Honoring donor families by decorating UNOS holiday trees

Does it seem like time accelerated during November? I’m not sure if it’s because the hours of sunlight are decreasing or because all manner of holiday decorations have suddenly appeared. I recently contributed to the latter by joining staff and volunteers at the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) headquarters to decorate holiday trees in the lobby.

I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017. I faced an increasing sense of urgency during late 2020 and early 2021 as my IPF began progressing at a faster rate. I’ve always been able to have candid discussions with my care team. Imagine the solemn moment when we realized I wasn’t likely to see Christmas 2021 without a lifesaving transplant. I received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021.

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Why the UNOS trees are special

Several years ago, I was invited to participate in decorating the UNOS holiday trees. The three large trees are erected in front of large floor-to-ceiling windows adjacent to the pool at the beginning of the water feature that runs throughout the memorial.

These trees are unique, and decorating them is always an emotional experience. The ornaments and decorations are all donated by organ donor families, living donors, and donor recipients like me.

The first year I participated, a woman described a particular ornament to those of us decorating. She asked us to let her know if we found it. From the many storage bins full of ornaments, it was located and offered to her.

I could only watch as a mother hung an ornament memorializing her teenage child, who was an organ donor. I noticed others looking at specific ornaments. It was only then that I realized many of the volunteers were donor families.

Sam Kirton and Anne Paschke smile in front of the decorated holiday trees at UNOS. (Courtesy of Sam Kirton)

This year, as I entered the UNOS lobby, there was a buzz. Anne Paschke saw me from across the room and came over to greet me. I first met Anne on July 9, 2023. It had become my tradition to visit the UNOS National Donor Memorial on the day and time I received the call from Inova Fairfax Hospital telling me lungs were available.

On that Sunday morning in 2023, Anne, a media communications specialist at UNOS, met me along with a crew from the local CBS affiliate that was interviewing me about my journey. The reason I mention her here is that she walks the talk. For 24 years, she had answered media inquiries about organ donation and decided it was time for her to act. On Oct. 21, 2024, Anne donated her right kidney.

I represented the organ recipients. While I have written my donor family, I haven’t received a response to any of my letters. When I visit the memorial, I know my donor is represented among the names engraved on the wall. When I hang an ornament on the tree, I look at it, almost studying it. Could my donor’s family have donated it?

I feel a sense of love and serenity at the memorial and the holiday trees. Someone represented there gave me the gift of life, and I intend to continue to make every breath count.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.