On Tuesday, I had the honor of speaking to a group of hospital executives and OPO professionals at a HRSA Organ Donation Summit in Chicago. I didn’t read it until I got home – but here is the little bio they put about me in the materials packet:
Steve Ferkau
Steve Ferkau is a double lung transplant recipient. He struggled with cystic fibrosis for nearly 40 years before receiving his gift on April 8, 2000. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Laura, for 20 years.
The Chicago Stock Exchange has employed Steve in a variety of positions for 30 years. He is currently the manager of trading floor operations for the Exchange.
Steve has generated a good deal of publicity for organ donation over the past several years participating in the “Hustle up the Hancock”; a 94 floor stair climb for the Respiratory Health Association. It has made his head swell considerably. The past four years, several of his donor’s friends and teammates travel long distances to climb with him on his team.
Steve volunteers regularly for Gift of Hope and Iowa Donor Network. In 2009, Gift of Hope gave him the ride of his lifetime, sending him to ride the Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade.
Kari, an incredibly thoughtful and beautiful 17-year-old girl from Algona who passed away on April 7, 2000, was Steve’s donor. He and his wife and Kari’s family are very fortunate to be in contact with one another. After a few years of email contact, Steve and Laura met Kari’s family in Algona in June 2003.
Steve has been a speaker at a number of events. He feels telling his story is a way of honoring Kari and her family, and keeping Kari’s spirit alive.
Steve had four “false alarms” before he received Kari’s lungs. He feels an incredible bond with all donor families since his transplant. His greatest desire is to help them understand how precious their gift was, and how it changes the life of their recipient and their recipient’s family. And, to show people considering donation how heroic donors are in the eyes of their recipients.
He revels in his “new” life, and Steve takes great pleasure in letting people who helped him get where he is now, know just what he feels about them.
I laughed out loud when I got to the third paragraph – so did Laura. It almost seems as if they consulted her when they came up with that line!
It truly was an honor speaking to this group – they lead the hospitals that take care of us. They are also the people who control policy, and lead their organizations in committing to organ donation… I’ve been in and out of hospitals all of my life and so many people have helped me over the years; doctors, nurses, staff, administrators… There have been so many of them I never got a chance to properly thank for what they’ve done for me. One of the reason I love these audiences is that I get to thank all of those people who helped me vicariously through my audience. And, I get to thank my audience on behalf of the many who may not have had the opportunity to thank them. I think I made my mark – I can usually feel that when I look out into my audience, and I felt it on Tuesday. I think I touched some hearts, and left them with a beautiful smile – Kari’s smile – burned into their memories…
After I spoke, the two ladies who invited me, Ginny & Helen, me pulled me aside. Out of nowhere, they pulled this:
Ginny handed it to me and said, “This is for you and Kari…” I’ve seen these before – it’s an HHS Medal of Honor. I’ve been present when they’ve awarded them to hospitals for making and exceeding goals in organ donation – I’ve been honored to help hand them to honorees. I know how special they are. I know that I teared up when they handed mine to me… Ginny telling me that it was for me and Kari just made it more emotional…
I hope they know how honored I feel to have received this, and how much it means to me… And I hope Ginny knows how much it meant to me when she told me, “This is for you and Kari…” She knows exactly why I do what I do…
