LifeSource

36 years of saving lives through organ and tissue donation. We partner with communities, families and healthcare professionals to save and heal lives through advocacy and excellence in organ, eye and tissue donation.

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A little heart makes a big difference!
Meet Whitney — a vibrant mother, daughter and friend whose generosity continues to touch lives through organ donation. 

Whitney was the kind of person who filled every room with life. Her laughter was loud, her energy contagious, and her heart wide open. She loved adventures with her 10-year-old son, Harper — swimming, exploring, trying new things — and treasured every memory they made together. 

Then, suddenly, everything changed.  

Whitney suffered a massive brain bleed and could not survive. In the midst of unimaginable heartbreak, her parents, Melodie and Kevin, knew what she would have wanted. Whitney had always believed in helping others — and through organ donation, she did just that. 

Whitney saved and healed lives through her final act of generosity — becoming one of the few people who ever have the chance to give this extraordinary gift. 

We envision a world where everyone says YES to donation.

Every year, thousands of people say “yes” to donation — but only a small percentage will meet the medical criteria to become organ donors. That’s what makes each gift so rare, so unexpected and so powerful.

For Melodie and Kevin, carrying Whitney’s legacy forward brings meaning to their loss. Whitney’s family now creates glass dragonflies as gifts for other grieving families — a symbol of transformation and hope. 

“There’s a story about dragonflies,” Kevin said. “They begin life in the water, then rise to the surface, transform, and take flight. Their journey isn’t over — it’s just changed.” 

Whitney’s story reminds us how one person can make a lasting difference. Her light shines on — in her son’s eyes, in the lives she saved, and in every heart her story touches. 

“She loved life,” her parents said. “And she gave it, too.” 

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Did you know?

• 1 organ donor can save and heal more than 75 lives
• There are currently over 2,100 people waiting for a lifesaving transplant in Minnesota
• There are currently 65 children in Minnesota on the transplant waiting list
• 60% of those on the national waitlist represent multicultural communities (African Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic/Latinos are 3x more likely to need a kidney transplant in their lifetime).

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A little heart goes a long way...

$50 provides training and resources for one new LifeSource Ambassador. Ambassadors share information and their own stories of connection to inspire others to register as an organ donor

$75 provides Donor Family bags (resource kits) to 3 donor families at the time of their loved one’s donation. These bags include grief resources and impactful ways to share their loved one’s legacy through donation for themselves and with family and friends. 

$500 funds the inscription of 5 donor names on the Memorial Wall, honoring their legacy and the gift of life they shared.