-enhancing donations by establishing tissue recovery services.

Rick Hasz, future Gift of Life Donor Program president and CEO, is hired as a transplant coordinator.

1994
The Gift of Life Donor Medal is a remembrance for those who helped improve the lives of others through organ, eye or tissue donation.

Governor Robert Casey signs Pennsylvania Act 102, a pioneering organ donor law that establishes routine referral for hospitals and a driver’s license organ donor registry. The Act, which reinforces Gift of Life’s role in approaching families to discuss organ donation, spurs dramatic increases in organ donations and becomes a national model.

Gift of Life Donor Medal is created for families. Today, dozens of organizations across the country use it to honor those who gave the gift of life through organ, eye or tissue donation.

1995

First donation after circulatory death (DCD) occurs with donor Michael McVey, by Dr. Avi Shaked. Michael’s mother, Sue McVey Dillon, is an active volunteer and a former member of our Medical Advisory Board.

1996

The first annual Donor Dash helps raise organ and tissue donor awareness.

1999

DVTP changes its name to Gift of Life Donor Program.

Rick Hasz, future Gift of Life Donor Program president and CEO, becomes the vice president of clinical services.

Gift of Life teams up with the Philadelphia Phillies to promote awareness of organ and tissue donation, a partnership that continues today.

2001

Gift of Life Eye Bank is created.

The first Threads of Love Memorial Quilt debuts at the 2001 Dash for Donor Awareness. The quilt’s squares are crafted in honor of those who’ve given the gift of life.

A group of friends creates Donors Are Heroes to raise public awareness about the importance of becoming an organ and tissue donor.  Donors Are Heroes has provided more than $1.7 million to support education efforts in multicultural communities to-date.

2002

Jessie’s Day, a fundraiser for the Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship, launches. The scholarship supports college-bound organ and tissue recipients.

2004

The Gift of Life Institute is created as a center of expertise for training, education, collaboration and research for organ and tissue donation and transplantation professionals around the world.

The first Camp Jeremy is held to offer children who have undergone a life-saving organ transplant and their siblings an opportunity to have fun and make friends with kids just like them.

Camp Jeremy is held to offer children who have undergone a life-saving organ transplant and their siblings an opportunity to have fun and make friends with kids just like them.
Camp Jeremy 2017
2005

Gift of Life Donor Program moves to a permanent home at 401 N. 3rd Street in Philadelphia.

The “Gifts of Life…Acts of Love” ceremony is created to honor the generosity of living donors and their recipients.

2006

The first organ and tissue recoveries are performed at the new Gift of Life Donor Program headquarters.

Patients and Families Perspectives Panelists at Donation Champion
Patients and Families Perspectives Panelists at Donation Champion

Gift of Life launches Donation Champion Learning Sessions. These one-day programs enable critical care staff to become role models and share information with colleagues for best practices related to organ donation.

 
2007

Gift of Life hosts the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement (ISODP).

2008

Team Philadelphia brings more than 500 members to the U.S. Transplant Games, the largest team in the history of the Games.  The team leaves no doubt that transplantation works taking home more than 150 medals.

2009

The generosity of donors in the region is unprecedented and Gift of Life breaks the national record for organ donor recoveries. A total of 439 donors enables Gift of Life to coordinate 1,114 life-saving transplants throughout the year.

2011
Gift of Life Howie's House, 401 Callowhill St., Philadelphia, PA
Gift of Life Howie’s House provides temporary lodging, meals and support for transplant families.

Gift of Life Donor Program and the Transplant Foundation collaborate to open Gift of Life Howie’s House, a unique facility for transplant candidates, recipients, family members and living donors. The facility serves as a “home away from home” for transplant patients and their families by providing temporary, affordable lodging and supportive services to those who travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for transplant-related care.

2013

Gift of Life Donor Program hits a national record with 447 organ donors and highest number of transplanted organs (1,228).

The National Transplant Pregnancy Registry joins Gift of Life Donor Program. The Transplant Pregnancy Registry is an ongoing research study focused on the effects of pregnancy on transplant recipients and the effects of immunosuppressive medications on fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

2014

40th Anniversary of Gift of Life Donor Program!

Donation Champion Learning Sessions educates its 5,000th participant.

2015

The Donor Dash celebrates 20 years of raising awareness for organ and tissue donation through 5K and 10K runs and a 3K walk.

2016

Gift of Life Howie’s House celebrates 5 years of serving transplant patients and their families.

National Transplant Pregnancy Registry celebrates its 25th anniversary and stands as the longest-running voluntary pregnancy registry of its type in the world.

2017

Gift of Life Donor Program is the leading OPO in the U.S. for the 10th consecutive year, coordinating a record 565 organ donors and 1,546 organs for transplant. This is the most ever coordinated in one region in one year.

2019

Gift of Life Donor Program helps to coordinate the first-ever face transplant for an African-American patient.

2020

Welcome Baby Benjamin! Gift of Life coordinates the donation of a uterus for Penn Medicine clinical trial resulting in the second baby in the U.S. to be born following transplantation of a uterus from a deceased donor. 

Organ donation and transplants continue amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Gift of Life Donor Program offers grief and coping resources amid the coronavirus pandemic.

2022
photo of howard nathan and rick hasz at gift of life donor program
Howard M. Nathan, left, and Rick Hasz

Rick Hasz assumes the role of president and CEO of Gift of Life Donor Program, Gift of Life Howie’s House and Transplant Foundation after three decades of service, including 22 years as vice president of clinical services.

Following 43 years of service, Howard M. Nathan retires as president and CEO and joins Transplant Foundation as executive director.