The GOLD

The GOLD’s vision is to establish a culture in America that makes donating a kidney an automatic response.

With over 100,000 Living Donor transplants, the procedure of living donation has proven to be a safe and appropriate medical science.

It is very important to note that unlike many possible cures for major illnesses, organ donation is the only missing link to immediately curing thousands of ESRD patients. We already have the technology, know-how, transplant facilities, medications and trained doctors. WHEN A DONOR IS AVAILABLE, THE CURE IS REAL. WE NEED MORE DONORS!

Our Methodology:

The GOLD will assemble a mix of promotion, communications and advertising experts into a Media Advisory Council. This Council will be charged with developing a targeted communications strategy for implementation.

The GOLD will then produce and air messages in relevant media to reinforce the option of living donation as a positive, pro-active decision when faced with a loved one in need.

These marketing efforts will include:

• Demographics will be analyzed, surveys will be conducted where helpful, and efficient media channels will be identified.
• Specific efforts will be made to maximize the use of social media venues.
• “Link and be Linked” will be features on the website for maximum exposure.
• Special efforts will be made to work with the dialysis community, living donors and recipients, as they speak most passionately about the positive impact of increased transplants.
• First person testimonials will be sought in the form of videos, photos and stories.
• Becoming a Living Donor is hardly an impulse decision. Therefore, the marketing will introduce and continually reinforce a message which both jars one into further contemplation, or sticks with the potential donor for when the need arises. This means crating an efficient yet impactful message.
• Exploring all avenues for Pro Bono media contributions.

In addition:

• Efforts will include early introduction of this life lesson in schools.
• Young Leadership committees in high schools and colleges will be explored to encourage peers for donation.
• Besides disseminating positive messages, “myth busting” will address the common fears and hesitancies.
   
  

The GOLD is a fresh and unique approach with a simple, focused message… “If  you have a good friend or family member in need of a kidney transplant, consider being a donor.”

The GOLD and its message for living donation will have no other agendas or distractions; promoting living donation is the only intention.  

Our Organization:

The Gift of Living Donation, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501c.3 corporation, incorporated in the State of New Jersey.

Related Objectives would include:

1). The GOLD will work with national and state governments to improve the living donation process. For example: Enable the transferability of a kidney donor’s benefits from the donor to a family member in the event that they subsequently need a kidney. Another example: Secure lifetime health insurance coverage for uninsured donors.

2). The GOLD will pursue efforts to have Medicare take a pro-active role in this promotion. Converting Dialysis Patients to Kidney Recipients will save Medicare Millions of Dollars! It is estimated that Medicare will spend $22 Billion annually on dialysis costs by 2010. This is approximately 8% of the total Medicare Budget. (Another $7.2 Billion was spent by non-Medicare payers in 2006 on “ESRD” costs.)

3). The GOLD will support other efforts to increase organ donation. By its promotional efforts:

a.) The GOLD will also be indirectly promoting efforts of the fifty-eight Organ Procurement Organizations (“OPO’s”) and Donate Life to encourage registration of organ donation upon death;

b.) Similarly, The GOLD’s efforts will be promoting the National Kidney Registry’s donor-recipient pairs, and altruistic living donors with recipients.

c.) The GOLD’s efforts will also heighten awareness for the benefit of other possible future related organ donor programs such as Presumed Consent and Incentive Compensation, if/when they materialize.

4). The GOLD will serve the needs of potential Living Donors by expanding their informational resources through linking with other websites and services related to living donation.

5.) Through its media focus, The GOLD could become “media central” for organ transplant related media efforts and collaborate to capitalize on volume based media initiatives.

6). With its infrastructure firmly established, The GOLD will evolve its outreach promotional effort to include partial liver transplants, blood donation and bone marrow donation.