When my phone rang last week, I recognized the number and answered, “Hey Marco.  How are you?” 

“I’m great,” he responded. 

Sounds like a pretty normal conversation, but there was a lot more in Marco’s answer than just a casual response.  Marco had received a kidney transplant just two weeks earlier and that answer meant the kidney was working, he was recovering from his surgery, and he didn’t have to go to dialysis that morning.  He spent over three years waiting for a kidney, so I can only begin to imagine what this means to him. 

Marco’s kidney came from a very incredible man named Scott.  I’ve heard Scott described as a generous man who is always quietly helping others.  Scott didn’t know Marco, but he did know the need for kidney donation was great, so he made a phone call to Intermountain Donor Services several months ago to inquire about Good Samaritan Kidney Donation.  His decision to donate gave Marco a whole new chance at life.

Marco was interviewed on Fox 13 news this morning about life after transplant.  Scott wanted to be there, but the travel distance and early morning hour made it infeasible.   His daughter has set a goal to double the number of Good Samaritan Kidney Donors this year, so he will be telling people about living kidney donation and the young man he freed from dialysis.

To learn more, log on to www.yesutah.org.

Are you creative? Do you like making videos?  Then you might be just who we are looking for!

April is National Donate Life Month and we need your help publicizing the need for organ, eye, and tissue donation. Almost 400 people in Utah, and 106,000 nationwide, are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

We are looking for fun, creative, factual videos about donation to help publicize the need for more registered organ donors and we decided to have a CONTEST! We are looking for videos that: 

• Are two minutes long, or less
• Include factual information about donation/transplantation
• Have a message encouraging people to be donors
• Direct people to www.yesutah.org and www.yesidaho.org to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor

Check out our example video, “Knock out the Myths,” but we want you to use your own creativity.  Come up with something that wows us and blows away the competition!

 To be considered, videos must be submitted to info@yesutah.org in avi or wmv format by Thursday, April 1, 8:00 a.m., MST.  Complete details can be found at on the Yes! Utah website. 

The video that receives the most views during the month of April wins a cash prize of $150, the second most views $100, and third place, $50. 

Facts about organ, eye, and tissue donation can be found at www.yesutah.org. You may enter more than one video, but only one prize per person will be awarded.  

Help us celebrate National Donate Life Month and make a difference!   

Pass this information on to your friends.  You do not need to be a Utah resident to enter.

This blog post was written by the mother of a young liver recipient.

My little LuLu (aka London ) received the gift of life for a second time on January 15th 2010.  Unknown to us, London was born with a genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.  It is a disease that causes scarring to the liver and lungs.  We knew by the time she was 7 months old she would need a liver transplant by, if not before, her 2nd birthday.  It turned out to be much sooner rather than later.
 
The race was on to find a liver, through LIVING Donation Screening, as there is a major lack of organs available vs. NEED to allocate through the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS).  Children and adults die waiting for their much needed organ to be gifted to them.  London was listed on UNOS but we proactively starting the screening with myself (Mum), to no avail.  I was not a good match for my baby.  I wanted to fix her, to make her suffering stop, to save her life–but I was told I wouldn’t be able to.
 
Her Daddy was next but his liver was too big for her wee 11 month old body.  LuLu’s Aunt Cydnee volunteered but her liver wasn’t right for LuLu either.  Simultaneously LuLu’s Uncle Jordan was being tested as well…. London became very critical in December of 2009 and her status on the UNOS list went to top priority.  We were all praying for a Christmas miracle.  It didn’t happen on Christmas Day like Doctors hoped for her, but weeks later the miracle came.  It was like a second birth for her. 
 
Out of a tragedy life was given to 5 others, Lulu being one of them.  Ashley Maynard was struck by a car on January 8th and kept on life support until she lost all brain activity.  Her selfless parents donated all viable organs to strangers in need.  London being the youngest at 14 months and someone in their 70’s the eldest of the group.  They said they knew it was what Ashley would have wanted.  What a beautiful connection my London will forever have to Ashley and her family.  Our gratitude is never ending.
 
I would bring Ashley back if I could, but since I can’t, we honor her daily.  Myself, by being a better person and a better Mum to my two children.  London will grow up knowing why she has a big scar on her belly and the sacrifice had that enabled her to live.  She will live a life worthy of wearing her beautiful scar.  We value each day like it could be our last.  When our last days shall come for me or anyone in my family we will all be donors if God will allow.
 
In the last month since we’ve been home from Primary Children’s Hospital London has started eating and stopped vomiting.  She started crawling days within leaving the hospital and took her first steps just last night.  She is beautiful from the inside out, very happy & healthy- ready to lead a normal life.  She is a new baby, has blossomed before my very eyes.
 
Our deepest THANKS to Ashley’s family and anyone who checks Yes on their driver license.  Heaven doesn’t want our organs…leave them behind for those that do.
 
xoxo,
Lizzie
A very blessed Alpha-1, Liver Mum

Visit LuLu’s blog at www.liverforlulu.blogspot.com