Revive Hope's focus is to revive hope by creating inspiration. This blog will have postings of inspiring stories about individuals directly affected by organ and tissue donation, provide information about organ and tissue donation, and inspire those who view the site to give hope through compassion!
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Basic human kindness in the most extreme degree...
Posted on November 12, 2009 by Steve Ferkau
I follow a number of blogs and other sites revolving around organ donation, lung transplant and whatnot… One of the blogs I follow is written by a girl up in Canada named Bree… It’s titled The Blog Blog – subtitled, When life hands you an illness… Spread it. I’ve been following it for quite a while – I love reading her thoughts, and her wit and sarcasm… There were so many times I understood how she might have been struggling or suffering – but she had me doubled over laughing with some of the thoughts and antics she wrote about…
After a long wait, and watching her celebrate people around her getting their lungs, she got her lungs in August. Reading her journey through recovery has been a lot of fun – and more than anything, I always smile when I see how often she circles back and brings up the person who saved her life – her donor…
Tonight also saw me utilizing these beautiful creatures called lungs. I took the dogs for a walk with both parents and me and Madyson ran a few times. RAN. I've already run, but still, 3 months ago i was still out of it from surgery. Running was not the first thing on my mind. I'm pretty sure nothing was on my mind but the pain i was in and how much i wanted food. And it was as Maddy and I were running that I had this thought: here I am, breathing with someone else's lungs. Unlike a liver or a kidney, where you can't feel them as they work, with lungs, you can. You can consciously make the effort to inflate and deflate them. I can inhale as deeply as i want, and hold it, and hold it, and hold it, all on my own will. But these aren't mine realy: i wasn't born with them. They were entrusted to me b/c my donor was awesome and had the compassion to save others lives in the event of their untimely death.
Again, 'thank-you' fails to encompass how this really is for me. You can't thank someone for that. You just can't. I ran tonight people, and I walked 100 stairs and then some. You cannot wrap that in a box and place in under a tree or anything. It is basic human kindness in the most extreme degree. It may seem simple but it was the most beautiful thing I could think of, on one of the most beautiful days of November.
I have nothing to add, other than I know how she feels…
I’m picking this up from Scott over at I am. Are you? Yesterday he posted about a commercial for Donate Life Illinois featuring Chicago Bear’s cornerback, Charles Tillman. His precious little Bear cub – his daughter Tiana – at three months was diagnosed with cardiomyopaty in May of 2008. In August, 2008, she received a new heart…
Charles has since become a vocal advocate for organ donation… Here is the commercial they produced:
Go tell someone... University of Iowa Heart Lung Picnic
Posted on October 29, 2009 by Steve Ferkau
A few weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking at the annual heart/lung transplant picnic at University of Iowa. A coordinator nurse there had heard me speak at a learning session for Iowa Donor Network, and asked me if I would consider coming out to Iowa City to speak at their picnic… The audience was mostly heart or lung recipients, some of their medical staff, and someone from Iowa Donor Network. For the chance to have my lungs closer to home – the chance to be around a lot of people like me – and the chance to be around people who help deliver these gifts to us – I couldn’t possibly pass up an offer like that!!!
