1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
"The Heart of the Matter," reporter Carolyne Park (now Carolyne Krupa) and photojournalist Staton Briedenthal.
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Aug. 8-10, 2010
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This series provides an intimate portrait of the family of infant Christopher Schroeder, who was born with a number of heart defects that made a heart transplant his only chance for survival. The reporter and photojournalist followed the family for more than six months, including the anxious months waiting for an organ donor and afterward. They witnessed the transplant surgery and chronicled the many highs and lows of the baby_s long recovery. The series included several other stories to educate readers about different aspects of organ donation, associated laws and procedures.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
This series required extensive research into the laws and policies surrounding organ donation. The reporter examined federal and state laws governing organ donation and consent requirements, as well as rules and standard procedures set forth by the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and state organ recovery agencies on prioritization of transplant recipients, who qualifies to be a donor and how families of potential donors are approached. The reporter made public records requests at the federal and state levels to view these documents and access statistics on organ donation and transplant success rates. She also used Internet resources and medical texts to research the complexities of Christopher Schroeder's treatment and diagnoses before the transplant and complications that developed during his recovery.
5. Explain types of human sources used.
The reporter routinely met with the Schroeder family both at Arkansas Children's Hospital and their temporary home in Little Rock, Ark., and interviewed physicians and other medical professionals involved in the baby's care. She also interviewed organ donation experts at the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency and Donate Life America. For sidebar stories detailing the different aspects of the donation process, she met with and interviewed transplant recipients, family members of organ donors and those responsible for coordinating transplants.
6. Results (if any).
Christopher Schroeder received a successful heart transplant, but as detailed in the series, numerous complications developed during his recovery, including kidney failure. He is currently on dialysis back home with his family in Oregon and is expected to get a kidney transplant when he is old enough, likely in a couple of years.
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
There has been no correction or clarification to this series. It was commended for its accuracy by both the family and the physicians involved.
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
One of the hardest things about doing a series such as this is finding a family willing to let you follow them through a very personal and emotionally trying time, especially since you never know going in whether the story will end in triumph or tragedy. After more than a year of looking, the reporter found the Schroeder family. They were open to the idea because the father is a journalist and understood the value of telling such a story, whether his son survived or not. Even so, it was necessary to approach the situation with sensitivity and maintain clear communication throughout the project. The reporter and photojournalist communicated regularly with the family to make clear to them the intent and direction of the series, and update them on progress. The goal in a series such as this is to tell the family_s story, not the reporter's interpretation of their story. A professional journalist knows that a family allowing such close access to their personal lives and trials should be treated with respect and not taken for granted or misled for the selfish aim of getting a "good story."