LOPA - Raising Awareness For Organ Donation

Guests
Joey Boudreaux
My role is to oversee organ recoveries throughout the state of Louisiana. One of my areas of focus includes maximizing a family’s gift of donation through the utilization of the latest medical treatments of patients who have suffered severe brain injuries. I hope that their loved ones can save as many lives as possible. Another area of focus is to insure that the surgical processes and packaging of organs are performed with the utmost level of proficiency.



Lori Steele
My role is to maximize organ and tissue donation awareness and increase Louisiana’s donor registry. I work with our partners in schools, civic groups, businesses, churches, etc. to reach audiences interested in having a healthy discussion about donation. We have a strong volunteer base – made up of donor family members, recipients and those waiting on a transplant. Together, we give as much information as possible. Our hope is that those listening will see donation in a positive light and make an educated decision about donation – when they are ready to do so. We want them to take what they learned during their time with us and bring that information back home. We hope it sparks ‘another’ conversation…and another…and another.



Sally Gentry
My role is dedicated to maintaining and extending quality follow-up services for all our donor families. Some of our supportive services include phone and written contact with families, grief counseling, emotional support, assisting with donor family and recipient requests for communication, facilitating direct contact, addressing issues or concerns, and interfacing with transplant centers and with other departments within LOPA. In addition, I see my purpose as one of being with families going through the labyrinth of emotional turmoil and helping them to see what good can result from a tragedy. Our department helps families focus on celebrating the life of their loved one and to see how one’s life can impact many others by saying YES to donation.



Welcome to another episode of Causecasts and today on the show welcome not one, but three amazing guests! Joining us today we have the hosts of The Gifted Life Podcast, Lori Steele, Joey Boudreaux, and Sally Gentry. The podcast is produced by the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency, or LOPA, and is intended to raise awareness and registration for organ donation. The team have already seen the spread and effect of their work and the reward ofsaving lives is a huge part ofit all. We hear from Sally, Lori and Joey about the process of organ donation and the incredible light that can emerge from tragedy when successful transplants occur. Interestingly, the podcasts is aimed at both donors and receivers, and our guests really try to level the show at a wide ranging and reaching audience. They have already seen engagement all across the world and are delighted tobe influencing positive change beyond their local community.
During the episode we hear about the genesis of the podcast and each of guests give their back stories leading upto the formation of the group. We also discuss the content of a podcast aimed at recruiting people to a program and how they are able to continually fill their episodes with relevant information. A large part of the chat is spent reflectingon the gifts that creating this package has bestowed on the hosts, who seem to have really found a meaningful channel through which to work in the world around them. They are open and giving with their advice and ideas and have plenty of sound direction for the up and coming or hopeful podcaster, so stay tuned and get it all!
Key Topics:
•How The Gifted Life Podcast was founded from within LOPA. (01:34)
•What drew our guests to the podcast medium in particular. (04:50)
•The reason for an ongoing and continual series of...