Hummingbirds for Hope

Raising Awareness

2012-01-30T11:18:00.000-05:00

A big Thank You to Justin Bieber!! He helped Helene Campbell by sharing a tweet with all his fans to raise awareness about organ donation! What an outstanding young Canadian. We should be very proud of the help that he has offered, not only for this great cause, but for all the amazing charities he helps out. Thank you so much Justin! You have brought so much to hope to so many people!

Wow!

2011-11-11T15:24:00.002-05:00

Did you know that in 5 months almost 800 people have viewed this blog? There have been over 120 page views for mom's story and 105 page views on my page. I didn't want to put my page up, but my husband said that people would want to know who's behind this. Still 105 views? That's crazy! Make sure that you read mom's page. Her story is worth reading over and over. She was an inspiration.

It's a long shot but I sent a message to Ellen. Who knows, maybe in a year or two I'll get a call!!

New Logo

2011-11-10T11:58:00.000-05:00

My husband drew out my new logo. I hope you like it as much as I do. I think he did a great job!

Next Tuesday I will be speaking with 2 other volunteers for TGLN about the importance of organ donation. I hope that everything goes well.

I recently got my health card and the Service Ontario representative did not ask me if I wanted to register to donate. When I questioned her about it she just fluffed it off saying "Well, it says here you're already registered." Unfortunately this may be the attitude that you run into. Registered or not these individuals are the ones that are at the fore front when it comes to raising awareness about organ donation. I bet someone waiting on the list wouldn't be too happy to know that one simple question ("Would you like to register for organ donation?") isn't being asked. Maybe they should have to meet these people. Maybe they should hear their stories. I don't think there'd be such an "issue" with asking if that happened.

Your Feel Good Story For The Day

2011-11-03T11:00:00.001-04:00

The TGLN posted an amazing story of generosity. While 13 year old Nicole is preparing for a heart transplant the family's car was stolen and burned. What happened next is amazing. Mr. Jamie Zivanovich went to a dealer and purchased a 2004 Saturn Vue for them so that they could get Nicole to her appointments. What an uplifting and feel good story. Click here to read the whole article.

Public Speaking

2011-11-01T14:36:00.000-04:00

I'm excited that The Gift of Life Network has asked me to be a speaker for an event about Organ Donation. I'm happy that I get to share my mother's story. I hope that I can do her justice. I'm just so proud to have been asked to do this. It's such an honour.

And Now For a Little Quiet Time

2011-10-26T14:16:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhh, it has gotten a little bit more relaxed around here. I love organizing everything, but at the same time it's a lot of work. Now I can focus on my family. Madeline is doing ballet so it's fun to see what new things she has learned. Mom would be so proud of her and I wish she could have been able to go to her recital. But, I have to look at the other side of the coin too. Mom got to know Madeline for the first 3 years of her life and Ben for the first 7 months. All thanks to a donor.

There is a young man that is doing his class speech on organ donation. I hope that I am able to help him out if he needs it. I hope that he brings about some awareness for organ donation as well.

I have graciously had "Donate Life" bracelets (think LiveStrong only green) given to me and I proudly wear by bracelet.

If you have the chance, please watch the video I posted. I think Hattie does an excellent job of showing just how important organ donation is.Click here to hear Hattie's story!

A Charitable Donation

2011-10-19T21:17:00.000-04:00

I just got a phone call from the Wellington Fire Department! They would like to give a donation in memory of my mom! I'm so happy to hear this. It just makes me feel like what I'm doing is really helping.

The Gift of Life Network is a government funded organization but there are so many other great foundations. I mentioned the Toronto General Hospital, The Liver Foundation of The Kidney Foundation.

We will see how things go. But I'm just so excited about this!

Our Drive

2011-10-18T14:18:00.000-04:00

On October 8 I set up an Organ Donor Registration Drive outside of the Picton Home Hardware. There was a large amount of people that stopped in to the store. Of all of them I would say 2/3 either knew there was a change and had registered or thought they were registered and took a form. The other 1/3 walked right by us or ignored us. This was very frustrating for me given the history I have in relation to organ donation. I'm happy to have had 5 additional volunteers that were helping me in spreading the word. I was suprised by the number of people that wanted to give us money although they were more surprised that we didn't want any! I hope it helped some people to register and save lives.

Donor Registration Drive at the Picton Home Hardware.

It Rained. It Hailed. The Wind Snapped Our Ribbon. But Our Spirit Wasn't Broken!