We took Laura’s Mom out with us. She’s one of my loyal readers… (Hi Mom!!!) She had mentioned to me that she wanted to hear me speak someday… It seemed like a perfect opportunity to get her out of Illinois for a weekend, and let her see me at a place where I would likely be a little more emotional than I would normally be…
It wasn’t my usual audience – I’m more accustomed to speaking before donor family members, or medical and OPO professionals, or sometimes regular people who need to know about organ donation… The people at this picnic were people who shared my life experience – some have had a much more difficult journey than mine – some have more amazing stories than mine and Kari’s…
At first it felt kinda odd… I love telling donor families about the amazing gifts they give us, and how we cherish their loved ones, and them… And I love thanking medical and OPO folks for doing what they do to deliver these gifts to us, and for working to keep us on the right side of the grass… Part of me didn’t know what business I had telling my story before so many people who have lived similar stories – so I decided that I would tell them about Kari and her family and friends, and then I would suggest that one of the things we need to do, as recipients, is to share our stories… I’ve used some of this before – but this is what I said about sharing our stories:
We’re given this incredible gift freely. Often times, a family dealing with incredible grief – steps back from that pain for a moment and chooses to help others… They choose to help us. There are no strings attached – they ask for nothing in return… But we might owe them something…
And we’re surrounded by medical staffs who have faith in us, and take a chance that we are good transplant candidates – and people from Iowa Donor Network, whose goal in life is to connect gifts from donors and donor families with people who need those gifts… All of them want little more than to give us a better quality of life, and help us survive… We might owe them something too…
I think we owe them a fight – I think we can help pay what we owe by taking care of ourselves to the best of our abilities… We owe them vigilance in taking care of the gifts they gave us, or the gift they helped deliver to us – we owe it to them to do what we can to protect those gifts, because those gifts are as fragile and precious as they were the day they were given to us…
A lot of our routines seem kind of demanding – our daily medical monitoring – all of our medications – the continuous follow-up with our docs and clinics… And so many of the medications and procedures come with bothersome and sometimes devastating side effects… But for the vast majority of us, we’re so much better off than we were before transplant and while we waited…
We can never pay these families back for the gift they gave us, nor can we pay back those who helped deliver those gifts to us, or those who help us keep them – but we can try to pay it forward…
Organ donation is so much more than simply saving a life. It’s about love and about caring for people… it’s about realizing just how truly good people can be in this world. I began by mentioning the amazing stories throughout this room – I think for those waiting – for those wanting to walk in our shoes – I think it’s important for us to share those stories…
We’re here, and we’re alive and with our families and friends – we’ve already made a difference in the lives of others because of a gift – Go tell someone…
It doesn’t have to be a group – it doesn’t have to be dozens or thousands of people… You don’t have to conquer any fears. Tell one person – tell a friend, a neighbor, or a co-worker – tell the bagger at the grocery store, or the barista at the coffee shop. If you tell one person, that’s one more who knows – Go tell someone…
It drives my princess a little nuts, but if I’m not in my work clothes, I’m wearing Iowa clothing – sometimes Panthers, sometimes Cyclones, but most often Hawkeye clothes… Whenever someone asks, or pumps a fist and shouts “Go Hawks!” – Laura just backs away because she knows I’m going in… It happens often – the pictures in my wallet come out and they learn about Kari – more often than not, I leave them with tears and a smile, and a pledge that they are or will be an organ donor…
Just imagine – it’s easy to imagine telling someone your story and convincing another person that organ donation is a good thing.
And, it’s easy to imagine that person going home and telling their family, “I’d like to do that – I’d like my organs to save lives when I pass away…”
If you can imagine that, can you also imagine a devastating moment when a family honors their loved one’s decision?...
...Someone’s heart is beating steadily for the first time in a decade… Someone – perhaps two people, are breathing better than they have in years – maybe in forever! Someone is seeing the face of a spouse who has only been a distant memory – or the face of a grandchild for the first time ever! Two people are no longer tied to the torture of dialysis – and maybe one of them is no longer diabetic. Someone is waking from a coma with a new liver, and hugging a family who thought they might never be hugged again. Go tell someone…
I learned a few years ago that one of Kari’s teachers was a kidney recipient… That understanding may have planted the seed in Kari’s beautiful mind that organ donation was a good thing – or, at least reinforced that idea… I’ll never know if that made her vocal about her feelings about organ donation – I’ll never know if that saved my life. But, it’s a nice thought, ain’t it? Go tell someone…
Looking around that room I saw lung recipients from a few months to a few years out… There were heart recipients many years from transplant – I see the same when I look around in our support group at our hospital…
I also see people waiting… People waiting for the gift we’ve received and wondering when and if they are going to get that call… I do what I do to tell people about Kari – but I also do what I do for those people waiting, in the hopes that someone I might influence someday might give a gift that someone else needs…
Share your story… Share your feelings about organ donation… Go tell someone.
Laura and I are heading out to University of Iowa this coming weekend… I was invited to speak at their Heart/Lung Transplant Picnic! Some of the staff there heard me speak at a few Iowa Donor Network functions and asked if I’d be interested in hauling my fanny out there. Duhhhh… Not only are my lungs closer to home – but I get to buy more IOWA apparel… (I know Laura is soooo happy…)
Beyond being around a bunch of other heart and lung recipients, as well as some people waiting for these gifts, there will be some medical staff there, and one or two people from Iowa Donor Network who I just adore… And University of Iowa takes care of Kari’s heart too. Kari’s heart recipient, Sandy, may be there – but it’s actually a longer drive for her than it is for me!!! I’ve met her before – she’s a wonderful person – and if she can’t make it, I get to be around the people who take care of her heart. I’m very much looking forward to heading out there!
