OUR HISTORYFounded by Ellen Woodall in 1986 in Houston, Texas, the American Organ Transplant Association (AOTA) was fortunate to partner with Continental Airlines from 1988 to 2004 to provide free airline transportation to patients and donors in order to get them to their Transplant Centers for evaluation, surgery and aftercare. Greyhound Bus Lines has remained as a huge supporter of AOTA and the patients, families, and donors by providing free bus transportation all over the United States.
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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.
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.
With Ellen's passing in 1999, the board of directors and staff of AOTA began working 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 resources. In addition to transportation, we also provide a medication program and donor awareness.
We are purely a volunteer organization and 99.99% of all fundraising for AOTA goes directly toward patient support. We are a small organization based in Houston, Texas that has an outreach to transplant centers throughout the United States.
Many of the transplant facilities in the Texas Medical Center have been instrumental in supporting the ongoing efforts of AOTA.
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.
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.
With Ellen's passing in 1999, the board of directors and staff of AOTA began working 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 resources. In addition to transportation, we also provide a medication program and donor awareness.
We are purely a volunteer organization and 99.99% of all fundraising for AOTA goes directly toward patient support. We are a small organization based in Houston, Texas that has an outreach to transplant centers throughout the United States.
Many of the transplant facilities in the Texas Medical Center have been instrumental in supporting the ongoing efforts of AOTA.
OUR HONOREES
The American Organ Transplant Association (AOTA) has bestowed several awards to the following surgeons and to Continental Airlines who have made an extraordinary impact on the lives of transplant patients:
Dr. Barry Kahan
Chief of Organ Transplant Services
Memorial Hermann Hospital
AOTA Gift of Life Award, 2000
Dr. O. Howard (Bud) Frazier
Director Cardiovascular Surgical Research, Texas Heart Institute
Chief, Transplant Service,, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital
AOTA Gift to Mankind Award, 2001
Dr. George P. Noon
Professor of Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
AOTA Gift to Mankind Award, 2003
Dr. Denton Cooley
President & Surgeon-In-Chief, Founder of Texas Heart Institute
Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery
St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital
AOTA Gift to Mankind Award, 2004
Continental Airlines
AOTA Corporate Spirit Award, 2004
Dr. Barry Kahan
Chief of Organ Transplant Services
Memorial Hermann Hospital
AOTA Gift of Life Award, 2000
Dr. O. Howard (Bud) Frazier
Director Cardiovascular Surgical Research, Texas Heart Institute
Chief, Transplant Service,, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital
AOTA Gift to Mankind Award, 2001
Dr. George P. Noon
Professor of Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
AOTA Gift to Mankind Award, 2003
Dr. Denton Cooley
President & Surgeon-In-Chief, Founder of Texas Heart Institute
Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery
St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital
AOTA Gift to Mankind Award, 2004
Continental Airlines
AOTA Corporate Spirit Award, 2004
OUR PEOPLE
Executive Board
Pamela H. Terry, Speaker Coach
Powerful Women International Connections
Board President
Kenneth E. Klingensmith
Health Associates, Inc.
Immediate Past Board President
Medical Advisory Board
Michael E. Debakey, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
The Methodist Hospital System
Leslie Duncan, RN
Memorial Hermann Hospital System
James L. Gajewski, M.D.
The University of Texas
M.D. Anderson Cancer System
Barry Kahan M.D.
Memorial Hermann Hospital System
Penelope Loughead
Health Care Consultant
Keith Robinson, D.D.S.
Oscar Salvatierra, Jr., M.D.
Stanford University Medical Center
Sherrill Lanthier, RN
Corporate Advisory Board
Dick Bueltel
Sue Habib
Bryan Handley, CPA
Cynthia Martin
Sam Orrell
Trina Jones-Stanfield
Corporate Sponsor
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
Founder
Ellen Gordon Woodall*
Liver Recipient
Honorary Founder
The Honorable Claude Pepper*
Member of Congress
*Deceased
Pamela H. Terry, Speaker Coach
Powerful Women International Connections
Board President
Kenneth E. Klingensmith
Health Associates, Inc.
Immediate Past Board President
Medical Advisory Board
Michael E. Debakey, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
The Methodist Hospital System
Leslie Duncan, RN
Memorial Hermann Hospital System
James L. Gajewski, M.D.
The University of Texas
M.D. Anderson Cancer System
Barry Kahan M.D.
Memorial Hermann Hospital System
Penelope Loughead
Health Care Consultant
Keith Robinson, D.D.S.
Oscar Salvatierra, Jr., M.D.
Stanford University Medical Center
Sherrill Lanthier, RN
Corporate Advisory Board
Dick Bueltel
Sue Habib
Bryan Handley, CPA
Cynthia Martin
Sam Orrell
Trina Jones-Stanfield
Corporate Sponsor
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
Founder
Ellen Gordon Woodall*
Liver Recipient
Honorary Founder
The Honorable Claude Pepper*
Member of Congress
*Deceased
