Intermountain Organ Recovery System in Salt Lake City has been awarded $103,215 to expand public and professional education and expand operations to two underserved areas.
The grant came from the Office of Organ Transplantation, which awarded about $2.5 million to 18 procurement agencies in the United States.Church Keilman, local transplant coordinator, said the principal purpose of the grant program, authorized by the National Organ Transplant Act in 1984, is to increase the availability of organs and tissues for transplant by improving the organ-procurement system.
Keilman said geographic limitations restrict the amount of time and frequency of contact Intermountain Organ Recovery System personnel have with the 23 hospitals in southeastern Idaho. Grant appropriations will provide for the placement of a full-time satellite coordinator in Idaho for one year.
"With an increased effort in both public and professional education, it is anticipated that the number of organ and tissue donations will also increase from within this area," he said.
Keilman said a nationwide shortage of pediatric organs for transplant prompted a request to fund a part-time education coordinator for Primary Children's Medical Center.