Facebook Organ/Tissue Donation Efforts Could Benefit Local Patients

SAN ANTONIO – Facebook’s efforts combined with local efforts from the organ and tissue donation community could impact local patients. While there are more than 12,000 people in Texas waiting for an organ transplant, thousands more are in need of tissue donations. Kia Bailey is a local patient who benefited from a tissue donation.

Throughout her life, Bailey suffered from scoliosis. Numerous surgeries including implanting a rod and screws to correct her spine left her with unrelenting pain, nerve damage and a deteriorating spinal column. As a mother, Bailey wondered how she would care for her two children. Thanks to a generous tissue donor and a persistent doctor, Bailey’s prospects improved. Since her last surgery, Bailey is able to walk upright without a cane or brace, and she’s able to do simple tasks like drive her kids to school.

The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) Tissue Services department works to make sure grafts like these are available when patients need them by educating the community about joining the official Texas registry, donatelifetexas.org. “With the additional support from a global company like Facebook, we hope to see the number of registered donors increase, as well as the number of tissue grafts available for patients,” said Mary Beth Fisk, President and COO of STBTC.