As 2025 winds down, so does HonorBridge’s year-long celebration of its 40th anniversary. While 40 years might not sound like much in the grand scheme of things, in the world of organ and tissue donation, four decades of saving and healing lives is something truly special.
“Transplantation is still a relatively new part of medicine,” says HonorBridge President & CEO Danielle Bumarch. “So, reaching 40 years is an incredibly important milestone. In our history, I think of Lloyd Jordan, our previous CEO, as the founder. To be only the second one in that long history speaks to the stability and longevity we’ve been fortunate to have over the years.”
Danielle knows that history well because she’s lived much of it. She joined what is now HonorBridge back in 1999, when it was still a small, hospital-based organ procurement organization (OPO). Since then, she’s watched both the organization and the field of transplantation evolve in remarkable ways and credits much of HonorBridge’s success to the people who’ve worked alongside her.
“I feel like the chief officers and I grew up together,” says Danielle, smiling. “We saw each other’s kids grow up. Many of us started in frontline roles, and we’re still here. I think donation and transplantation draws a certain kind of person who can roll through many changes and advancements. Working with them for all these years feels like nothing short of a privilege.”
Danielle says one of the most significant changes during her career has been the increase in DCD (Donation after Circulatory Death) donors and the adoption of first-person authorization through the “Heart Prevails” law, passed in 2007.
“In the early 2000s, DCD wasn’t widely practiced, and only a handful of organ procurement organizations were doing it,” she says. “Interestingly, DCD was how donation started, before brain death became the standard. Now, DCD represents about 50% of what we do, which is a big difference. And, of course, now there’s first-person authorization. When I first started, a heart on your license was just an intent. Now, it’s legally binding and carries weight.”
While HonorBridge has plenty of successful years under its belt, 2025 has definitely been one for the books. In the spring, we were named a Best Employer in North Carolina for the fifth consecutive year, celebrated Danielle’s recognition as a 2025 Outstanding Woman in Business, and marked the passage of Senate Bill 600, an HonorBridge-backed initiative that will allow North Carolinians to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors when filing their state income taxes starting in 2028.
By mid-year, HonorBridge had already made a remarkable impact in organ and tissue donation coordination. In the first half of 2025 alone, the organization recovered 1,724 tissues from 886 donors, putting it on track to exceed its previous record by more than 200 recoveries. The fall brought even more milestones, including the unveiling of new faces and stories on the Honor Wall at the Chapel Hill facility and the organization’s first-ever participation in the Raleigh Christmas Parade.
Building on a remarkable year, Danielle says that as HonorBridge enters 2026, she is most excited about the organization’s growth and looks forward to meeting future challenges with “innovative, out-of-the-box” thinking.
“I’ve had to say to myself, ‘we are not that old organization anymore!’ We’ve got to stop acting and feeling like we still have less than 100 employees. Growth has caused an evolution of fresh ideas as we expand, and I think what the future holds is kind of limitless. I’m very proud of our Chapel Hill facility; it was such a long time coming and such a one-in-a-career kind of achievement. It’s wonderful having such a flagship place to work and draw talent. We’re very lucky with our close partnerships here, because of the academic institutions and how they bring technology and innovation to patient care. I think it’s really exciting!”
Beyond the milestones, Danielle says the impact of her work continues to feel very personal.
“I have a lot of reverence for our donor parents, because in so many instances they immediately say, ‘if I can prevent another parent from experiencing a loss, I will.’ To see that kind of humanity to a stranger, that’s probably one of the biggest gifts in this field for me. Especially in times when we see a lot of social conflict. This job has also taught me not to take life for granted and to make sure that people know how important they are to you. Do not hold grudges. Life is too short.”
As HonorBridge continues to serve its neighbors, Danielle wants the community to know that we all just want to do the “next right thing” for every family and every recipient.
“I would love to be able to build a world where everyone is open and chooses donation,” she says. “Until then, we will continue breaking through barriers, especially in multicultural communities. I believe success comes from making sure people have the right information and fostering trust. There’s still a lot of work to do given the current landscape, but what we can control is sharing accurate information and having respectful, meaningful interactions with everyone we come into contact with.”