2011-10-18T14:03:00.001-04:00

Super Madeline! Battling the evil unknown
and bringing awareness to life saving Organ
and life enhancing tissue donation!

Pumpkinfest, although wet, cold and windy, was a success. We had a float full of people who wanted to show their support for organ and tissue donation awareness. I couldn't believe the crowd that was out to see the parade!

Unfortunately my 8' high green ribbon was snapped in half on the way to the parade by the wind and the booth was only up for about 1.5 hours because of rain. There were disappointments, but through it all there were smiles and laughter. We brought awareness to the community and even made it on Countylive.ca!

Our Police Escort.

Marilyn and Joanne show their support
even in the rain and hail.

Our somewhat smaller ribbon, but still lots of smiles.

PUMPKINFEST!

2011-10-14T14:15:00.000-04:00

I've been planning and planning and now it's finally here! It's almost like planning a wedding. Of course you can plan and plan but you can't control the weather. Here's hoping the rain stays away! I'm just so excited to see how things turn out. The float is ready but I haven't looked at it yet. I'm going over tonight to see it.

We're setting up the booth tomorrow morning and Picton Home Hardware has been amazing again and is providing us with a tent.

I will definitely post pictures so that you can see how things went. I'm just a giddy as child at Christmas. I just can't wait.

Happy Birthday

2011-10-07T14:49:00.000-04:00

Today is my first birthday. My first birthday without my mother here to celebrate it with me. I've had a few moments where that thought has become hard to bear. Every year mom made me the same birthday cake. I thought about making it myself, but it still wouldn't be the same. Sure, it'd taste the same, maybe it'd look the same. It just wouldn't be the same. When I was a kid my birthday wish was always for things like toys or outfits or books. I'm sure you remember what it was like. This year my only wish would be to see my mother. Give her a hug. Tell her I love her. Thanks to a donor I was able to do those things for over 9 nine years. I didn't realize how precious that time was and maybe took it for granted. I certainly understand a lot more this year than I did last year.

Tonight is the Celebration Dance for Terry and Wannett. I'm excited to go out with my hubby. I'm happy for Terry that he received the gift of life. I'm amazed by Wannett because she truly committed the most selfless act. I'm proud of my community for banding together in support of these 2 people. Hopefully I can post some pictures from the dance. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Mom's 10 Year Anniversary

2011-10-06T20:42:00.002-04:00

10 years ago today my mother received the Gift of Life. I wish she could have made it to see this day, but sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them to. What did 9 and a half years mean to her? She got to travel to Mexico, St. Thomas and across Canada. She was able to see me graduate highschool and then university. She attended my wedding and was able to fly out to Calgary to meet her grand daughter, Madeline. Although it was up in the air, she got to meet Ben last September. What would 9.5 years mean to you? Hopefully you'll never have to find out and hopefully you can help someone else never have to find out. Register to donate life saving organs today. You can help up to 8 people get their lives back.

My Day as a Student... Sort Of

2011-10-05T11:09:00.002-04:00

I wanted to update about yesterday. I went back to school! (I wish!) I went to the Picton highschool and gave 2 presentations about organ donation. I think it went well. The students were very receptive to it and hopefully I will get some volunteers for the Donor registration Drive on Saturday. I explained the significance of receiving an organ and I showed on one slide what the extra time meant to my mom. I had 5-6 girls in tears while I explained her story. I don't know if that's considered successful or not, but I hit home on how inportant it is. I also generated a Jeopardy game afterwards and gave out prizes to the winning teams. That went over really well and I could tell a good chunk of the students had been listening because they knew the answers. It was pretty cool. I will likely go back in Jan-Feb. I enjoyed it. It wasn't my intention to make people cry, maybe if I hadn't of choked up it would have helped! Be that as it may, this is real. If I get emotional it's because I'm living this. People who don't experience this can't portray the emotion that I can and get the point made like I can. This is why I like to talk about it.

I want to thank Ms. Curran for letting me to speak with the class. I didn't have many pictures, but really, what was I supposed to photograph? I put up my favourite picture of mom and the kids. I tried to explain to the classes that while mom was sick you have to look past the sickness and see how happy she was to be with her grandchildren.

When all of this started my friend and co-worker said to me 'Make sure you get pictures of her with Ben'. I didn't want to, I didn't want to remember her like that. Now I'm so grateful that I have that one shot.

