For the second consecutive year, a record number of organ and tissue donations were made in Nebraska.
Last year, 72 people who died donated organs, resulting in 214 organ transplants. In addition to organs, 670 people donated tissue such as bone, skin and heart valves. In addition, 264 new mothers donated birth tissue — placenta and umbilical cord — which provides healing for patients with chronic wounds, traumatic burns and ulcers.
Among last year’s donors was a 105-year-old who became the oldest donor in Live On Nebraska’s history.
In 2019, the organization had 71 deceased donors, 608 tissue donations and 201 birth tissue donations.
Live On Nebraska, a local nonprofit, is an organ procurement organization working to recover organs and tissue for transplantation.
More than 100,000 Americans are in need of a lifesaving organ transplant, with 400 of those in Nebraska.
The records were set despite the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Lee Morrow, Live On Nebraska’s medical director, said donations from patients who previously tested positive for COVID-19 are safe.
“As we currently understand the coronavirus, any organ can potentially be transplanted from a donor who has recovered from a previous COVID-19 infection,” Morrow said. “But because the virus primarily infects the respiratory system, transplantation of lungs post-COVID infection hasn’t been embraced.”
In Nebraska, anyone 16 or older can register as an organ and tissue donor. Donor registration is available at LiveOnNebraska.org .
A roundup of inspirational stories from Midlanders with heart
Oliver Henderson plays first base waiting for some action. Without a left hand Henderson is able to adapt to the world of baseball .
KAYLA WOLF/THE WORLD-HERALD
Libby DiBiase runs in a 14-pound vest during a workout at CrossFit Kinesis in Gretna. This Omaha police officer uses CrossFit to keep in shape for her unpredictable job .
REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD
Jeff Strufing enjoys being able to help people during group classes at Kosama. Despite his cancer diagnosis, Strufing hasn’t let it change his lifestyle. The 46-year-old business owner, husband and father of two still works part-time as a paramedic and teaches weekly classes at three gyms. He’s done it all while undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Margie Irfan practices bicep curls during her workout at Life Time Fitness. Iftan entered the world of bodybuilding when she was 46 years old. The Omaha woman has lost 10 percent of her body fat while maintaining the same weight — and she’s got the toned muscles to prove it.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Jack Mallett practices his tennis skills at Miracle Hill tennis courts. After deciding to quit drinking Mallett, 92, made tennis his addiction .
JULIA NAGY/THE WORLD-HERALD
Michelle Graft runs on the Wabash Trace in Council Bluffs to train for her portion of the MS Run the US relay. Gaft who has MS uses running to keep the symptoms at bay .
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Mary Manhart works out at the Downtown YMCA four times a week. She sees the people at the gym as her extended family .
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
Hadeel Haider started to exercise after being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma, and she fell in love with Zumba. Haider now teaches Zumba class at the the Maple Street YMCA .
REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD
Nancy Nygren works out at least three times a week to help keep off more than 65 pounds that she lost a decade ago. “She’s the perfect example of somebody who has lost a significant amount of weight and has done it the right way,” said Jennifer Yee, who leads Nygren’s boot camp class and is also an instructor in Creighton University’s exercise science program.
CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Tom Carney does a workout during kickboxing class. Carney used to work out so he could eat whatever he wanted. Now he understands diet is just as important as exercise .
SARAH HOFFMAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Rik Zortman runs the name of children who have died of cancer. He has ran the name of more than 250 children since his son's death in 2009 .
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Katie Chipman, a 12-year-old gymnast with juvenile arthritis, practices at Airborne Academy. Chipman works to hard to compete and only misses practices if her symptoms are too severe.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Joe Reisdorff and Dan Masters grew up in the same town, attending the same church were never close until Reisdorff needed a new kidney and Masters was a match .
MEGAN SMITH/OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
Still recovering from a heart transplant, Rick Ganem wouldn't be able to make it to his daughter Sarah's wedding. So she brought the ceremony to his hospital room .
NEBRASKA MEDICINE
Since starting her weight-loss journey, Keasha Hawkins-Moore is closing in on dropping half of her starting weight — 500 pounds. During that journey, she's battled cancer, lost loved ones and strengthened her faith.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Leota "Lee" Brown suffered a stroke and two days later, the 98-year-old was back to her spunky self at home in an assisted-living facility. She's required no therapy since the stroke .
MEGAN MCGILL/THE WORLD-HERALD
Harley Swanek had been living with an undetected heart condition for the first seven months of her life. It caused her to become unresponsive for more than 30 minutes, leading to a brain injury. Harley's back home and relearning all of her milestones .
MADONNA REHABILITATION HOSPITALS
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