Here’s an update on James Jonsson who will be attempting to break the world record for swimming across Lake Tahoe.  James wants to bring attention to the need for people to register as organ donors and to encourage anyone who has not registered to make that decision. 

I will be posting blogs regularly to update everyone about James and his progress toward this goal.  Please help James’ cause by telling your friends about what he is doing.  Share the blogs, post on facebook, twitter, etc.  The more people who follow his progress, Yay!!  That’s the point.  We are trying to spread the word about the importance of organ donation.

In January, James swam a total of 107.67 miles!!  In a 25 yard pool, one mile equals approximately 36 laps.  (Note: a lap is down and back.)  That’s over 3875 laps.  Is that dedication or what?

One benefit of swimming that far and that hard is that it burns a lot of calories.  James is actually having a hard time keeping his weight up.  He is about 10 pounds under his ideal weight for the swim, so he is going to have to increase his calorie intake. 

Training is more than just putting in the miles.  He also needs to make sure he can maintain the pace he will need to beat the world record.  His pace training is going well.  In fact, he can actually hold a faster pace than he will need for about three hours. 

The biggest drawback at this point is a strained neck muscle.  It’s slowly healing, but it takes a little more warm-up time to loosen up his neck.

Good luck James.

This poem was written by six year old Tryn Bailey in memory of his father.  It is really beautiful.

TOGETHER WE CAN…SAVE LIVES 

BY TRYN BAILEY 

MY DADDY’S NOT HERE

HE LEFT ME LAST YEAR.

HIS HEART WAS SO BAD

HE HAD TO BE SAD.

BUT HEAVENLY FATHER SAID.

“YOU HAVE TO COME WITH ME.”

SO HE LEFT HIS ORGANS

 SO OTHER PEOPLE DON’T DIE.

NOW HE’S MY HERO

BECAUSE HE’S STILL ALIVE.

IF WE ALL GAVE OUR ORGANS

WHEN WE HAVE TO GO,

THEN WE WOULD BE HERO’S

AND OTHER PEOPLE WON’T DIE.

TOGETHER WE CAN ALL DO THE SAME

SO SOMBODY ELSE’S DADDY

WON’T HAVE TO GO.

What does swimming and organ donation have in common?  For swimmer, James Jonsson, they are both things he is passionate about.

James is a marathon swimmer who is currently training to break the world record for a lengthwise swim across Lake Tahoe.  He is doing this swim to bring attention to the need for others to register as organ, eye and tissue donors.  His challenge to everyone – “If I can break the world record, will you commit to being an organ donor?”

James first recognized the importance of organ donation in the early ’80s when his father, who was also a competitive open water swimmer, went into kidney failure.  A transplant in 1986 gave his father back his quality of life and he was able to continue competitive swimming.

In 2003, James became acquainted with donation from both sides when his son tragically passed away.  He was an organ donor and that decision has impacted several lives.  James has exchanged letters with some of the recipients and is grateful that organ donation allowed something positive to come from his son’s death.

The Daily News of Open Water Swimming recently published an article about his upcoming swim.  James plans on making this 22 mile swim on August 4.  To take James’ challenge and register your wishes to be an organ, eye and tissue donor, log on to www.yesutah.org.

Maybe you have noticed the big yellow signs located at some of the driver license offices throughout the State.  They were put up several years ago to let everyone know how incredibly giving and compassionate the people of Utah are.  At that time, we had reached that magic number of 1 million Utahns who had registered their wishes to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.   Unfortunately, over the years those signs have began to fade and lose their attention getting appeal!  A change was definitely needed. 

Luckily, we got on it before the cold weather arrived.  On one of the last warm days of the season, we took a few hours to visit the Driver License offices at West Valley, Fairpark, Farmington and Ogden to replace the aging signs.  If you drive past one of those office, look for the bright yellow sign.  The new sign sports the Yes Utah taxi cab, but more importantly, it reminds people to say “Yes” when getting a driver license or ID card and it includes the website address in case someone has some questions about donation. 

