A Letter From Our President

There are many ways in life to help others and to make a difference in the world around us with many organizations that have been created to assist those in need. For instance, “Feed the Children” comes to mind and what could be more important than trying to feed the worlds’ hungry? Another favorite of mine is “Samaritan’s Purse” which is active at the scene of disasters worldwide. I imagine most of us have donated household items or clothes to “Good Will Industries” and who has not heard of the “United Way” and their various fund drives?

There is, however, another kind of giving that is different than sharing with others of that with which you and I have been blessed. It is a most painful kind of giving because it is based on tragedy. It is based on the pain and personal loss felt at the death of a loved one. It is this kind of giving, so unanticipated and heartbreaking, that for me, it defines giving and personal sacrifice at its best. The giving to which I refer is organ, tissue, and eye donation.

I am delighted to welcome you to the American Tissue Services Foundation website. Here you will find stories of donors and recipients of life saving and life enhancing organs and tissues. You will read of families blessed by wonderful gifts and of families for whom donation brought at least a measure of comfort in an otherwise completely hopeless situation.

I also wish to say thank you to the thousands of families in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, who year after year make that most painful and generous decision to give life and health to others. You are for me the very definition of kindness and compassion in the midst of suffering.