Advocate Condell nurse named Lifesaving Partner by organ donor network

Jody Jesse, RN, Director of the Emergency, EMS and Trauma Department at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Ill., has been recognized by Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network for outstanding achievement in addressing the critical need for organ and tissue donation at Advocate Condell.

Named a 2012 Lifesaving Partner by Gift of Hope, Jesse was among a group of hospital, forensic and civic professionals and organizations nominated for their work to help Gift of Hope carry out its mission of saving and enhancing lives through organ and tissue donation. She was recognized for her work to increase donation opportunities at Advocate Condell as a member of the hospital's Donation Committee and to introduce and apply donation best practices in her department.

“Jody has been particularly instrumental in implementing new quality improvement practices in tissue donation at Advocate Condell by offering creative ideas for their development and by spearheading efforts to educate her department staff members about them,” said Gift of Hope President/CEO Jerry Anderson. “As a result of her work and ongoing support for donation, Advocate Condell now has important donation-related policies in place to maximize tissue donation opportunities and hospital staff members have a better understanding of the entire tissue donation process and their role in it.”

“I'm so proud of Jody's commitment to turning loss into saving lives whenever possible, and helping families in the process,” said Ann Errichetti, MD, MBA, President of Advocate Condell Medical Center.

Jesse received her Lifesaving Partners Award at a ceremony in Lombard on April 24. She was among 16 individuals, hospitals and health systems recognized for their commitment to donation during the last year.

Celebrating 25 years of saving and enhancing lives in 2012, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is a not-for-profit organ procurement organization entrusted by the nation's healthcare system with coordinating organ and tissue donation and providing donor family services and public education in Illinois and northwest Indiana. It has coordinated donations that have saved the lives of more than 19,000 organ transplant recipients and improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of tissue transplant recipients. As one of 58 organ procurement organizations that make up the nation's organ and tissue donation system, Gift of Hope works with 180 hospitals and serves 12 million residents in its donation service area. It also is part of Donate Life Illinois, a coalition of agencies responsible for organ, tissue, eye, blood and marrow donation, as well as donor education and registration, in Illinois. For more information about Gift of Hope and organ and tissue donation, visit GiftofHope.org.