US Transplant Games
Sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation and Novartis
Pittsburgh, PA
July 11-16, 2008
Team Michigan is hittin' the road and we're off to THE GAMES!!! The US Transplant Games is a true celebration of life and unites thousands of people
from all over the country, including those waiting for transplants, recipients, living and deceased organ donors and their families. The Games
promote health and fitness of its participants while showcasing the success of transplantation, highligting the tremendous need for more organ and
tissue donors and honoring donors and their families. To join Team Michigan, please contact Kathy Homan at: khoman@nkfm.org. For more information
on the Games, please go to: www.transplantgames.org
Check out a video of the highlights from the Transplant Games of Team Michigan!
Tell Us Now Campaign
Gift of Life Michigan and Secretary of State have been awarded a federal grant to promote the Michigan Organ Donor Registry at Secretary of State
branch offices. The grant is a two-year (Sept. 07-Aug. 09), $825,000 research project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Transplantation. We are partnering with Purdue University to evaluate the success of a targeted media and grassroots volunteer effort to
increase the rate of donor registrations at the branch offices, and results will be shared with other states that have a license-based registry
system.
Five counties have been chosen to participate in the study. They represent three different geographic regions and were chosen based upon their size,
percent of African-Americans, rate of signups on the registry, average reach of each Secretary of State branch office and media market. The five
counties listed below give us a reach of approximately 43% of Michigan's population and 80% of the African-American population. All counties selected
have a signup rate of less than 10% per month.
Intervention Counties:
Phase 1: March - June 2008
1. Kent County
Phase 2: June - Sept 2008
2. Saginaw County
3. Genesee County
Phase 3: Jan - April 2008
4. Wayne County
5. Oakland County
For the first time ever, we are able to create a media campaign in each of these regions to promote the Donor Registry, including radio PSAs,
billboards, posters, and television ads featuring stories of local volunteers, including donor families, recipients and waiting recipients. In
addition, we will be allowed to have volunteers in the branch offices for each region twice a week for two months. This will involve the setup and
staffing of information tables by Gift of Life Michigan trained volunteers, informing the public that they must tell the clerk that they would like to
sign up on the donor registry during their transaction.
We are looking for volunteers to help with this exciting new project. In fact, if you don't do anthing else during the year, we encourage you to be a
part of this new campaign by volunteering at one of the participating branch offices. Please contact us at: info@giftoflifemichigan.org and tell us
that you would like to join us for the TELL US NOW campaign today!!!!
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Above: Secretary of State branch clerks can sign you up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry today! Tell them now. |
Above: Stacey Hunt and John Gardner of the Devos Children's Hospital volunteering at the Grand Rapids SuperCenter Secretary of State branch office |
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| Above: James and Suzanne Kozloski, who also volunteer with the Michigan Community Blood Center, with Paul Charette, Office of Government Affairs, at the the Grand Rapids Downtown branch office. |
Above: Henry Gorkowski, liver recipient, volunteering at the Grand Rapids Northeast branch office. |
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| Above: Kim Zasa, Volunteer Coordinator, Oscar Anderson, Lion, Glenda & George Roby, whose daughter is waiting for a lung transplant, and Wendell Beuschel, Lion, volunteer at the Sparta branch offi |
Above: Pat Folkertsma, kidney recipient, and Amy Petrilich, whose daughter Kyle is a heart recipient, volunteer at the Wyoming branch office. |
SOS Volunteer Training Manual
Rose Planting to Honor Donors
The 8th annual rose planting was held on Friday, June 27th at Cadillac Mercy Hospital to honor donors and the gifts of life that they gave. Lung recipient, Bev Cherwinski, organized the event, featuring guest host, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Hospital representatives were present to accept the plaque for their contribution to the donation process.
You have the power to inspire others to consider the importance of donation and transplantation with your unique story about how organ and tissue donation has touched your life. You can help save lives in Michigan by encouraging others to sign up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry.
Our Success Depends on You!
Ten Things You Can Do to
Make a Difference in Donation
- Schedule at least two programs at your church, club, organization, etc. to present information about organ and tissue donation.
- Print an article about donation in a company newsletter or arrange to have your company place the Donor Registry brochure in everyone’s paycheck.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper supporting organ and tissue donation and encouraging others to sign up on the Donor Registry.
- Call your favorite TV station, radio, or newspaper and encourage them to write an article about donation/transplantation. Then briefly share your personal story.
- Arrange to have donor awareness materials distributed at community events and health clubs.
- Ask your friends if they are organ and tissue donors and encourage them to discuss it with friends/family.
- Contact your local high school to encourage transplant education.
- Add a donor awareness message or sticker to your written communication or advertising.
- Share your story with everyone and encourage them to sign up on the Gift of Life Organ, Tissue & Eye Donor Registry.
- Make a $1 or more contribution to the Michigan Organ and Tissue Donation Education Fund.
Click here to learn more.
When you give a presentation, please try to collect signed donor registry cards, to ensure prompt entry into our computerized database. Without a signed donor registry card on file, we will probably not know what a person's wish was in regards to donation. First Person Consent is only useful if we have a signed donor registry card. Please remind people that "Your Signature Could Save A Life".
TAG Presentation Forms - Fill yours out today!
In order to track the impact our efforts have on the public, Gift of Life Michigan tracks each presentation and program about organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
Each time you:
- Give a talk about donation
- Staff an information table at a health fair or any other event
- Watch a TV show which talks about donation
- Hear a radio program about donation
- See an article in a newspaper (cut out and mail into us with your TAG form)
- Witness any other public promotions of donation and transplantation in Michigan
Please fill out a TAG Presentation Form.
To download a form, right click on the link below and choose save target as, save the document to your desktop. Open the document (you must have Microsoft Word or Acrobat Reader) fill out for each program, and either print it out and mail it to the address below, or email to kzasa@giftoflifemichigan.org. You may also fax it to us at 734-973-3133, Attn: Public Education.
Tag Presentation Form
(PDF Format)
(Word Format)
Gift of Life
2203 Platt Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Attn: Public Education
Drawing held quarterly for returned TAG forms for a great prize. Be sure to get yours in today!!!
To order materials for an upcoming event, health fair or speech, please reference the second tab in the TAG Presentation Form, which is a Material Order Form. Please send this form back to Gift of Life (using any of the methods listed above), and allow 2-3 weeks for shipping and handling. There is no charge for the materials.
You are our eyes and ears in your local community, and we appreciate your help in tracking these programs! Thank You!
Volunteer Events
ALIVE' 08
Benefitting the Donate Life Coalition of Michigan, many gathered at the Detroit Science Center to celebrate the gifts of life, sight and mobility.
Thank you to all of the many great volunteers that made this night a great success!
For more info on the Donate Life Coalition of Michigan, please visit their website.
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Volunteers, Renee Morrow (kidney recipient), Marge Del Greco (liver recipient), and Sandy Burkett (liver
recipient) staff a Gift of Life donor designation station.) |
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Bill Gillespie (liver recipient), Ron Battiata (double lung recipient), Kathy Homan (National Kidney
Foundation), Karen Morey (Donate Life Coalition of Michigan), Nancy Battiata, and Marge Del Greco (liver recipient) at the Gala Dinner.) |
Geno Zayid Celebration of Life
Fundraising
Gala Dinner
Geno Zayid received not just one, but two
life-saving liver transplants due to the generosity
of others for the gift of life that they gave.
To celebrate his gratitude, he hosted a gala dinner to benefit the Henry Ford Hospital Transplant
Institute on November 16, 2007.
Geno was able to meet the parents of his
second liver donor, Wendy, just before the event.
What a great night!