I also signed up for my 8th Hustle up the Hancock… “Regular” registration is not until 8:00am on Monday, November 2nd. I sign up early and pledge to raise $1,000 so that I can have my team created on registration day. Here is what my Hustle webpage reads:
This will be my 8th trip up the John Hancock Center for the RHAMC with my team named Kari’s Klimbers. I’ve had amazing teams, and by the end of this climb my teams will have raised over $200,000.00 to help people breathe. I’ve had incredible climbers, and support from so many generous people.
The reason I can climb 94 floors is in the picture I’m holding. In March 2000, in Iowa, when Kari was 17-years-old, she told her family how strongly she felt about organ donation. Twice. A month later, she passed away and her family honored her wishes.
I was in Chicago. My lungs were failing and I was dying after struggling for 40 years with cystic fibrosis. This beautiful girl from Iowa came into my life in April, 2000. I breathe with Kari’s lungs. She is on my mind and in my heart always.
Among my amazing climbers, for the past five years, several of Kari’s friends and volleyball teammates have come out from Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois to climb with me – in memory of their friend, and to honor the gifts she gave, and the person she was. Can you imagine what I feel like when I’m around them?
This will be my 10th year with her beautiful lungs. I do this to honor Kari and her family – and to honor the precious friends who surrounded her and loved her, and who she loved. I do this in hopes that others will recognize how important being an organ donor truly is, and will decide to someday become someone’s hero, like Kari is mine. And I do this to honor anyone who struggles with lung disease, like I did, in hopes they can someday feel like I feel.
If you have a couple of bucks to pledge me, or someone on my teams – it’s greatly appreciated! But more than anything, I want you to know about the girl who saved my life. And like her, please think about organ donation – sign your registry, and tell your family how you feel. I know a beautiful girl from Iowa who knew how she felt and she told her family. I think about her every single day.
If you’re interested in a $120 tour of 94 floors of all of the stairwells leading to the top of the fourth tallest building in Chicago on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 (with the money going towards a very good cause…), there will be instructions on how to sign up on my www.ClimbingForKari.org website. Sign-up is November 2nd at 8:00am, and it sells out in 30 minutes or less. (p.s. we’re going to the top of the tallest on November 15th… There's still room on my team there too!
I've written about Tim and Sam last year in a post titled Samantha… From time to time, I have the honor of participating in presentations about organ donation with Tim. Scott and his posse over at Donate Life Illinois have produced another incredible video - this will give you a little idea of what it's like presenting with Tim:
She was an amazing girl, and they are a truly beautiful family... I don't have anything else to say. I hope it leaves you speechless too.
For a higher quality image, you can go directly to YouTube to watch Samantha's story…
This past weekend I had the joy of returning to my home state of Indiana and visiting DePauw University, my alma matter. Attending college there is one of the treasured pieces of my past and while on campuse, the nostalgia was intense. A few fellow sorority sisters came to hear me talk, as I was the guest speaker for the sorority's philanthropy which raises funds for the American Heart Association. Ironically enough, the last time I was suppose to be back at DePauw was to celebrate the graduation of my youngest sister in law. I never made it to her graduation that day in May. Instead, I was rushed to the hospital with a cardiac tamponade and listed for my transplant. It was about four weeks after my heart valve surgery. I woke up feeling flu like and not well and just told Dave, "I can't go to Greencastle today. I feel awful." But I wanted nothing more than for Dave go. To be normal and get away for one day...to celebrate with his sister this life milestone for her. He went and my mom came to be by my side from that day until the day Chloe saved me. Now over two years later, her gift alowed me returned to that treasured place in a tiny town called Greencastle, Indiana.
The sorority girls played vidoes of photos of them at various college events and we laughed, remembering how we did the exact same things. Dance parties in our dining hall, sorority recruitment and cheers and chants. It was all so fresh in my mind that day. Chloe and her legacy were strong. Her gift brought me back. It's hard to get the words out when talking to her and talking about my wonderful in-laws who also attended. I did it though...part of my talk is below:
Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of roughly 450,000 women per year, compared to 260,000 lives taken from all forms of cancer combined.
A study conducted by the AHA claims that only 13% of women in the US perceive heart disease as a major threat to their health. I hope my story and other awareness efforts by the AHA change this perception.
If you never knew it, you wouldn’t believe my medical past. I could do anything anyone else could do and had only very few restrictions place on me. I was told to just live life and that this is how it was going to be for me.
