The C-E-O of the Iowa Donor Network on Monday became the first chief of such a group in the U.S. to become a live organ donor. Suzanne Conrad, of Swisher, donated a kidney to Tom Jorgensen, of Ames, a longtime volunteer for the organization. Paul Sodders, spokesman for the Iowa Donor Network, says Mayo Clinic doctors performed the surgery at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. Sodders says everything went well. He talked to Conrad this morning who felt good and had even gotten a congratulatory call from Governor Vilsack. Sodders says Jorgensen’s family says he’s doing well too and the kidney started to work right away after it was transplanted. Sodders says Conrad has been a tireless transplantation advocate. Conrad has worked in the field for 21 years, starting as a floor nurse for transplant patients at a Connecticut hospital. Jorgensen is a long-time volunteer, board member and he also received a liver 15 years ago at the Mayo Clinic. The non-profit Iowa Donor Network is the primary contact for organ, tissue and eye donation services for the state of Iowa. For more information, surf to “www.IowaDonorRegistry.org” or call 800-831-4131.
