Susan Cochran has worked for Gift of Hope for 17 years, requesting for donation in hospitals for 11 years, and now as an Aftercare Specialist for Donor Families. Susan also manages an Interfaith Council for Gift of Hope, comprised of many faith leaders representing multiple world religions. The Council advises Gift of Hope on Interfaith issues including donation authorization, outreach and aftercare. Susan began her career as a broadcast journalist; she then went to seminary, received a Masters in Religion and functioned as a full-time ordained minister for five years, before she joined Gift of Hope in 2003.
Approaching Religion & Donation with Cultural Humility
Tuesday, November 10, 2020, at 2:00pm
While Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) do their best to promote awareness about the religious aspects of organ donation, often declaring that all major religions are supportive, such statements are only partly true. Admittedly, there’s a level of uncertainty that exists within the donation community with respect to certain cultural practices. Nonetheless, OPO professionals are responsible for supporting grieving families in making an informed decision about donation while, in some cases, educating them on their own religious beliefs – often a recipe for disaster. During this webinar, we will explore the complexities of some religious traditions and the general understanding of donation while providing more fruitful strategies for staff to leverage during approaches.