In an age that people are talking about the power of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, blogs and so on, here is an example of a positive outcome. The story is based locally in the Minneapolis/St Paul Area and out of the City Pages, a local newspaper. It is about how Chris Strouth used Twitter to get the word out that he needed a kidney and what the response was. It has been on a couple of different venues television and print but this one is a pretty good summary, find the link to the article here.

Check it out and tell us what you think.

John

Here is the story about a boy named Jack and his mom. Through the tragedy of Jack’s death lives were changed. A little girl that received his heart valve and his mom, Jennifer who had been given a mission.

Jack and Jennifer Van Hecke photo taken from the Monticello Times article

Check it out here at the Monticello Times community paper

Not sure what to talk about when you arrive at the Thanksgiving gathering this weekend? Worried that there might be too much silence in between the passing of turkey and the mashed potatoes? Don’t want to talk about the financial woes of the country or start the old political discussion of red versus blue or green or whatever color you are represented by?

Have the conversation about organ and tissue donation. It can’t be worse than all of those other conversations and you might actually change someone’s mind. Up to 60 people can have their lives saved through organ and tissue donation. 8 of the people sitting around the table could be saved by organ donation alone, not to mention over 50 people whose lives would be changed by being a tissue recipient.

Yeah, you might get the initial gross factor reaction but press through, people’s lives are at stake as they wait for donation. If you need some background information or want to have the stats to back up what you are saying you can check out our websites:

We do have many things that we can be thankful for and one of them is that each person can save someone else’s life by registering to be an organ and tissue donor.

John

Let’s go, North Dakota!

Coverage of yesterday’s press conference has been fantastic and we are so thrilled that the life-saving message of donation has been shared throughout the state.  Loren Kersting’s challenge to the state of North Dakota to become “number one in saving lives” is a goal I know its citizens are ready to embrace.  Wouldn’t it be great if we were to host another news conference in January to share that we have exceeded our own expectations in registering North Dakotans as donors?

Check out the links to news coverage below and forward to your family and friends.  Encourage them to make a decision about donation and to document it online at www.donor.nd.gov. 

NBC  - “Organ Donor Registry”

CBS  – “Organ and Tissue Donor Registry”

Bismarck Tribune  – “Organ donation registry up and running”

Jamestown Sun – “N.D. launches online organ registry”

Earlier today the North Dakota Department of Transportation launched a new online registry for organ and tissue donors.  The new site can be found at www.donor.nd.gov and expands opportunities for North Dakotans to register their decision to be a donor.

Yay!

Historically, North Dakotans had to make this designation on their driver’s license or state identification card. The launch of the new registry provides an additional opportunity for individuals 14 years of age and older to securely and privately document their decision to be a donor from any computer with internet access.

The new registry is in memory of Alexa Kersting, a 14 year-old girl from West Fargo who died while waiting for a lung transplant in 2004. The goal of the registry is to make it easier for all North Dakotans to save lives through organ and tissue donation so that other families don’t have to endure the loss of a loved one due to a lack of available organs for transplant.

North Dakota has one of the highest donor registration rates in the country, with 64% of licensed drivers choosing to give the gift of life through donation. At the press conference announcing the launch Alexa’s parents, Monica and Loren Kersting, challenged the state to reach 85% and 100% participation in donation in the coming months.

We are so proud to partner with the state of North Dakota and all of our community partners who made this happen.  More to follow tomorrow, including pictures and links to news coverage.

Here’s an article I want to share with you from today’s Brainerd Dispatch - it’s titled “As a donor, Fred keeps on living.”  It’s a great story about a young man named Fred Powers who had too short a life and had made the generous decision to be an organ and tissue donor.  I encourage you to read the story in it’s entirety.

What I want to point out, however, is a short excerpt from the middle of the article:

A LifeSource representative approached Bonnie and Randy, asking if they’d be willing to donate Fred’s organs. Randy remembered several years earlier that Fred had asked his dad if he was an organ donor. Randy told his son that he was, and Fred seemed interested in doing the same. But nothing else was spoken between them on the issue and his parents weren’t sure if Fred had gone through and had “donor” listed on his driver’s license.

