Photographs include a University of Pennsylvania Technical Nursing Student Students gather with members of the university's Wellness Committee at a donation life event held at the university during National Donation Life Month as part of their students' participation in the Life of Life College Challenge. Students planned a series of events to educate the community about organ donation and register new donors. From left: Megan F. Rogers and Carmen Terry, members of the Wellness Committee. Nursing student Caitlyn A. Kleinfelter, Kleinfelter, Lebanon, Emily L. Ferguson of Canton, and Marley L. Shower of Selinsgrove. UPMC's Heidi herbicide. Penn College “Wildcat”; Madison A. Hilson, Timothy M. Weigle and Tami J. Delinski, members of the Wellness Committee.
Williamsport – Pennsylvania Tech nursing students recently practiced their role in promoting community health through a series of donation life events designed to educate the community on organ donation and encourage individuals to register as organ donors.
They joined a group of students from 11 other universities in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, and participated in the Life College Challenge gift. In June, Penn College students announced that they had finished second for their efforts and 265 registered to become organ donors.
From February to April, students worked with the university's wellness committee – the idea hosted a variety of events, including 5K “Donor Dash”, theme bingo nights, social media campaigns, donor registration tables, and three-hour “donor” events, and featured speakers that influence the donation of decorations along with outdoor games, DJs and Food Trucks.
“It was a lot of work, but it's all worth it when you can influence people who need it and appreciate the education we can provide,” said Marley L. Shower of Sellingrove, who served as one of the project's four team leaders. The shower was joined by Canton's Emily L. Ferguson as the team leader. Caitlin A. Kleinfelter of Lebanon. Jade M. Neiman of Williamsport. Other community health nursing classmates served as event day leaders and social media leaders.
Among those affected are Clark Pitura, a New York City Police detective and father of a student at Penn University. After he was hospitalized with Covid-19, the combination of the virus and the drugs used to treat it caused irreversible kidney damage. Pitura was still looking for donors when she spoke to the Student Donation Life Event. He had a transplant surgery on June 10th.
Robin Andrews also needs a transplant because of her daughter Anissa, known as FSGS (local glomerulosclerosis). Currently 25 years old, she has had FSG since she was 14.
“She has dreams and goals that she has to put on hold for now,” Robin Andrews said.
A'nissaa is dialyzed three days a week. “It's debilitating,” her mother said.
“It's time,” Pithura said of his dialysis regimen three times a week. “I'm out of 15-17 hours a week. I'll kiss you bye. It keeps going, and it won't change, and you say, “I really need a port. That's the only thing I can get out of me.”
“Dialysis is not a cure,” explained Pithura's wife, Leah. “It's a tool for survival. Time is long and painful.”
She told attendees at the event that 80,000 people are waiting for their kidneys at any time, and 25,000 people undergo kidney transplants each year.
“Every eight minutes a new name is added to the waiting list,” she added. “Twelve people wait and die every day. Reading those statistics makes me sick.”
But the college support received by the Pithura family, which also includes the efforts of the Penn College Lacrosse team, is “nothing extraordinary,” she said.
“We are blessed to be part of the Penn College family, not just us, but also to hundreds of thousands of other people waiting.”
While completing nursing, showers working in a local intensive care unit witnessed the effects of organ donation.
“Looking that side to face and running this campaign really helps solidify how many people and families are giving for others,” she said. “One person's death is placed in the perspective that it can affect the lives of others and give them the life they wanted to reclaim.”
Community Health Nursing Classes are taught by Terry A. Stone, an assistant professor of nursing who is part of the university's wellness committee. The committee's mission is to inform employees who are equipped with knowledge to promote wellness initiatives and choose healthier options.
“We were more interested in signing up for the Campaign Challenge as many of the wellness committees shared stories of people who were personally influenced by organ donation awareness and the need to register,” Stone said. “The personal stories of people waiting for ports and heroes who give gifts of life are inspiring this extremely important service learning opportunity.”
“One of the first things I learned at nursing school is education,” Shower said.
Nurses are responsible for educating patients who care about diagnosis, treatment and disease prevention. In the Community Health Nursing course, students will broaden their focus and learn about factors that may affect community health, such as housing, transportation, and education.
Students shared it during the Life of Life College Challenge.
– Registering as an organ donor through the driver licensing process adds a person to the Pennsylvania registry, but not to the national registry.
– One donor can help up to 8 people waiting for a transplant.
Students received support or participation from many partners across campus, including student engagement, health services, people, culture, and the Student Nurse Association.
“It's shocking to see how many people can come together and shed light on something,” Kleinfelter said. “It's inspiring to be able to spread the word for those who need it.”
“Being a donor is a miracle that you can do to save someone else's life,” said Robin Andrews.
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