Ascension Sacred Heart Bay nurse advocates for organ donation after loss

When Victoria Martin talks to grieving families about organ donation, she speaks from the heart.

As an Ascension Sacred Heart Bay Emergency Department nurse who fulfilled her brother’s wish to donate his organs after he passed away from respiratory failure, Victoria understands the impact organ donation can make. 

“My brother DJ said that was willing to give his life for his country serving as a Marine, and he wouldn’t second guess doing it for organ donation,” Victoria said.

DJ was hit by a drunk driver in 1995 when driving with his friends to see the snow in the mountains. After the accident, Victoria and her parents dedicated 28 years providing around-the-clock care, which strengthened their sibling bond. 

“He was very much mentally there and his sense of humor stayed there till the end,” she said. “He absolutely loved music! Even on days when DJ couldn't get his voice out he would still be lip-synching the words. He had a wide range of music knowledge and sang any and every song on a movie, from the radio and every TV commercial break.”

Victoria is an advocate for organ donation at Bay and uses her experience to support families who feel lost after the death of a loved one. 

 “I can relate to grieving families because it’s similar to what we went through,” she said. “Most families ask ‘What do I do?’ You don’t realize the what-ifs that run through people's minds.”

In addition to her advocacy in the ED, she actively participates in community outreach, sits on state committees and helps promote awareness. Like the time she created a Star Wars Theme decorating content during Donate Life Month.

“I dedicated the contest to my brother, who was born on May 4,” she said. “It's a way for me to continue to honor him.”

Victoria hopes to encourage families about the lasting impact organ donation can have. “I know that his kidney went to a 56-year-old woman, Lions Institute used his eyes and I believe one of his lungs was also donated,” she said.

She remembers the care and compassion she received from fellow associates during the process.

“They surrounded me with love and care and I think that just inspires me to provide that same for anyone that comes in here,” she said. “It means so much to me that he was able to make that choice and that we were able to fulfill his wish in the end.”

DJ’s spirit now endures in every life Victoria’s advocacy touches. For more information on Ascension Sacred Heart Bay’s Emergency Department services, please click here.