Randy sent one of Fred’s friends to the parking lot to retrieve Fred’s wallet from Randy’s truck. They were relieved when they turned Fred’s license over and it read “donor.”

“It took a huge pressure off of us,” said Randy.

It’s worth repeating Randy’s words – “It took a huge pressure off of us.”  This is the power of making a lifetime decision about donation. 

Please take a moment to get the facts about donation and make a decision, then let your family know.  Encourage them to do the same.  Nothing in the world can make the tragedy of losing a loved one easier, nor can donation take the sting away from the grief-filled months and years ahead.  Randy’s words reflect the relief, the comfort and the knowledge that they were supporting what Fred wanted.

As with life sometimes a detail or two slips through the care taken to get everything correct. This one is fairly important there is a discrepancy between the dates listed on the rvsp and invitation for the Fall Donor Family Gathering. The correct day for the event is Saturday, Nov 21st. Below is the information from the invitation sent out.

LifeSource invites your family to join us in remembering those who have given the Gift of Life. Special guest speaker, Ted Bowman, Grief Educator, will be talking about the stories we have to tell stories of loss and stories of hope. We invite you to remember your loved one during our candle-lighting ceremony, commemorative photo presentation and sharing session.

A tribute table will be provided for families to display pictures or special keepsake items during the event. The LifeSource Donor Family Quilt will also be present. For information on making a quilt square, please visit www.life-source.org.

We hope this day offers your family the opportunity to reflect on your loved one’s life, celebrate the gifts they gave, and gather with others who have traveled a similar path.

Dates & Locations

Saturday, November 21st • Chaska, MN

AM Program • Registration 9:00 a.m. • Program begins 9:30 a.m.

PM Program • Registration 1:00 p.m. • Program begins 1:30 p.m.

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum • 3675 Arboretum Drive • 952-443-1411

(Please inform parking attendant that you are

attending the LifeSource program)

Light refreshments will be served.

contact

Jill Halimi or John LeMay • LifeSource Family Services Coordinators

651-603-7800 or 1-888-536-6283 • familyservices@life-source.org

Funny woman Wanda Sykes shared with the audience during her HBO special last weekend that she thinks everyone should be an organ donor.  We agree, Wanda! 

Take a look at this video posted by our friends at Donate Life California and get ready to laugh.

TJ Hedeen was a 36 year old man who lived in Farmington, MN with his wife and two children.  After years waiting for a liver transplant, TJ got the call in April of 2008 that he thought would save his life.  But the wait for his transplant had decimated his health.  He died during transplant surgery on April 15, 2008.

This past Sunday, TJ’s family and friends ran the Twin Cities Marathon and 10 Mile Race to remember him and to encourage others to register to donate. In the words of TJ’s Cousin, John Hagebock, who organized the team:

TJ’s runners reached the finish line with great times and lots of positive energy. This event had a purpose – our primary goal was to help people become organ donors and help share the gift of life. Through our actions we can bring this cause to the surface and create a positive environment full of hope. This year our 5 runners carried TJ’s name with DonateLifeMN.org on their race day jersey. These small efforts generate the energy and momentum that will lead to greater things.

Thank you TJ’s runners for your life-affirming run!

Many of us at LifeSource just got back from a conference in Dallas, Texas focused on learning and sharing ideas to increase the number of people who give the gift of life through donation and transplantation.  We were thrilled to be joined by more than a dozen hospital and transplant center partners who are on this journey with us.

And then there was a surprise.

A donor mom from Minnesota was there to share her story, along with the woman who receive the gift of her son’s heart just two months ago.  They told their story in front of nearly 1,000 people yesterday morning, concluding to a well-deserved standing ovation not just for their stories but for having the courage to share them with all of us.

Just 15 hours earlier they had met in person for the first time.  The CBS station from Dallas was there to get it on tape, and shared it with WCCO in the Twin Cities.  Here is there incredible story:

Click to watch “Woman Receives Heart from Soldier Killed in War“