November 2011
Donate Life Illinois joins Donate Life America – the national organization representing the donation and transplant community – in celebrating a major milestone this month—100 million people in the United States, including 6 million in Illinois, have registered as organ, eye and tissue donors through state donor registries like the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry.
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Faith leaders and urge their congregations throughout Illinois and northwest Indiana observed and celebrated National Donor Sabbath over the November 11-13 weekend. Donation and transplantation professionals designate this special weekend each year—two weekends before Thanksgiving—to bring donation to the attention of faith leaders, healthcare professionals and the communities they serve. During this time, Donate Life Illinois seeks to educate these communities about the ongoing need for organ, tissue and eye donors and to encourage people to register as donors.
Read more here
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October 2011
Jill Zuleg, RN, a nurse at Edward Hospital and Health Services in Naperville, Ill., offers simple comforts to families of organ donors at Edward during the donation process. Her actions honor the legacy of her son Kyle, who gave life to five people as an organ donor.
Read the full story | More Events
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September 2011
Avid Bears fan Peter Cashman looks at the Bears’ rivalry with the Green Bay Packers in a much different light these days. That’s because a Packers fan saved his life. The 55-year-old Chicago resident would have died without the liver transplant he received in March 2010 from a Wisconsin woman. Cashman now encourages everyone to be a fan of donation.
Read the full story
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August 2011
August 1 marked the 15th anniversary of National Minority Donor Awareness Day, which calls public attention to the critical need for people of minority heritages to register as organ and tissue donors and share their decisions with their loved ones. Donate Life Illinois, Gift of Hope and the City of Chicago observed the day locally with a press conference and donation drive at Mount Sinai Hospital, which has a rich history of serving minority populations in Chicago.
Cook County Commissioner Robert Steele, a kidney transplant recipient, led the morning’s events at Mount Sinai. Other Gift of Hope representatives attending the events were Alison Smith, Vice President of Operations; Jack Lynch, Director of Community Affairs; and Raiza Mendoza, Hispanic Affairs Coordinator. Gift of Hope Ambassador Alejandro “Alex” Rodriguez also was on hand to share the donation story of his brother, professional boxer and Chicago native Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez. Paco died from injuries sustained in a title bout in 2009, and his family offered the gift of hope to others by donating his organs. That selfless act gave life to five people, two of whom were of minority heritage. Read more about Paco’s story here.
Currently, about 55 percent of the 111,000 people on the U.S. transplant waiting list people are from minority groups. Minorities also make up many of the people who receive organs but very few of those who donate. A main goal of National Minority Donor Awareness Day is to close that gap and to increase transplant success rates among people from multicultural communities.
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July 2011
The Kane County Cougars honored Dylan Richardson as a real-life “superhero” as part of its Superheroes Night event July 15 at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva. Dylan died at age 7 in a motor vehicle accident in 2007, and his parents made the decision to give hope and life to others by donating his heart, liver and kidneys, a selfless act that saved the lives of three people. “We find joy and solace knowing that Dylan lives on through the people whose lives he saved,” said Dan Richardson, Dylan’s father. “It makes us so proud of him. He’s our little superhero.” Dan, wife Lisa, sons Bryan and Nick, and 13 other members of the extended Richardson family attended the Cougars event. Gift of Hope thanks the Cougars organization for its generous support of Gift of Hope’s mission.
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June 2011
Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville recently dedicated its Legacy of Life Wall. The display recognizes organ donors who gave the gift of life during the past 10 years and will honor those who make the decision to donate in the future.
On hand for the dedication were Ann Errichetti, MD, President/CEO of Advocate Condell, Raeann Fuller, RN, Donation Committee Chair, and Fred Rajan, Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Services. Also on hand for the dedication ceremony were many donor families and friends of Condell.
Fuller proposed the idea of creating the Legacy of Life Wall. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognized her last fall as a "regional champion" for her efforts to facilitate organ donation and transplantation in 2010.
