AOTA - American Organ Transplant Association helps organ transplant recipients immediately prior to organ transplant surgery and after organ transplantation

The American Organ Transplant Association (AOTA) helps transplant patients obtain and sustain transplantation

AOTA - Organ Transplant Donations and Financial Assistance for Organ Transplant Patients

History

Founded by Ellen Woodall in 1986 in Houston, Texas, the American Organ Transplant Association (AOTA) has been fortunate to partner with Continental Airlines since 1988 to provide free airline transportation to patients and donors in order to get them to their Transplant Centers for evaluation, surgery and aftercare. In addition, Greyhound Bus Lines also support AOTA and the patients, families, and donors it helps by providing free bus transportation.

When Ellen Gordon Woodall learned that she had terminal liver disease in 1983 and no insurance, she raised $150,000 for her transplant operation in 1985. Following her successful transplant surgery, Ellen vowed to help others who needed a transplant.

Ellen formed AOTA so that it could be a voice for patients requiring a transplant, thereby making it easier for patients to overcome the financial and emotional barriers of transplantation that she had faced.

Under Ellen's leadership, the second focus of patient support was the creation of trust funds for the patients' fundraising for surgery and the tremendous cost of aftercare expenses. Ancillary support has included obtaining discounts for lodging for the patients and family members, providing transplant information and referral sources, and giving updates on legislation involving transplantation and insurance policy coverage.

Ellen also wrote a booklet,Life After Transplantation, which discusses the side effects of transplantation, to help patients cope with the psychological and health issues of aftercare.

For 9 years, Ellen successfully organized the Texas Transplant Games, an Olympic style event where transplant patients show the world that they can live a normal, healthy life after surgery.

Ellen became an advocate to lawmakers, insurance companies, hospitals and other institutions to better address the financial struggles that patients face.

Alas, Ellen passed on in 1999 when she did not survive the need for a second transplant. The board of directors and staff of AOTA have worked continually since then to keep Ellen's legacy vibrant so that patients continue to benefit.

AOTA continues to help transplant centers, patients and their families with their transportation and fundraising needs. Specifically, our programs include patient campaigns, patient fund raising assistance, a medication program and donor awareness.

In 2002, AOTA moved its offices and contracted with an experienced health care consultant, Cynthia Freeman, as our new Program Director, who oversees AOTA's strategic direction. With the assistance and support of the AOTA Board, Cynthia transitioned the organization by outsourcing the day-to-day operations to a new administrative team at GlobalMedRx and outsourced the financial record keeping to a professional bookkeeper.

This new structure allows AOTA to operate more cost-effectively and provide more health care expertise and resources as AOTA expands its level of support to the transplant community.