Blog

Illuminating Hope – Donor Network of Arizona’s 2019 Symposium

In 2012, Traci Cromwell was suffering from a persistent cough that was progressively getting worse. Eventually, doctors told Traci that she had an interstitial lung disease. This meant chronic and progressive pulmonary scarring, but Traci thought she would get a prescription for medication and that everything would be fine. However, it was not fine. “A …

ADOT MVD Saves Lives Month

Tyler Hedstrom, 17, died by suicide, but his prior decision to be a donor gave many people hope of a restored life through cornea and tissue donation. While at the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division (ADOT MVD) getting his license, Tyler Hedstrom checked the box to give the gift of life. His …

ECHOing the Message of Donation

For 35 years, Danny Eschief worked as a tribal recreation coordinator with the Gila River Indian Community — specifically the Akimel O’Otham group. His daughter, Debbie Eschief, says people were easily drawn to him, and that’s how he was so successful in bringing the community together through sports. He had a community-first mentality, helping others …

Angels among us

This Father’s Day, we are celebrating the miraculous story of Gene McDaniel, liver recipient and father of three. As a fire captain and paramedic for 23 years, Gene knows all about life and death situations, but nothing could have prepared him for his own. Gene looked in the mirror one day and saw an unfamiliar …

One Step at a Time | The grief of a donor mother

Imagine walking across the entire country with only a backpack to carry anything you may need—including food, water and some type of shelter, such as a tent or sleeping bag. As little as she may have, the only thing truly missing for Divina Moreira Cruz will be her late son. This journey is one she …

Changed for Good | Saving Lives in National Donate Life Month

Zoe Mar was a bright and bubbly teenager who loved singing, acting, socializing and the color pink. In 2017, the Ahwatukee girl suffered a brain aneurysm that caused irreversible damage. The loss was sudden, unexpected and devastating. In the midst of overwhelming grief, Zoe’s parents, Bob and Trena Mar, made the selfless decision to donate …

Home Run for Donation!

“My heart was racing!” Heather Jauregui said shortly after throwing the first pitch at a Diamondbacks game April 14, 2019. But she’s grateful her heart can beat properly. Heather was born with a congenital heart defect, known as absent pulmonary valve syndrome (APVS). Someone with APVS has an underdeveloped or missing pulmonary valve, which is …

From the Heart: Celebrating National Donor Day

Not all heroes wear capes, but Jared Joseph “Bear” Griffith is proof that all of us have the power to save and heal lives through donation. In the fall of 2017, at just 10 years old, Bear gave the gift of life when his asthma turned fatal. Although he was too young to have registered …

Why doctors WILL NOT let you die if you’re a registered organ donor

What’s in it for a doctor to deny a patient proper care if they knew she or he signed up as an organ, tissue and cornea donor? It’s a deeply rooted concern that anyone personally or professionally connected to donation hears on a regular basis—from a broad range of ages and cultures. Some skeptics cite …

2018 Fiesta Bowl Parade

The sun finally begins to rise on an early December morning. Dancers start to line up, the sun glinting off their sparkling pompoms. Volunteers begin raising a massive inflatable cactus balloon to float it down Central Avenue. Recipient and donor families sift through green and blue posters to hold when they walk proudly to represent …

Donor Network of Arizona