News

Groundbreaking perfusion pump proves kidneys can be flown commercially, tracked by GPS, and kept viable longer to reach more transplant patients LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 31, 2023) – Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) announces the successful transportation of the first-ever donor kidney flown on a functioning perfusion pump unattended by a medical team. Using new technology, the deceased donor’s kidney flew commercially from Louisville on July 13, 2023 to save the life of a patient at the University of Mississippi Medical . . .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 10, 2023) – Donate Life Kentucky will offer free school supplies and giveaways to children and families, along with a free movie night at Price Elementary School on Saturday, July 22, at 6:30 p.m. The event, now in its second year, aims to provide children in our community with important educational materials in a safe and fun environment before the start of the school year. Prior to the showing of Disney’s ‘Soul,’ kids will receive free school . . .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June. 27, 2023) – The Donate Life Kentucky leadership, which encompasses two non-profit organizations, Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) and Trust For Life (Trust), are proud to announce they have joined the Living Donor Circle of Excellence. This program is an initiative from the American Society of Transplantation (AST) with support from strategic partner the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). It celebrates employers who implement internal policies that provide salary support to their employees who choose to be living . . .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 20, 2023) – Donate Life Kentucky has gone to the dogs … and cats, birds, and horses. For every treat, every behind-the-ear scratch, and every game of fetch pets get from their humans – their love continues to grow; however, what happens when their human becomes ill and needs an organ transplant to keep the family together? To help, pets across Kentucky have traded chasing their tails for a call to action by teaming up with Donate Life . . .

Drive to take place on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14 and will support the urgent-to-critical need for blood donors LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2023) – Donate Life KY, in partnership with the Kentucky Blood Center (KBC), is inviting donors from across the state to give blood on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14, which is also National Donor Day. The drive will help support the urgent-to-critical need for blood across the state and will also help support the health and recovery . . .

Organization celebrates more lives saved through organ donation than any other year LOUISVILLE, Ky., (Jan. 10, 2023) – For the fifth consecutive year, Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) has once again broken its record of saving lives. In 2022, 239 organ donors and 539 tissue donors resulted in nearly 600 lives saved across the Commonwealth – a 23% increase in organ donation compared to 2021 and the most lives saved in any year. “Registering as an organ donor is a . . .

Senate Bill 30 Goes Into Effect; Expands Organ Donor Registry and Education SB 30 creates new ways to register to become an organ donor LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 3, 2022) – Senate Bill 30 goes into effect today, allowing the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to add organ donation questions to the screen when individuals renew their car tags online. This will impact more than 30,000 people per month on average. “On any given day, more than 100,000 Americans are waiting for a . . .

Media Contact:Mary Jane Rodes859.494.4484  Washington, DC (September 12, 2022) Recipients of the Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC)’s 2022 grant program are already making important progress to help increase kidney transplants and reduce barriers among patients and donors nationwide. Earlier this year, the KTC announced the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) as one of its inaugural grant recipients. KODA is using the funds to explore and test new technologies that would make it possible for kidneys to be transported on pulsatile perfusion pumps via aircrafts, with . . .

Innovative Kentucky leader recognized for commitment to organ and tissue donation LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 22, 2022) – Donate Life KY today announced Kentucky Transportation Cabinet official Matt Cole has been nationally recognized for his efforts to raise awareness and save lives through organ donation. Cole was awarded the Donate Life America (DLA) Lifesaver Award for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) – Region II. He also earned the National Lifesaver Award at the AAMVA Annual International Conference (AIC). . . .