Many thanks to the great people in Utah who have said “Yes!”

I read an interesting article the other day in the Salt Lake Tribune.  It was titled, “The Adrenaline Rush of a Haunted House.”  The article talked about how our bodies have a real, physiological response to fear, even when we know the thing causing fear is not real.  It is that adrenaline rush that draws people to haunted houses.  Reading about our response to fear reminded me of an editorial that Alex McDonald, Public Relations Director at Intermountain Donor Services, wrote last year.  The editorial was titled, “Organ Donation Isn’t Scary” and it debunked many of the myths that people have heard about organ donation.  It also got me thinking about what is scary. 

Organ donation isn’t scary; waiting for a transplant is scary.  Right now there are almost 109,000 people on the national waiting list.  Each one of those people knows the wait might be long and there is no guarantee that they will even get the transplant in time.  Years ago, I was at a meeting where a man told about his transplant.  He was a young man whose heart, very unexpectedly, began to fail.  As he became sicker, he had to be hospitalized for an extended period of time.  While in the hospital, he met another patient who was also waiting for a heart transplant.  Unfortunately, that patient passed away without getting a transplant.  The speaker expressed how it is always difficult to get the news that someone you know has passed away.  Added to this was the very real fear that it could be him.

Saying yes to organ donation is easy.  Getting the facts is also easy.  Log on to www.yesutah.org and make life a little less scary for someone this Halloween.

I spent the evening yesterday at Cottonwood Creek Retirement and Assisted Living. It was their 27th anniversary celebration and they chose to promote organ donation as part of their celebration!!

We provided a program for the residents as they ate dinner. A few of the contestants for Miss Murray donated their time and talents to help with the program. A sweet 90 year old woman then told me she was from Holland and had once been Miss Holland. Meeting her was a real treat for all of us.

Paul Cardall spoke of his heart transplant and then played the piano. The music was incredible. There were also copies of Paul’s new book “Before My Heart Stops” available for sale.

The program ended with a jazz duo playing some very relaxing and easy listening music as people finished eating their desserts. One member of the jazz duo is waiting for a liver transplant and spoke a little about what it is like waiting. It was the perfect ending to a great program.

This letter was written by a mother to her son’s kidney recipient.  With her permission, we have chosen to share this letter in our blog.

My name is Cynthia and I am the mother of Tyrando, whom you received the kidney from.  Although the tragic loss of my son is so heartbreaking, and it still seems so unreal that he is no longer with me in this life, but I know in my heart he is with me in spirit.  I am truly honored on his behalf to have been able to give life to others that are in need.  My son left this life on June 3^rd at the age of 19, and I miss him dearly.  God has blessed you and your family, and that gives me hope and comfort that parts of my son still lives in other people.  I pray that your recovery is successful and you are able to get back in the yard and do the things that you used to do, because being on dialysis isn’t fun for anyone.  In exchange for the gift that was given to you, all I ask is for you to pray for strength for me, his father, and his 2 sisters (age 20 and 8).  God is granting me strength every day so I can take care of some of my son’s unfinished business and bring those things to closure before I return back to work on July 28^th.  He served proudly in the United States Air Force and they have made this whole transition painless by being so accommodating to us because of the pain that we already endure.  The organ that you have received is truly anointed because my son was a True child of God.  May God continue to bless you and your family as you venture on with your new found life that my son has given you.  Take care and get well soon!  I am responding to the letter that was forwarded to me from the Donor Services.

Cynthia

Sunday is Father’s Day.  For some of us, that will conjure up images of a tie, for others it reminds us of good times shared with our fathers.  In my job, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many fathers who have found themselves trying to beat difficult odds.  Just the other day, a father came in to my office with his son who is working on an Eagle Scout project.  The young man chose to raise awareness about the need for people to register as organ donors because his father received a heart transplant and he knows firsthand what that can mean to a recipient’s family.

