The Advancement of Tissue Procurement in Illinois
Tissue donation has allowed thousands of patients to preserve the limbs that at one time would have been lost in a life-changing amputation. Illinois' organ and tissue procurement organization, Gift of Hope, is one of the largest donor networks in the nation, supplying tissue for bone graphs and other orthopaedic applications for more than 20 years. Dr. Steven Gitelis, orthopaedic oncologist at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, has been instrumental in the development and success of the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network since its inception in 1986.
Dr. Steven Gitelis joined the Orthopaedic Department of Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center, now Rush University Medical Center, in 1980. He quickly became aware of the need for a hospital-based bone bank. With the help of world-renowned physician Dr. Jorge Galante, Dr. Gitelis obtained a freezer and began to procure, process, and use the tissue needed for surgeries within the orthopaedic department.
After the establishment of federally mandated organ procurement organizations (OPO) in 1986, Dr. Gitelis teamed up with Jerry Anderson, founder of Regional Organ Bank of Illinois (ROBI). Dr. Gitelis became Medical Director and the small hospital-based tissue bank transitioned into a regional based, not-for-profit tissue and organ donation network. During the initial years of operation, ROBI sent all tissue procured in Illinois to be processed in multiple facilities throughout the nation.
By 1994, the need for a single-site processing center had become a necessity. Allosource, a Colorado based processing organization, was established to meet the need of several OPO's across the nation. Today, Allosource has grown to become one of the largest not-for-profit tissue processing sites in the nation, while Gift of Hope, formerly ROBI, has become one of the largest sources of donors to Allosource. Additionally, Allosource is the largest processor of living cartilage in the U.S., providing cartilage for use in sub-specialties including sports medicine and joint preservation. The physicians of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, who perform many advanced cartilage restoration procedures annually, are among the largest users of cartilage processed by Allosource.
Dr. Gitelis remains the Medical Director of Gift of Hope as well as serving on the advisory board of Allosource. As Medical Director of Gift of Hope, Dr. Gitelis ensures safe operations of organ and tissue procurement. He reviews more than 1,000 donors annually to screen for diseases, as well as bacterial contaminations. Dr. Gitelis also serves on the board of trustees and is chair of the quality committee, a six member sub-committee of the board of trustees. The committee works to ensure that Gift of Hope continues to supply the safest and highest quality tissue and organ donations possible. "The expansion of Gift of Hope into the network it is today has far exceeded my expectations. I'm honored to have been a part of the development of an organization that has helped improve the lives of so many," said Dr. Steven Gitelis.
In addition to tissue donations for patient surgeries, Gift of Hope also provides tissue for the advancement of clinical research. Gift of Hope has put the support of research at the forefront of their mission, providing ligaments, bone tissue, and cartilage to institutions throughout Illinois. Among the largest users of tissue for research is Rush University Medical Center. Orthopaedic sub-specialties including sports medicine, oncology, joint reconstruction and preservation have all found benefit in the tissues supplied by Gift of Hope. Their advanced research has allowed them to provide the patients of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush with the highest quality and most innovative care in the nation.
For more information about the Gift of Hope, please visit www.giftofhope.org.