Later, I was prepped for surgery to repair a leaky valve in my heart, with the hope that repairing the valve would improve my hearts function. It had dropped from functioning at 30% to a low 15%. Then, I heard the words that there was 30% chance that if the surgery didn’t work, I would need a transplant.
Naturally, every time I give a talk, people ask about Chloe. So I will enlighten you a little bit by reading some of the comments her friends posted to a fan page on Facebook:
"she had a beautiful voice for anyone who's gone to a chorus concert....it was lovely" "chloe definitely stood out from everyone else. i loved her spontaneity and liveliness. and ill miss her running around our house with my sister at 3 am." "chloe im so proud of you. we all miss you at high school and in my opinion its not it would be so much better with you." "she literally spread happiness around :)" "i went and visited you a few weeks ago. i gave you a flower along with the other billions of adorned flowers already there. i really miss you and i love you. really."
Thank you Chloe for all of these things and for letting me return to my past.
I’ve been meaning to post about this for a while – about few little works of art made for me by someone very special to me…
I posted about the Tri-for-life team here and here and here. They lost their youngest brother, Chase, six years ago. The first time I met them, I also met their dad, Buck – he’s on the far left in the picture above… Buck is a big man – but I think he also has a heart ten times too big for his body. It’s not a medical condition… It’s filled with extra helpings of pain, but also with strength and compassion, and love… He misses his son, but he also sees the gifts that Chase gave – and through that, the gifts that others gave. He and his boys will help others understand how precious and important those gifts are and, when they have the opportunity, that giving these gifts should be the natural option…
A short while after we met, I got an email from Buck asking for a high quality digital image of my favorite picture of Kari. I told him I have two favorites – either one I love – and they were scans of wallet-size prints, but they were decent scans… I told him he could use whichever one was better for his purpose… This was one of the pictures I sent him…
I knew that Buck was into woodworking and other crafts – I didn’t know what he planned on doing, but I figured it might be something neat… A few weeks later, he sent me a link to his website and explained what he was doing. He explained that he would be turning them into “lithopanes”… And that he would make one of each photo I sent…
I saw examples on his website – and they looked beautiful… Suddenly, I was in a dilemma – I knew that if Buck made lithopanes of Kari, I would need to offer one or both of them to Kari’s Mom & Dad. Not because they would expect it – but because I couldn’t possibly hold onto a gift like this without offering it to her family… So, in my tiny mind I was already planning to send them both to Kari’s Mom & Dad and telling them to pick their favorite, and send the other back – or, if they wanted, they could keep both of them…
Buck knew how I’d operate… When I opened the package from him, there were two sets of each – with a note that one set was for Kari’s Mom & Dad… Buck included a beautiful letter to Kari’s Mom & Dad, telling them about Chase, and that he watched me breathe into Kari’s lungs and that he could tell my heart screams Kari’s name with every beat… When I saw the two sets of lithopanes, I cried… His boys told me that Buck knew what he was doing – that Buck knew that I would send them to her family if I only got one set…
Kari’s lithopanes are in a window in our living room that gets the most light, and it’s where I do all of my medical checks when I wake up every morning – I see them every morning – I see the light shining through them and I think of her and her family, and I think of Chase and Buck and their family too… The lithopane picture above is lit from the front and shows the relief etching. The picture to the left is what it looks like when lit from behind. They can be hung in a window, like mine – or framed in a light-box.
One of them played a part in my little video below. At around the 1:29 mark, you can see me holding Kari’s lithopane – then raising it to the sun:
The pictures – even the video – do not do these lithopanes justice… You need to hold them, and touch them – and hold them up to the sun… I take them with me, from time to time, when I’m out and about speaking or doing something for organ donation – I love handing my lithopane to someone and see them look at the relief image. Then I tell them to hold it up to the light… You need to see their eyes when they first see the image – it’s magical… To see the rough, relief image turn into a photographic image in sunlight, or bright light can be breathtaking. Maybe, I also see the love that went into making them…
In his retirement, Buck has taking this up as an avocation – because he loves it, and it’s meaningful to him… He has a website where he sells his woodworking plans, finished works and lithopanes at www.familytraditionwwp.com. You can link directly to his site offering lithopanes here… These are beautiful, little works of art whether created of someone you love, or in memory of someone you love. I think he prices them very reasonably – information on ordering lithopanes and contact information are available on his website… Don’t hesitate to contact him (or me) for any other information! I know where he lives... I can pass on any questions.