I also know a father who suddenly found himself as the primary caretaker when his wife went into heart failure and learned that she would need a heart transplant.  Another father sat nervously in a hospital waiting room while two of his adult children underwent surgery.  His daughter was donating a kidney to her older brother.  I have also met a couple of fathers, who during the most difficult time in their lives, looked beyond their own grief over the death of a child and allowed their child’s organs to save the lives of others.

My own father would sacrifice anything for his family and my life is better because of his unselfish dedication.  These fathers have taken what life has offered and used it to make life better for their own families and others.  To all the fathers out there, “Happy Father’s Day.”

Yesterday, KSL and the Salt Lake Tribune reported on the fifteenth anniversary of the Kurt Oscarson Children’s Organ Transplant Fund.  This fund was created in response to the challenges two Utah families faced when their children needed liver transplants.  Both families were struggling to raise enough money to cover the transplants.  A fifth grade class at Crescent Elementary in Sandy decided to help.  They contacted State Representative, Kurt Oscarson and ultimately this fund was created.

At a press conference, both of the mothers involved spoke about what it was like to face the challenges of a very sick child and lack of finances.  At the time, pediatric liver transplants were not done in Utah, so they both needed to travel to Wisconsin.  Their children, now adults, then spoke.

Talysa was only ten months old when she received her liver transplant and she says she feels lucky that she doesn’t remember the transplant or how sick she became.  She has met others who remember how hard and scary it is to need a transplant.  It has been 20 years since her transplant and she is doing great.  She expressed gratitude to her family, neighbors and everyone who makes this fund work.

Caleb was four years old when he had his transplant, but says he doesn’t remember much more about it than Talysa remembers about her transplant.  He is now a healthy 23 year old.  His gratitude was evident as he stated, “I’m grateful to the people who were selfless enough to allow themselves to become donors to give someone else a second chance and I wish to express my gratitude to everyone who has made that choice on their driver license.”   

Donations to the Kurt Oscarson Children’s Organ Transplant Fund can be made on your Utah State Tax Return.  Register as a donor at www.yesutah.org.

The human heart beats, on average, 100,000 times per day.  It does not go on vacation, nor does it take a break.  It knows to speed up when you are exercising and slow down again when you are resting.  But what happens when this magnificent muscle becomes damaged?

            Kirk knows only too well how vital the heart is.  Throughout the years, Kirk had a few serious problems with blood clots, but at age 53, he was feeling great.  He was following an exercise plan and feeling strong.  He had no reason to suspect that on a beautiful summer afternoon, while playing tennis, he would experience a life-threatening heart attack.  Doctors didn’t expect him to survive the night, but somehow he pulled through.  His love of life helped him continue to get through each day as he slowly worked to regain his health and finally become well enough to return to work.

            After a few years, he found himself getting tired easily.  Doctors discovered the damage caused by his heart attack was putting additional strain on his heart and it was beginning to fail.  When his condition worsened, doctors decided to install a heart pump to assist the left side of his heart.  They quickly realized he needed another heart pump to assist the right side of his heart.  The second surgery was done only two days later, on December 23, 2009, and Kirk was told he would not be able to leave the hospital until he received a new heart.

            January 7, 2010, Kirk got his “pass” out of the hospital – a family had said yes to donation and he was able to get a heart transplant.  When he awoke the next day, even with post- surgery pain, and medications, he felt happier than he ever remembers feeling.  The blood circulated in his body in a way it had not done for years; he felt warmer and his feet were back to a healthy color.  “It is an indescribable feeling, knowing I will be with my family for many more years,” says Kirk. 

            Every day approximately 18 people die, waiting for a transplant.  To learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and to register on the “Yes” Utah Donor Registry, go to www.yesutah.org or call 1.866.YES.UTAH (1.866.937.8824).