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May 2011
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| The five people who received Paco’s organs surround his wife Sonia and daughter Ginette. |
April 19 went down as a remarkable day for building national awareness of organ and tissuedonation and encouraging people to become donors thanks to several televised stories on donation. The Oprah Winfrey Show chronicled the story of Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and his daughter’s lifesaving heart transplant. The show featured the dramatic, emotional first meeting between the Tillmans and the family that chose to give the Tillmans hope and life through donation.
Meanwhile, ESPN and NBC Chicago both showcased the powerful impact that donation can have on people’s lives in feature segments on the tragic death of professional boxer and Chicago native Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez and his family’s decision to donate Paco’s organs and tissue.
View the Charles Tillman segment on Oprah here. View the Paco Rodriguez story on ESPN’s E:60 here and the NBC Chicago story here. A companion piece about Paco’s story is available on ESPNChicago.com, and you can find a two-part Spanish-language version of Paco’s story on ESPN Deportes. Part 1 is posted here, and Part 2 is posted here.
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The story of Melissa Simon, who received a lifesaving heart transplant in 2007 and now volunteers her time to promote organ and tissue donation for Gift of Hope and Donate Life Illinois, is featured in the June issue of Ladies Home Journal. The story tells the tale of Melissa’s battle with a life-threatening heart ailment and the generous donor and donor family who gave the gift of life to Melissa through donation.
Read the Ladies Home Journal story here or on Melissa’s Web site.
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February 2011
Centegra Unfurls Donate Life Flag-Raising Program
Northwest Herald
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December 2010
More Than Half of Hoosiers Sign Up to Be Organ Donors
Post-Tribune
Organ Donors Live On in Those They Save
Lake County Journal
A Rose Parade Float Marks Gift of Life
Chicago Tribune
Donor Awareness: Your Guide to the Greatest Gift
Chicago Tribune
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November 2010
'In-House Recovery' Aimed at Preserving Organs
Peoria Journal-Star
Transplant Program Caters to Hispanics
Lake County News-Sun
The Heart of a Fighter Lives On, Saves Lives
Chicago Sun-Times
Lost Life Revives Four Others
Chicago Tribune
Luciano: A Heart Too Big for Just One Person
Peoria Journal-Star
Make Your Decision. Save a Life.
KHQA-TV
Officials Stress Need for More Organ Donors
WGEM.com
Organ Donation Awareness Earns Community Healthcare System Award
Times of Northwest Indiana
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October 2010
Gift Of Hope Helps Algonquin Woman Find Solace
Daily Herald
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September 2010
Organ-recovery efforts could use local push
Springfield State Journal-Register
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August 2010
Illinois Family Proves Organ Donation Helps Life Go On
WSILTV.com
Jesse White Honors Woman for Organ Donation Efforts
Rockford Register Star
9-Year-Old Stays Active After 3 Transplants
Pantagraph.com
Little Progress on Illinois ER Organ Donor Law
Springfield State Journal-Register
Shelly’s Story
CBS4
Statement from Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. Howard Koh, Regarding National Minority Donor Awareness Day
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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July 2010
Boy’s Death May Help Save Lives of Many Other Children
NBC Chicago
Heart Recipient Competes in Games
Northwest Herald
Minorities Urged to be Organ, Tissue Donors
Rockford Register Star
Orland Father and Daughter Prepare to Dance at Transplant Games
Orland Park Prairie
Shrine Organ Donation Event a Success
Gazette Chicago
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June 2010
A Gift of Hope
El Conquistador
A Kidney For Ella
WGN TV
A Matter of Life and Death
El Conquistador
Four Chicagoland Residents Donate Kidneys to Strangers
WGN TV
Kidney Donors’ Gifts Stretch Beyond Suburbs
Daily Herald
Mother Finds Comfort in Organ Donor Program
The Times
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Friendly Rivals Unite to Give Life Through Donation