2017 Communication & Education Awards Winners

The Communication & Education Awards, formerly the CAM (Communication, Advertising and Marketing) Awards, recognize outstanding public and professional communication and education initiatives within the tissue banking community.

Outstanding Professional Communication Award and The Groundbreaker Award

Program Title

Kentucky Circuit Clerks' Trust for Life Regional Trainings

About the Program

Over 96% of all donor registry sign-ups occur when individuals obtain their driver's license. The front line deputy clerks at the Kentucky DMVs usually asked the question about registering as a donor, but never fully understood their impact on the mission of saving and enhancing lives. The Trust for Life (TFL) and KODA set out to reinforce the role these state workers play in our mission and to positively impact the registry rates in their individual counties. There were 3 goals for the program:

1. To increase the donor designation rate in Kentucky
2. To ensure staff is asking the registry questions to every person, every time and
3. To ensure deputy clerks are aware of the integral role they play in saving lives.

Over 1500 deputy clerks have attended the day long training. Clerks learned the importance of asking every person, every time and how their role impacts the success of this mission and the lives of those on the waiting list. Over 80% of clerks now confidently say that they utilize the techniques and information they learned on a daily basis, asking members of their communities to help them save lives rather than just join the donor registry. Statewide registry rates have increased from approximately 41% to almost 54% since the trainings started.

Contributor(s)

• Julie Bergin, RN, BSN, MHA, CEO, Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates
• Shelley Snyder, Executive Director, Kentucky Circuit Clerks' Trust for Life/KODA

Outstanding Public Communication Award

Project Title

Inspiring Intergenerational Conversations and Overcoming Taboos: Developing Strategic Community Education Partnerships in San Francisco County from Concept to Execution

About the Project

A partnership between the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), The City and County of San Francisco and Donor Network West emerged due to our need to educate high school students in larger numbers and encourage DPH clinic staff to have conversations about organ and tissue donation with patients within San Francisco County's diverse set of social, economic and cultural circumstances. To do this, we engaged partners who had clinics and schools in zip codes with low donor designation rates.

This community education project touches lives through public and professional education, but above all it changes lives by inspiring conversations of those in San Francisco streets - from a pedestrian who sees our bus awareness campaign in English, Spanish or Chinese, to the patient at the clinic in Chinatown or the Mission District. The student at any public high school in San Francisco who receives a presentation from a health teacher or visits the campus wellness center will be encouraged to raise the topic at home with parents and grandparents. Day by day, the culture of organ and tissue donation will grow through conversations amid this beautiful diverse county.

Contributor(s)

• Kristina Ruiz-Healy, M.A, Community Development Liaison, Donor Network West

Guest Judges

• Mark Bagley, Media Relations, AARP
• Shirley Bergin, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Marketing Officer, TEDMED
• Jennifer Cramer, Speechwriter, Disney Parks & Resorts
• Jessica Koth, Public Relations Manager, National Funeral Directors Association
• Yewande A. Oladeinde, Social Science Research Analyst, Center for Medicare Services
• Jerry Wohletz, Executive Communications Manager, American Dental Association