Guest Appearance

2011-10-03T15:09:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I make my debut in the classroom. One that I have been in before actually. It was a classroom of mine when I was in highschool. However many years ago that was. I'm giving a talk to some grade 12 students to raise awareness about organ donation. I've done some research on people that have had transplants at the Gift of Life website and also on beadonor.ca. I think I'm ready. I just need to make the actual presentation! HA! I made something like an Organ Donation Jeopardy so hopefully it will go over well. My goal is to get these students motivated to raise awareness as well. You never know if you or a loved one will need an organ donation. It's a tall order, trying to tell teenagers their not invincible, but hopefully I'm up to the challenge. I remember what it was like to be a teenager, and I was invincible too.

I'm also going to be looking for volunteers to help with the Donor Registration drive on Saturday. October is a very busy month for me. I took the challenge, and hopefully I'm rising to it. I'm not doing it for me though. I'm doing it for everyone waiting on that list. Everyone who has watch a loved one wait. Everyone who may need a transplant. No matter how invincible we all are.

Mom and Madeline - 6 years after her transplant.

Keeping Busy

2011-09-29T11:46:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been so busy! I've been organizing the float for the parade and getting a meeting set up for people that live on my road (we're a tight knit community.) I've also been preparing a presentation to go into a couple highschool classes with in the hopes to raise awareness that way as well. Not only that there is a donor registration drive on October 8 from 10-2 at the Picton Home Hardware that I've been organizing. Only 23% of the people in my community have registered their consent to donate life saving organs and tissue. Like I said before I want to change that to 25% by the end of December. I guess we'll see what happens!

On October 7 (my birthday) there is a Celebration Dance for Terry Miller and Wannett Fraser Reynolds that I'm going to. It's a great time to get people to register. Terry and Wannett just came home from TGH after Wannett donated a portion of her liver to Terry. I'm happy to say that both are doing well.

With all this organizing and all these events it's hard to find time to update my blog! And here I thought having things going on would be the best thing for it! I will keep you posted as to how things go.

Don't forget to look for us at Pumpkinfest in Wellington! The one that started it all!

Happy Birthday

2011-09-15T10:38:00.000-04:00

Today is mom's birthday. One year ago today the Gold Wing group went up to surprise mom at the Toronto General Hospital. It really bolstered her spirits to see and have a bunch of her friends around her. I remember talking to her on the phone afterwards and she was very happy. She was most excited because she had been given clearance to come home and meet her new grandson. It was good to hear the excitement in her voice. I keep her spirit with me and I hope that I'm doing her proud.

Now, onto the exciting news! Yesterday I received 4 boxes full of stuff from the Gift of Life Network! It was so exciting to go through it. I even received 2 flags!! Perfect for the parade! I'm very excited about it and am plannig on how to use it. Thank you Nicole for helping me out!

Just Dropped By

2011-09-14T09:38:00.000-04:00

I stopped at the cemetary last night on my way home from work. I sat and told mom about Madeline starting school and Ben crawling all over the place. I talked about the young boy who just passed away while waiting for a double lung transplant. I told her about all the things I've been doing to raise awareness about organ donation. People keep telling me she'd be so proud. I just keep wishing I could hear her say that. I would never say it's getting easier, but perhaps... more bearable.

I read a story posted about a little 5 year old girl who passed away and her parents donated her organs. Her heart went to a young boy, her liver to a college student and another organ went to a small baby. She (and her family) saved 3 lives. It's stories like these that give me hope. We can make the change. Register to make a differene. (beadonor.ca)

Getting Ready

2011-09-12T11:59:00.000-04:00

I have finally sat down and started to prepare my presentation for this Saturday. There are so many things that I can say about organ donation but they all come back to one thing... be a donor. So many people are waiting for life saving organs. I'm looking forward to telling people how important it is.

I stopped in to give a brief talk to a grade 10 class. They ranged from 14-16 years old. I explained to them the significance of registering to donate. I hope that I at least reached some of them. I impressed upon them that anyone, at any age, can require a transplant. I relayed Thomas Quinet's story to them. I hope that I got the message across. I will be visiting them again in October.

I wanted to say, with a very sad and heavy heart, that Thomas' wait was too long. He passed away last week after waiting for a double lung transplant at 14 years of age. It's terrible that these tragedies have to happen when we can make a difference and do something to help the people waiting for organs.

Please register your consent to donate. If you have, ask your family and friends. Organ donation saves lives!

