APRIL IS DONATE LIFE MONTH
APRIL 19TH IS BLUEAND GREEN DAY
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ORGAN, EYE AND TISSUE DONATION BY WEARING BLUE AND GREEN.
I must admit that I don't have a lot of blue/green clothes, but I am going to give it a shot on the 19th. Anything to get the important message of organ donation out there.
Sometimes, I think, there are so many health and medical "causes" out there that are being promoted. Mostly all of them are very worthy causes, and their word needs to get out there. There are huge organizations that back up and support these causes both in the media and financially. Please don't misunderstand what I am trying to say.. I am thankful that these non profit agency's are getting the word out, promoting research, finding cures, fundraising, and making donations.. The medical field would still be in the dark ages if it weren't for these amazing people and organizations...
But since I am fairly new to this transplant journey by comparison, I am still learning. It seems to me that people are hopping less on the bandwagon to promote donation;and sometimes I wonder if it is because it appears less glamorous. I must say from living with and loving someone who is or was in need of a life saving transplant, it is an amazing, glamorous miracle to see them be filled with life again. And glamor can come in many forms, it is in the eye of the beholder... To me one of the most glamorous things I have seen after a person has been through transplant is the pink in their face, the smile on their family's face and just the plain simpleness of taking that first walk down the hospital hallway with out any extra medical attachments.. All because a selfless choice/decision was made on a card or drivers license application. Sometimes that decision has to be made by a family member, and that may not be an easy thing for them to have to do at such a sad time in their lives. Bless their hearts.
There are many amazing volunteers who are with the Donor Network of Arizona, The New Life Society, Lifeline of Ohio, and all of the other states Donate Life Organizations. They do an amazing job of educating people, supporting people, manning the booths at all of the "sign up to be a donor" drives. Just go to the events page of your local Donate Life Organization and look at their calendar of events. Almost everyday there are events all over the United States...Volunteers do this. There are not many news stories, National news coverage, or T.V.commercials out there. Maybe that will change soon.. But the need and the word is getting out there anyway...
There are local groups in each city that work hard to get the word out about donation. The Lung Transplant Support Organization,
is a non profit agency based here in the Phoenix Valley. They not only promote and support donation, they support the people in the valley who have had Lung Transplants. They do this is so may different ways, check out their website www.gotmask.org to learn more about them, what they do, and where they want to head. They have a fundraiser golf tournament on May 11, 2013 at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, AZ.
James Redford, Robert Redford's son promotes organ and tissue donation as well. He has an annual event ( I believe), Share the Beat and James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness based in California. His sites are www.sharethebeat.org
and www.jrifilms.org/. Both sites offer some good information. I guess I am just trying to do my small part to get the word out there.
As you may see, I am not putting alot of information here, but am posting links in hope that if you are reading this, you will check out these sites and do some research on your own. Please do what you can to learn and become informed, maybe even promote the need for organ donation, and living donation... (Yes, you can even be a live donor in some cases..) I am sure that as you do, you will come to realize that the people who have had organ, eye, and tissue transplants, are some of the most appreciative and greatful people you will ever come across. Each day is a gift thanks to the selfless decisions of donors and their families.
Like the Hallmark slogan says:
"LIFE IS A SPECIAL OCCASION"
Sometimes, I think, there are so many health and medical "causes" out there that are being promoted. Mostly all of them are very worthy causes, and their word needs to get out there. There are huge organizations that back up and support these causes both in the media and financially. Please don't misunderstand what I am trying to say.. I am thankful that these non profit agency's are getting the word out, promoting research, finding cures, fundraising, and making donations.. The medical field would still be in the dark ages if it weren't for these amazing people and organizations...
But since I am fairly new to this transplant journey by comparison, I am still learning. It seems to me that people are hopping less on the bandwagon to promote donation;and sometimes I wonder if it is because it appears less glamorous. I must say from living with and loving someone who is or was in need of a life saving transplant, it is an amazing, glamorous miracle to see them be filled with life again. And glamor can come in many forms, it is in the eye of the beholder... To me one of the most glamorous things I have seen after a person has been through transplant is the pink in their face, the smile on their family's face and just the plain simpleness of taking that first walk down the hospital hallway with out any extra medical attachments.. All because a selfless choice/decision was made on a card or drivers license application. Sometimes that decision has to be made by a family member, and that may not be an easy thing for them to have to do at such a sad time in their lives. Bless their hearts.
There are many amazing volunteers who are with the Donor Network of Arizona, The New Life Society, Lifeline of Ohio, and all of the other states Donate Life Organizations. They do an amazing job of educating people, supporting people, manning the booths at all of the "sign up to be a donor" drives. Just go to the events page of your local Donate Life Organization and look at their calendar of events. Almost everyday there are events all over the United States...Volunteers do this. There are not many news stories, National news coverage, or T.V.commercials out there. Maybe that will change soon.. But the need and the word is getting out there anyway...
There are local groups in each city that work hard to get the word out about donation. The Lung Transplant Support Organization,
is a non profit agency based here in the Phoenix Valley. They not only promote and support donation, they support the people in the valley who have had Lung Transplants. They do this is so may different ways, check out their website www.gotmask.org to learn more about them, what they do, and where they want to head. They have a fundraiser golf tournament on May 11, 2013 at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, AZ.
James Redford, Robert Redford's son promotes organ and tissue donation as well. He has an annual event ( I believe), Share the Beat and James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness based in California. His sites are www.sharethebeat.org
and www.jrifilms.org/. Both sites offer some good information. I guess I am just trying to do my small part to get the word out there.
As you may see, I am not putting alot of information here, but am posting links in hope that if you are reading this, you will check out these sites and do some research on your own. Please do what you can to learn and become informed, maybe even promote the need for organ donation, and living donation... (Yes, you can even be a live donor in some cases..) I am sure that as you do, you will come to realize that the people who have had organ, eye, and tissue transplants, are some of the most appreciative and greatful people you will ever come across. Each day is a gift thanks to the selfless decisions of donors and their families.
Like the Hallmark slogan says:
"LIFE IS A SPECIAL OCCASION"
