Transplantation Science Program Reaches Over 20,000 Students, Advancing Education on Donation
In its continued dedication to saving and healing lives through organ and tissue donation for transplantation, Donor Alliance today presented the prestigious 2024 Community of Excellence Award to Eaglecrest High School in Aurora and its dedicated teacher, Niki Kigerl. The award, given annually, honors an individual or organization in Colorado or Wyoming that excels in inspiring and educating others about the importance of organ and tissue donation. Last year, Kigerl stood out for her unwavering commitment to the cause, motivating countless students to learn about the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation, including the significance of the heart on a driver license. For more than a decade, Kigerl has impacted nearly 20,000 students through Donor Alliance’s Transplantation Science Program, which offers 6th through 12th graders an engaging, hands-on curriculum about the science behind organ and tissue donation.
“This is a remarkable achievement for Niki Kigerl, Cherry Creek Schools, and Donor Alliance,” said Jennifer Prinz, President and CEO of Donor Alliance. “It is through initiatives like this—educating young people about the profound, lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation—that we build public trust and inspire more people to check the box and register. With nearly 1,300 Coloradans currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant and tens of thousands more needing a tissue transplant, this kind of education is vital to saving and healing lives.”
Beyond teaching the science of organ and tissue donation, Kigerl connects her students to the mission on a deeply personal level—her son was born with a rare liver disease and will one day need a transplant. Through her work, she’s inspired countless young people to understand the life-saving power of donation and what it means to get the little heart on their driver license. One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal up to 75 more through tissue donation.
“If even one student or family member has had the education and made an informed decision regarding organ and tissue donation, I would be honored to be connected to their story,” said Kigerl. “I appreciate all Donor Alliance does for our Eaglecrest High School community. I’m honored they come out to speak to our freshmen about this important and heroic gift of life.”
“Niki Kigerl has been dedicated to the Eaglecrest community for three decades, this is evidence of the impact she’s had on a daily basis,” said Gwen Vigil-Hansen, Principal of Eaglecrest High School.
Donor Alliance’s Transplantation Science Program is a free curriculum that offers students across Colorado and most of Wyoming the chance to learn about the organ donation process, get the facts around organ and tissue donation, explore plastinated organs and tissues from the human body, gain an understanding of the organ allocation process, and much more.
Source: Donor Alliance
