FROM BMT Newsletter November 1993
What do you do when you need to raise $100,000 for a bone marrow transplant, but have no fundraising experience? Some BMT patients have turned to groups such as the Organ Transplant Fund in Memphis TN or the Children's Organ Transplant Association in Bloomington IN for help.
The Organ Transplant Fund (OTF) was founded in 1983 to raise funds for organ transplant recipients. Since its inception, the group has orchestrated more than 500 successful fundraising campaigns, including 100 for bone marrow transplant patients. On average, $200,000 is raised per patient, says national director Suzanne Norman.
Initially, a staff person from Organ Transplant Fund meets with the family to identify a fundraising chairperson, and to set up a committee of local volunteers. "We then meet with the volunteers, help them develop a fundraising plan, and show them how to tap into resources in their community quickly and effectively. We provide them with a fundraising packet and ideas for events, as well as access to low-cost products they might want to sell to raise funds such as cookbooks, candy bars, etc."
Funds raised through OTF are used solely to pay transplant-related expenses. OTF controls the funds and administers payments directly to the health care provider. In the event of death, funds remain in the patient's account for up to one year to pay transplant-related bills. Thereafter, the funds are transferred to a general account that provides emergency grants and support services for future patients.
"Since contributions to the Organ Transplant Fund are tax-deductible, working with us expands the universe of potential contributors," says Norman. "Large corporations, for example, will simply not make a contribution to an individual but they will contribute to a tax-exempt organization."
Fundraising guidance is not the only help Organ Transplant Fund provides. "We offer our families a multitude of support services such as arranging for lodging and transportation to the transplant center, identifying BMT centers that do transplants for their particular disease, negotiating a reduced down payment at the BMT center so the transplant can begin quickly, etc." says Norman.
Organ Transplant Fund retains 5 percent of the funds raised to cover administrative costs. "Many patients have told us that our support services, alone, are worth the price," says Norman.
The Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA) also provides fundraising assistance to organ transplant patients, both children and adults. Founded in 1985, the group has conducted more than 150 fundraising campaigns on behalf of organ transplant patients, approximately half of which have been for bone marrow transplant patients, according to COTA executive director David Cain.
"The amount of money raised varies according to the number of volunteers working on the fundraising campaign and the size of the community" says Cain. "Typically, $75,000-$100,000 can be raised in a period of 60-90 days."
Like OTF, COTA asks families to identify a network of volunteers who will orchestrate fundraising activities in the community. "We provide them with a fundraising kit, ideas for events, and help with publicity," says Cain. "Depending on the amount of money to be raised, COTA staff may meet with the family or simply provide guidance over the phone."
All contributions are deposited in a tax-exempt COTA fund and are used strictly to pay medical expenses. "It's important that the public have confidence that their contributions will be used only for necessary medical expenses," says Cain. "Having the funds controlled directly by COTA rather than the family provides that assurance."
COTA's administrative expenses are covered by the interest earned on the accounts into which funds raised for patients are deposited. All funds are invested in government securities, says Cain.
"Our goal is not only to raise funds for transplant patients, but to get the community educated and involved in the process," says Cain. "Our emphasis is on having friends and neighbors help each other."
To contact the Organ Transplant Fund, phone 800-489-FUND. To contact the Children's Organ Transplant Association, phone 800-366-2682. Life-Core (Oregon), 503-385-9125, also provides fundraising assistance.
Editor’s note: See the most current list of fundraising organizations on the Resource Directory at www.bmtnews.org.