First Day of School

2011-09-06T07:25:00.000-04:00

It's finally here. I look back on it and I'm amazed it came this quickly, but Madeline is starting Kindergarten. I can't remember my first day of school, but I know there's pictures and mom was there to put me on the bus. I wish mom was here to see Madeline go to school. She would have been beaming!

This is also the Tuesday after the long weekend. For someone waiting for a transplant you would know that the long weekend can be a time of great hope. It's sad that so many accidents occur during the long weekend, but through all the sadness there is a little light. By donating loved ones organs you're saving the life of someone else. I remember anxiously waiting for the long weekends with mom, family and friends. Actually, mom had her first transplant on the Thanksgiving long weekend 10 years ago. It just goes to show you. So while you're listening to all these terrible tragedies remember some good may have come from them.

"Don't think of organ donations as giving up part of yourself to keep a total stranger alive. It's really a total stranger giving up almost all of themselves to keep part of you alive." ~Author Unknown

Fairy Wings and Other Things

2011-08-31T14:27:00.001-04:00

In the past couple of months my daughter, who is 3, has been asking about mom. I never really know what to say other than "She's gone and while she can see you, you can't see her". It's very hard to explain to a 3 year old about death, when I myself don't fully understand it. We manage and she seems happy with that explanation. I try to tell her that Granna is with her all the time watching over her and is never really gone as long as we keep her memory alive. We've always referred to mom as an angel and that she has beautiful wings now and wherever she is, she's very happy and at peace.

I never really understood how this thought of wings truly impacted Madeline until a few days ago. She had on her Tinkerbell wings and was 'flying' around the kitchen. She 'flew' over to me and said "Now I'm just like Granna." I looked at her with a puzzled expression and said, '"Why do you say that?". Her response was "Because I have wings too!". If only I could be that innocent.

It's moments like these that I really reflect on everything that I have and everything that I wish I could share with mom but can't. The other day in my anger I was talking to my dad on the phone and said "Oh! I wish mom was here so I could talk to her about this! She knows exactly what I mean!!".

I'm not angry that she didn't get her much deserved transplants. It just makes me want to work harder to make sure that the awareness is out there. I want to make sure that people understand that stories like the ones I've just shared with you don't have to happen. Help 8 families from sharing sad stories, become an organ donor.

Pumpkinfest

2011-08-29T12:02:00.000-04:00

Things are still relatively quiet. I'm getting ready for the events that are about to come. I need to work on my presentation and I have some other pans in the fire that I need to get working on. My mother was always so exasperated with me because I may be a weee bit of a procrastinator.

Yesterday I approached the Gold Wing Road Riders Association again about the Pumpkinfest parade and I'm happy to say that 25 people signed up to be a part of the float! I think that is about 10 bikes, but I have to double check for sure on the sign up sheet. Either way it's going to be noticeable, which is what I'm going for. I'm pretty excited about all of this, so I really hope it turns out well.

There's a new group in the area too. True Compassion was started by Pam McRae to bring awareness to organ donation as she knows 2 families where one person is giving another a part of their liver. How amazing is that!?! One person is giving another their life back, and that is truly how it will feel the recipient. This just reiterates the fact that live donation can work! I wish these 2 families well in this amazing adventure.

Find Pam on Facebook. Just search for the "True Compassion" group.

Quiet Time

2011-08-23T12:59:00.002-04:00

I have been thinking about mom more frequently. It's hard to put into words how it feels to lose a loved one when a simple act such as registering to donate could have saved their lives. I try not to look at this way, however, because I know that's not what my mother would have wanted. I often find myself wondering "What would mom say to me?". I know that she's with me everyday because I carry her memory close to my heart.

I've been relatively quiet for a few days because not a lot is going on. I'm getting ready to give a presentation about organ donation at the Picton Library on September 17 @ 11am. I'm also in the process of organizing an Donor Registration Drive at the Picton Home Hardware. I've had the wind taken out of my sails a bit, but don't worry... it will be back!

I hope to see you at one of these events... and of course, there's always Pumpkinfest!

Where You Can Find Me

2011-08-17T08:13:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to say that the Picton Public Library has allowed me to give a presentation on organ donation and have a Donor Registration Drive at their facility. I'm excited to be talking about organ donation and how important it is to register. Stop in to find me on Sept 17 at 11am! Bring your healthcard so you can register!

