Meagan O'Neill

Clint Burns, a program coordinator for organ and tissue donation at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland, has over 14 years of experience as a critical care nurse specializing in trauma and transplant. He received a liver transplant 20 years ago at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and has mentored transplant recipients at Johns Hopkins for the past 15 years. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in nursing.

How old were you when you had your transplant?

I was born with a rare liver condition called benign recurrent cholestasis. I was a Johns Hopkins patient for 25 years, and I had plasmapheresis once a week for four years from ages 19 to 25. At age 25, I received a liver transplant. The transplant was done on June 15, 1994. Dr. Burdick, Dr. Klein and Dr. Maley were my surgeons. In my current role, I work with some of the nurses who took care of me during that time.

How long were you on the waitlist after you were told you needed a transplant?

I knew I needed a transplant at age 17, but I was not put on the actual transplant list until I was 24. I was on the list for one year. I received a liver from a deceased donor. I had the pleasure of meeting my donor family 18 years after my transplant, and we keep in touch on a regular basis.

Was your transplant one of the reasons you went into nursing and work at Johns Hopkins?

I went to college four months after my transplant. My first job in nursing was in a medical surgical transplant unit at Johns Hopkins. It was the same unit in which I was a patient. It was a natural career progression and was where life seemed to take me. Receiving such an incredible gift was what motivated to me to become a nurse.

What does your role as the in-house coordinator for organ and tissue donation at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland entail?

As the in-house coordinator, I facilitate the organ and tissue donation processes. My primary responsibilities include education of staff, policy implementation and review, and support during active cases and after action reviews for donor cases. I manage donors and provide support to potential donor families, and I also develop the organ and tissue donor memorial wall and annual ceremony. I am also a member of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Organ Donor Council, support the pastoral care chaplain residents and help with community outreach by speaking at churches, schools and hospitals.

How does your transplant affect your daily life?

I’m married and have four children, all boys, including 15-month-old twins. I named my oldest son Jared Maley Burns after Dr. Maley, who was one of the surgeons who performed my transplant.

What is one thing you wish that everyone knew about organ donation?

My job is educating Johns Hopkins staff and the public on organ and tissue donation, and there are so many things I wish people know about donation. I don’t think people know that you are 100 times more likely to be in need of an organ than to ever be in the position of donating organs. We need to be there for each other as a community. Over 6,000 people a year die waiting on a lifesaving organ. Please take the time to educate yourself and your family on organ and tissue donation and designate yourself at www.donatelifemaryland.org or at the MVA. One person can save eight lives and help over 50 people with tissue donation.

To hear more about organ and tissue donation, please join Clint Burns, RN and Amy Morris, MHA, on Thursday, April 24 from 1-2 p.m. for a Facebook Chat: Understanding Transplantation and Organ and Tissue Donation. Submit your questions now, or join tomorrow at: https://www.facebook.com/Johns.Hopkins.Medicine/photos/a.136449859193.107051.35281659193/10152287167654194/?type=1&stream_ref=10