As a Donate Life Wisconsin affiliate, the Versiti Organ and Tissue Outreach Program is committed to promoting donation awareness, education, and advocacy, with goals of growing the Wisconsin Donor Registry; increasing the number of donated organs, tissue, and eyes; and saving more lives. Your philanthropic gift allows us to host outreach events that aid in our efforts to grow the donor registry and give hope to those in need of transplants.

Established in 2005 by donor mother Lynn Baudo, Threads of Compassion is an all-volunteer group that knits and crochets comfort shawls for organ and tissue donor families. Each member of Threads of Compassion stitches positive thoughts, healing feelings, and love into every comfort shawl, with the hope that their small gift of compassion will bring Versiti Organ and Tissue donor families comfort during their time of sorrow. Your financial gift allows us to create shawls and help comfort donor families.

The Versiti Organ and Tissue Aftercare Program is committed to supporting donor families and honoring their loved ones. The program offers donor families resources on grief and loss, donation recognition items, and donation information. Families also have the opportunity to participate in donor family events, memorial programs, and our volunteer program. Your gift will allow us to create unique programs that help care for donor families after their time of loss.

The staff members at Versiti Organ and Tissue encounter challenging situations daily, which can lead to emotional and psychological fatigue and burnout. To support our staff, the Versiti Organ and Tissue Resiliency Program provides tools and resources to help them maintain resilience and balance in their daily lives. This program includes organized group activities and interactive, thought-provoking sessions led by licensed counselors. The goal of the Resiliency Program is to create an environment where team members can reflect on their reactions to stressful situations and gain resources to manage both difficult work scenarios and personal life experiences. Philanthropic contributions are essential in ensuring our staff have the necessary tools to cope with the daily stressors they face in their roles.

Versiti Organ and Tissue is excited to create The Legacy of Hope Memorial at ThriveOn King—a space that pays tribute to those who have given the gift of life and to their families. Additionally, this memorial will honor all future donor heroes, providing a place of comfort and solace for the families and friends of donors—past, present, and future.

Butterflies are at the heart of this vision. Their metamorphosis reminds us of the life-changing promise of donation and the journey of donor and recipient. Their delicate nature and fleeting lifespan also reflect the preciousness of life, and the second chance donors generously give recipients.

We cannot bring this vision to life alone. Your financial support helps make this memorial a reality and ensures that we can continue honoring the selfless contributions of our donor heroes and their families for generations to come