Donor Registration Drive

2011-08-15T13:58:00.000-04:00

I am in the process of organizing a Donor Registration Drive to take place at the Picton Home Hardware. I'm very happy to be doing this as it will help raise awareness in the community about organ donation. I don't have a concrete date confirmed as of yet but will keep you posted. If you're in the area and would like to volunteer some of your time for this great cause, please let me know!

This picture was taken of mom about 7 years after her liver transplant. Because of someone's generosity mom was able to play with her granddaughter. It's a gift that you can't say thank you enough for.

Ashley Stinson

2011-08-14T12:59:00.000-04:00

I just read an article about an amazing 11 year old girl, Ashley Stinson, from Peterborough. She just received a heart transplant on July 31 (her birthday) and is up out of her wheelchair already. It's stories like this that make me proud to be championing this cause! See, you can make a difference! Have you registered to donate yet? If so, have you told your friends and family about your decision and asked them to register too? Head on over to beadonor.ca to register, all you need is your healthcard!

Fact for Today

2011-08-11T13:23:00.000-04:00

In March 2011 17,898 people sent in their donor registration form because the Gift of Life Network started sending them with a postage paid envelope.

Now that is excellent! Just a reminder that I created a page on Facebook. Click here to see it and make sure you 'Like' us. It's a place for people to share their stories and meet other families that may be donor families or recipients.

I have lots of other little facts that you may find very interesting. And the facts on here are different than the ones on facebook.

I have contacted Pastor Peter Spragg about running a Donor Registration drive at the Emmanuel Baptist Church. I'm going to issue the challenge to the congregation to register to donate and save lives. Who doesn't like a good challenge? I will keep you posted.

Morning Show

2011-08-10T13:05:00.000-04:00

I want to send out a huge Thank You to Brian and Shauna of the 98.3 Fly FM morning show. I'm so happy that I was able to share my story. I apologize to the listeners for getting emotional but this is still a very sensitive subject for me as I just lost mom last April. If you've stopped by the site because of the morning show I encourage you to read mom's story. She was an extraordinary woman who had strength and willpower that I don't think I will witness in this life again. She was truly amazing.

I had a great response to the morning show and I'm very happy for that. Since starting this and being in the media I have helped save up 40 lives!! This is just from the people that have told me they registered, but it feels great! I don't want another family to have watch their loved one fail because an organ isn't available. I want to help people understand the importance of registering to donate.

I am currently looking at organizing Donor Registration Drives at local sporting events, through the local library system as well as seniors residences. I will keep you posted on how that goes for sure! Lastly, Hummingbirds for Hope is now on Facebook! Click here to 'Like' us!

Be A Donor.ca

2011-08-09T20:52:00.000-04:00

Tonight I took part in the Be a Donor.ca training session. I am looking forward to organizing a registration drive or maybe even a baseball tournament. I will have to see what is available to me to do that. I am also hoping to get into highschools in the coming school year to raise awareness. The possibilities are endless and I plan to go to all lengths to make sure I research each and every one of them. It is so easy to register and give the gift of life. Just click here. All you need is your health card!

Did you know that people who are the recipients of organs can still donate? Plus age really "ain't nothin' but a number". The oldest person to donate an organ was over 90 years old and for tissue they were 102!! So when I meet resistence in the older generation... well, now I have ammunition to back up the statement that anyone can register!!

Make sure you register today!

I'm At It Again!

2011-08-09T15:20:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to tell you that I have been invited onto the Morning Show with Brian and Shauna at 98.3 Fly FM! This is especially exciting for me since I listen to them every morning and it's a great range for me since the radio station is based out of Kingston. Hopefully I can reach even more people and stress the importance of registering to donate!

Changing Current Beliefs

2011-08-04T13:19:00.000-04:00

The other day I was discussing organ donation with my grandmother. She had no idea that you can be any age to donate! You're never too old! (Or too young!) There is always going to be someone out there that can benefit from organ and tissue donation no matter how old the person is. Even if you can't donate everything, there are still organs and tissue that you may be able to donate. It's so important to get that out there, because people have these beliefs that need to be corrected. Organ donation SAVES LIVES.

My plan is to help people in the area understand organ and tissue donation. The current percentage of people registered in this area (Belleville) is 23%. I hope to increase that to 25% by the new year. Let's see if I can!

Published!

2011-07-28T16:09:00.003-04:00

I was published in the Picton Gazette. I just want to get the message out there that donating saves lives!!

