ABOUT US Your Gift.  Their Life.

Mission

Saving lives and restoring hope through the enduring legacy of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Vision

To be a leader in fostering a culture of donation, where every gift is celebrated and every life is honored.

Value

We pursue excellence, gratitude, and open communication at every step of the donation journey.

Timeline

An Origin in Military Service

The United States Navy established the world’s first tissue bank in 1947. Outside of the military, however, storage of human tissue was not common, tissues for transplantation were scarce, and the lack of professional standards and government control meant that the effectiveness of allografts were uncertain. It soon became evident to Dr. Theodore I. Malinin, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Medical Center, that there was a need for a civilian tissue bank.

Our Foundation

To address the scarcity of tissues outside of the military and make tissue donation and transplantation possible in the private sector, Dr. Malinin founded the University of Miami Tissue Bank in Miami, as the U.S. Navy Tissue Bank curtailed its service to civilian patients.

Decades of Commitment

The University of Miami Tissue Bank acquired new facilities for the recovery of tissues, allowing more donations to be accepted while also increasing service to the community.

In an effort to improve quality of life and make transplants readily available to patients, the University of Miami Tissue Bank, now Legacy Donor Services Foundation, has continued to serve the community, while also assisting in the organization of additional tissue banks throughout the United States and abroad.

Continued Growth and Impact

In 2011, the tissue bank relocated to a state-of-the-art facility that accommodates a diverse group of biotechnology and life science organizations. In its new location, the tissue program connected to many world experts across medical disciplines, and the outcomes of these shared medical quarters will become lifesaving innovation.

Building on Our Foundation

In 2014, in order to expand services to donors and donor families, the University of Miami Tissue Bank became UMTB Donor Services Foundation, prior to becoming Legacy Donor Services Foundation. This transition allowed the tissue program the opportunity to further serve the community as stewards of donation.

Donor Services Foundation Established

Our name changed from UMTB Donor Services Foundation to Legacy Donor Services Foundation to better reflect who we are as an organization on September 1, 2019. Our commitment to donors, donor families and donor partners remains unparalleled.

Your Gift. Their Life.

Legacy Donor Services Foundation connects individuals through the acceptance of a loving gift that can be cherished by those in need. We are committed to the community we serve.

Leadership

Chris Agle

President & COO

N. Codi Stewart, CTBS

Director, Recovery Operations & Business Development

Adam Stewart, CTBS

Sr. Manager, Donor Partner Operations

Shawn Duncan

Director, Donor Services Center

Patricia L. Darrigan

Senior Director, Professional Development and Communications

Services

Legacy Donor Services Foundation is an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited recovery service responsible for the recovery and care of tissue donations as well as providing educational resources for would-be donors and their families.

Donor Services Legacy Donor Services Foundation partners with local hospitals, medical examiners, eye banks and other recovery agencies serving the state of Florida to receive donation referrals. Referral calls are made to a central donation line where an initial interview takes place to determine the eligibility of a potential donor. When a referral is made, a donor family advocate will follow up with the referring facility to determine if donation options can be offered to the next of kin. Donor Families & Bereavement A loved one’s loss is an untethering experience that leaves many people feeling anxious or numb. Still, there are important decisions that need to be made regarding your loved one – decisions that may impact the lives of people in need. Legacy Donor Services provides resources that guide the grieving process. Hospital Development Our Hospital Development department works collaboratively with regional hospitals by educating their staff on the process of referring a potential donor, ensuring that hospitals comply with federal and state regulations. When a donor referral results in a donation, the Hospital Development department is the first to provide the hospitals with immediate feedback. Medical Examiner Relations Our Donor Service team is in constant communication with medical examiners, investigator and coroners in the region to assure that the requirements specific to each donation are being met. We assist medical examiners by obtaining restrictions before the recovery of tissue to maintain the integrity of evidence and determine the cause and manner of death. Our trained Recovery Team technicians maintain the fidelity of the physical findings, related to the cause of death. They memorialize these findings through careful descriptions and photographic evidence so that the cause of death may be determined. Community Education The Legacy Donor Services Foundation supports its community by providing educational recourses to donor families and those interested in donation. If you are a donation recipient, or are interested in registering to be a donor, we would love to hear from you. Access our contact page to share your story with us and learn about our upcoming events. Donor Partners Donations are always cooperative efforts. We are proud to work alongside hospitals, eye banks and other recovery agencies in the region to create a culture of donation within the communities we serve. Together we can cultivate a unified donation message that inspires community outreach efforts and educational programs throughout Florida. Our partnerships with outside donation agencies also facilitate the donor referral process and allow donor screenings to be more comprehensive.

A Nationwide Network of Hope

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