Melinda DeVries
Melinda’s passion for donation and transplantation is born from her unique job at LifeSource partnering with funeral home directors and supporting the families of tissue donors.
“It’s so rewarding for me when I hear from funeral directors that the family wanted their loved one to be a donor. To hear them share that the family spoke about donation at their loved one’s visitation and service is really heartwarming,” shares Melinda.
One of the things Melinda is proud of is that the tissue recovered in the Upper Midwest is first offered to local hospitals and surgical centers for transplants. “That’s so important to the people in our communities – knowing that the person their loved one may be helping could be a neighbor or a friend.”
More recently, Melinda developed a personal connection to donation as her infant niece will someday need a kidney and heart valve transplant. “I think more people would register as donors if they got the facts about donation. At the end of the day it’s about supporting the family in the best way possible, and if more people knew the care with which we treat donors and their families they would make a decision today.”