Building Bridges to Advocacy: Sophia Renner
The Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA) is a nonprofit organization that supports student-led organ donation advocacy on high school, college, and, more recently, graduate school campuses. SODA aims to eliminate boundaries discouraging people from participating in organ donation advocacy through mentorships, funding, supplies, networking connections, and how-to guides for new chapters. SODA’s founder, Sara Royf started its first chapter at Washington University in St. Louis in 2014. Since then, the organization has grown nationwide, from high schools like Whitko Career Academy to colleges like the University of Alabama.
With such a wide-reaching organization, it is necessary for there to be a liaison between students and the organization – this connection being none other than Sophia Renner, SODA’s Engagement Manager. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Renner now resides in New Orleans as a Public Health graduate from Tulane University’s Class of 2022.
When asked about her initial interest in organ donation advocacy, Renner attributed it to her major in Public Health. During her junior year of college, she also interned at the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Registry. “I served a similar role to what our student leaders at SODA do today,” she explained. “I would swab students and encourage them to join the Bone Marrow Registry, which is a little different than the general organ donation registry, but I think that’s where I got most of my work experience in the organ donation field prior to joining SODA.”
Despite the positive impacts of Organ Donation Advocacy, students may need more support to initiate advocacy efforts. “Deciding to start a SODA chapter or any kind of advocacy on campus is one of the first hurdles students might experience,” she describes. Due to this challenge, Renner shared that SODA chapters hold some of her favorite events – “Donuts and Donors” and “Pizza and Perspective” – to encourage themselves and their peers! During these events, each individual who registers receives donuts, and on select dates, the chapters present a movie or article while providing slices of pizza as they discuss. These yummy treats sound hard to resist!
Through the organization’s efforts, student leaders and members registered 1,155 people and educated 23,430 individuals last semester alone. As a result, they were able to combat misconceptions that people may have about organ donation. “When you register to be a donor at the DMV, that’s a separate donation registry, and there’s another form, which DonateLife America offers,” Renner said. According to her, the misconception that there is only one way to sign up as an organ donor is common, especially among participants in the Donuts and Donors events. Luckily, SODA works with Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs), experts on the subject. The student leaders get in contact with the OPOs whenever they have questions.
When it comes to starting organ donation advocacy, Renner advises jumping right in. “It can be scary to start something new, especially when you have peers around you, but the payoff is really great, and of course, lean on anyone who is there to support you.”
For more information, check out the SODA website: https://www.sodanational.org/