This is Buck's youngest boy, Chase. I have to believe that Chase is up there looking down, proud of his Dad. I mentioned above, Buck has a heart far bigger than his body needs – which is probably a good thing, because a little of that heart goes into each lithopane he creates…
I’m sorry, I’ve been slacking off lately – I haven’t felt like my perky self and it may be side effects, or long term effects of some of the medications. My lungs are still amazing, and they always will be – and I still think about the girl who gave them to me constantly. I can still leap tall buildings. But some other things are a little slower, mentally and physically. The doc says something about being 50 years old. I’m not buying it – that’s not for 7 months. Anyhoo…
A few weeks ago, at the Chicago Triathlon, I got to hang with a group of guys and chicks who I think totally rock… And I got to spend some time with Ted & Bethany, who also totally rock… I’ve spent time with them before – I wrote about them before in posts titled, “Swim, Bike, Run, Chase…” and “Buck & Nancy’s boys, Chase’s brothers…” Each time I hang with them, I meet someone new, and being with them re-confirms how special they are…
They are the Tri-for-Life triathlon team, and they do what they do to honor their brother, Chase, and to spread the word about organ and tissue donation. Six years ago, Chase passed away. They tell me donating Chase’s organs was a no-brainer – he’d let them know how he felt… But more than that, he was always all about helping others.
They brought their Mom, Nancy, and Aunt Bonnie along with them… While their boys were getting ready for the event, one of the things their Mom & Aunt Bonnie wanted to do was check out “The Ledge” on the Sears Tower (Willis Tower – whatever…) Ironically, I’ve been wanting to check that out myself for months and I had two free tickets from one of our past climbs there! I took this picture of them on the ledge… And though I tried to grab the tab – they bought me breakfast afterwards… And they told me more stories about Chase – about who he was, and how he treated others…
When I hear any of them talking about Chase, I think about Kari too. I know they weren’t always the angels that some of us make them out to be – I know they were not perfect. But I also know that they were truly good people. They were surrounded by incredible love, and many, many friends. His family knows some of Chase’s recipients – they are very close to his heart recipient, Terry. I’ve met Kari’s family – I know how special they are, and I’ve met and adore many of her friends – and I’ve met the beautiful lady who has her heart. The gifts any of us receive are driven by a love for other people, and an appreciation of life, and by goodness and kindness.
This is Brandon – when he showed us his swim cap, I know I started to well up… He told Laura that from the moment he got up, he did not want to do this swim – he told her that the minute he saw us, his feelings changed and he wanted do it… He said that with all we’ve been though with my illness and waiting for lungs, this swim and this event was nothing in comparison – I see it from a different angle – I see all they’ve been through, yet they’re still fighting for people like me…
During the event, I only got pictures of them getting ready to swim. I’d like to tell you that my camera broke, or I ran out of batteries after the swim, but the group shots afterwards would kinda blow that explanation. And I didn’t even get a picture of Cindy because every time someone hollered, “There’s Cindy!!!” I only saw the back of her head running away… (Don’t even try to associate any meaning with that…)
Bethany – she’s Ted’s squeeze – she’s not part of the Tri-for-Life team… I’ll say she’s representing the My Angel Foundation and Revive Hope contingent…
Dave
Trevor
Lon
Brandon
This is me with Cindy – I just met her at this event, but I know I’ll see her again! Cindy is a perfect match for this team… We had a couple of wonderful talks about how she got into running. She decided she needed a cause and took up the Ronald McDonald house for a while because of a friend who was helped by the organization… Then she met Lon, Trevor and Brandon. She volunteered and helped them out for a while. Soon, they invited her to be a team member. Cindy has her own blog at RunnerGirlBlog.com It’s easy to see her passion for promoting organ donation – this is what she wrote about joining their team:
As many of you know I recently became a member of a pretty fantastic team. We tri….we don’t just tri for the competition, we don’t just tri for the camaraderie. We tri because as a team we are coming together to further a beautiful and amazing cause. We tri for a purpose. We tri because 6 years ago a family lost their son and brother, and six years ago those brave family members made a decision to not allow Chase’s legacy to end there. The Coleman family donated Chase’s organs and as a result lives were saved. Though extremely tragic, unspeakable, surely an experience that words cannot accurately explain a single family saved many more. So we tri….we tri to honor Chase, to bring awareness, to offer opportunities. I am proud to be part of a team that believes in something bigger. We are more then just athletes trying to win a race or break a personal record when we are out there. We are a team, a very close team of individuals believing that collectively, we can and will make a difference.
