How to Donate
Empowering Brain Cancer Research through Tissue Donation
Simple Two-Step Process
For the family, once a decision has been made to donate, only two things are required. The first is written consent for the child to become a tissue donor, and the second is a single phone call to a tissue navigator at the time of a child’s death to initiate the process.
Written Consent
Written Consent
A Single Phone Call
If you would like to speak with a family that has donated their child’s tissue you can reach out to one of our family companions. Information is available on our Family Companion Page.
Your Questions Answered
Who do I contact?
Calling 1-844-456-GIFT or emailing info@GiftfromaChild.org will place a family in contact with a Gift from a Child tissue navigator. The tissue navigator will answer the family’s questions about donating and can help the family facilitate the donation.
What is a tissue navigator?
Tissue navigators are trained to companion families through the donation process. They will answer your questions and should you choose to donate your child’s tissue they will coordinate all aspects of the donation. If you have to leave a message, a navigator will return your call within 24 hours.
Where will my child’s tissue be sent?
To any lab(s) your family chooses. Additionally, Gift from a Child seeks to direct families to researchers who have the interest and expertise to work with autopsy tissue and the desire to share the data widely across the research community. There are five Centers of Excellence GFAC has partnered with.
What is the Children’s Brain Tumor Network?
CBTN is currently the planet’s largest pediatric brain tumor database, including tissue and genomic data. It offers open-access, freely available data to researchers around the world. CBTN is made up of eighteen children’s hospital throughout the world. Learn More About the CBTN
What are the Centers of Excellence?
They consist of five labs affiliated with the CBTN. Tissue Navigators from each of the labs work together to facilitate donations throughout the country. Each of these labs has the expertise to process a whole brain donation as well as develop cell lines and mouse models from the tissue. A portion of autopsy tissue donated to any of these labs will be stored at CBTN’s biorepository in Philadelphia.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
CBTN Operations Site and Center of Excellence
Children’s National
Lurie Children’s Hospital
Stanford University Medical Center
NY Presbyterian / Weill Cornell
Orlando Health | Arnold Palmer Hospital for Kids
Gift from a Child
Is a Swifty Foundation Program
Swifty is a recipient of the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency
