The 2009 National Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop (NDRCW

The 2009 National Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop (NDRCW) will take place July 17-19, 2009 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The 2009 NDRCW is the 11th Federal Government event that takes place in the nation’s capital and pays tribute to all Americans who have donated organs, tissues, or marrow to save or enhance the lives of others. It is a unique opportunity for donor families and living donors, their families and friends, transplant recipients, and donation and transplant professionals from across the country to come together to share experiences and honor organ, tissue, and marrow donors in a special way.

The NDRCW will include a series of educational workshops and sharing sessions on issues or topics of interest to donor families, living donors and professionals on Saturday, July 18. The National Donor Family Quilt will be on display in its entirety, and donor families will be given the opportunity to pin their own Quilt square in honor of their loved one at the Quilt Pinning. The Recognition Ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 19 and will feature special presentations to honor America’s heroes - living donors and those who donated organs and/or tissues after death. Each family and living donor will also receive a Donor Recognition Medal and a Certificate of Appreciation from the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Registration for the Donor Recognition Ceremony on Sunday, July 19 is not necessary; however registration is suggested for donor family members, living donors and donation professionals who wish to attend the workshops held on Saturday, July 18 so that we can provide adequate meeting space and materials. Registration materials for the 2009 NDRCW can be downloaded from our web site at www.donorfamily.org or www.livingdonors.org, or you may contact us at donorfamily@kidney.org or 800-622-9010 ext. 177 to request registration materials to be mailed to you. Please note that the deadline for registration is May 15.

There is no cost for attending the workshops or the ceremony; however, individuals or sponsoring organizations are responsible for costs such as housing, travel, meals and incidentals.

The National Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop is a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Division of Transplantation with assistance from the National Kidney Foundation and many other transplant associations and organizations.

For more information about the 2009 NDRCW, please contact the Division of Transplantation at 301-443-7577 or visit www.organdonor.gov, or call the National Kidney Foundation's National Donor Family Council at 800-622-9010 or email us at donorfamily@kidney.org.