She’s right – they can and will make a difference… Just like Chase & Kari did…
This year, I had the most amazing New Year’s that I’ve had in my life. I got to ride the Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade carrying Kari’s picture. On New Year's Day, 2010, Anne Gulotta will have that experience carrying Jay’s picture. I’m sure that, over the next few months I’ll be posting about her upcoming journey – and I’ll be posting about her ride.
One of the more meaningful parts of the Donate Life Float, for me, was the Family Circle Garden. It was started by a beautiful lady named Laurie Wolowic, who lost her brother and he became an organ donor. I love this picture of her, in the middle, waving, as her garden went by… She continues to be the force behind this beautiful remembrance. At the end of December, last year, Laura and I were able to place a handful of roses dedicated to people very special to us. Here is a little video about the roses I placed last year:
This year, Annie will be placing my roses – and certainly roses for many other friends along with the rose she places for Jay.
Each rose is placed in a vial that carries a unique, personal message of love, hope and remembrance. You too can place a rose to honor a donor, donor family, recipients or others touched by organ donation.
For individuals, there are five packages ranging from as little as $25. All packages include a rose with the name of your loved one or honoree and an optional dedication of up to 200 characters. (Yes, I had a lot of trouble with that limitation!) The rose will be placed on the float in the Family Circle Garden. Your rose – dedicated to someone you love – will be on a float seen by a million people in Pasadena, and tens of millions on TV on New Year’s Day… Ain’t that a cool thought?
Subsequent packages are priced between $50 and $250 and include a variety of things such as certificates, replicas of your dedication on the rose vial placed in the Family Circle Garden, pin sets and parade souvenir programs.
You can learn about the Family Circle Garden here…
At around 4:30am on New Year’s Day, 2010, Anne Gulotta will be hanging around in a hotel lobby with about 30 other people waiting for a bus… It will be the culmination of a week of meeting amazing people, attending galas and dinners, placing roses in a garden for special people, decorating a float, and so much more…
I met Annie five years ago… We were both calendar girls on the 2005 Gift of Hope calendar – I was Miss February because of the Hustle. She was Miss March… Annie lost her husband, Jay, in 2002 and Jay became a donor. It means so much to me to be around donor family members, and it means so much to me to try to help them understand the gifts they gave. After Annie and I shared our stories with one another – we decided that we would make a good speaking duo… We’ve done a lot of presentations together. I’m always so proud and honored to be speaking with her…
Beyond speaking – Annie has leapt tall buildings with me a number of times!!! And I got to celebrate with her after she met Jay’s kidney recipient, Julie. And later, I got to meet Julie and her husband too. I’ve posted here about Annie and Jay a few times, including last May.
She’s mentioned a few times that she wanted to be in the parade someday – ironically, I never really thought about it myself. I was asked to represent Gift of Hope last year. I quickly understood why she wanted to go… On Monday, Scott over at “I am. Are you?” announced that Annie will be representing Gift of Hope. I’m so tickled that she gets to ride the Donate Life Float this coming New Year’s!!!
I hope her experience is as wonderful as mine was last New Year’s Day, 2009, when I got to ride the float… I know it will be – I’ve already met so many of the people who organize this. They make magic happen. It was one of the most memorable times in my life – last December and January I had twenty Revive Hope posts describing some of the things that happened!
The theme of this year’s Donate Life Float is New Life Rises… The meaning is obvious to so many of us involved in organ donation… When people say “yes” to organ, eye and tissue donation, New Life Rises, giving hope and healing to those in need of life-saving transplants…
*From a bed of nurturing flames, the majestic phoenix rises anew, its tail feathers adorned with 40 floragraphs – portraits created with floral materials – depicting loved ones who gave life to those in need. The bird soars high above 24 float riders – all transplant recipients, living donors, and family members of deceased donors – seated along a monument inspired by the National Donor Memorial’s Wall of Names. A garden inspired by the memorial’s Wall of Tears leads the float with 2,000 dedicated roses, each carrying a personal message of love, gratitude and hope to a donor, recipient or candidate for transplant.
New life rose from Jay and Kari and Chloe and Chase and Dylan and Sam and Will and so many people we’ve talked about here… Annie is going to find out how special it can be to honor them, and all donors and recipients, in such a meaningful way.
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