Over in Deseronto

2011-07-28T08:36:00.000-04:00

At this time I want to draw everyone's attention to a story that I heard from a family member. Over in/near Deseronto there is a little girl that is waiting for a liver. She is only 1 year old. I cannot even begin to imagine, nor do I ever want to imagine or endure, having one of my precious babies go through something like this. A poor sweet little girl... waiting for a liver. Please send all your prayers out to this little girl. I sincerely hope that a liver becomes available and soon.

It's stories like this that really drive home the message that it's so important to donate organs. This little girl, and every person on the waiting list, need their lives back. That is truly what it's like, getting their life back and being able to do things like sit up, take a few steps without the need for a walker or eat. So please, donate. Click here to register now! You will be a hero to so many people.

Head over to beadonor.ca to register to become an organ donor. This is the difference between life and death!

Appearing on the Radio

2011-07-26T13:50:00.000-04:00

I want to say thank you to Orlena, Aaron and Scotty for having me on Mix97 and Rock 107. It was a great way for me to get out the message that organ donation saves lives. I am truly blessed by their generosity.

Did you know that in the Belleville area less than one quarter (23%) of the population have registered to donate? In Ontario it's even less, only 20%. Not only that, in Ontario there are over 1500 people waiting for life saving organs and every 3 days one person dies. These statistics aren't old they're as of March 2011.It's my hope that I can make those numbers climb and more lives can be saved faster.

The Gift of Life has offered a volunteer course to me and I'm very excited to take it. I'm looking forward to spreading the word and answering questions. We need to donate to help save lives.

Also a special thanks to Dan Valkos for letting me know I have a beautiful guardian angel.

Click here to hear me on Mix97.

On the Radio!

2011-07-25T10:14:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to say that I will be on the radio on Tuesday morning to discuss organ donations and tell mom's story!! Listen in to Mix 97 at 8:40. I'm doing this for mom and everyone on the list waiting for a life saving organ. Exciting!!!!

Setting my Plan into Action

2011-07-24T12:25:00.002-04:00

Today I approached the Gold Wing Road Riders Association to see if I could get some volunteers to ride in the Pumpkinfest parade. I want to make the float as big and as flashy as possible. By having some motorcycles hopefully I can accomplish that. Mom loved the group and her wish for dad was to continue on with them as they made some lasting friendships over the years.

Today would have been Mom and Dad's 40th anniversary. I wish mom could have been here to celebrate with dad, unfortunately there were bigger plans for her.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad.

Mom & Her Babies

2011-07-21T22:14:00.002-04:00

I wanted to post this picture, not to remind people of how sick mom was, but to show you how happy her grandchildren made her. I never saw how she looked, she was and always will be mom. I looked past the sickness. I remember seeing a picture that was taken the week before she passed away and being blown away. I also wanted to post this picture to show just how badly people need to register to donate life saving organs and tissue. It's so important to give the gift of life because it really is just that, getting your life back, after being sick for a long period of time.

Support Groups

2011-07-20T21:25:00.001-04:00

I've been researching support groups that are out there for people that have donated or received organs. I have to say I was pretty impressed, but there are still some areas that are waiting for those groups. I posted a couple of links along the right hand side. Even if you just read the stories of the people who have had their lives changed it's very touching.

The important thing about organ donations is education. Everyone needs to know just how important it is to donate organs. Another thing that I have been running into is that here in Ontario people believe all they have to do is sign their donor card. I admit that through everything with mom I was still under that impression as well. This is not the case. You actually have to register now to donate your organs. The good news is the Ontario Government has made it easier. There are now 2 ways to register to become an organ donor. You can go to the Gift of Life website and download the form, fill it out and mail it in OR you can go to beadonor.ca click the link to register and fill out the information. It's super easy and takes no time at all. It's especially great for people who do everything online, like me! All you need is your health card.

On top of all that you must tell your family of your wishes. If you cannot make the decision and they don't know what your wishes are they may decide against organ donation.

Hopefully this information has helped you make the decision to register to donate. Some families have said that by donating their loved ones organs it made the grieving process easier. When you donate you become a hero to countless people. I don't know about you, but that's a pretty awesome feeling!

Mom's Memory

2011-07-18T09:12:00.002-04:00

I was able to sit down and finish Mom's page. It was hard but I got through it. I hope that you are able to take the time to see what type of person my mother was. She was truly beautiful and unique. She put others before herself. It's quite long, but there's still so much that could be said.

I also wanted to post that I have contacted the local radio stations in the hopes that maybe something can be done to help spread the message about organ donations. I will keep you updated on how that turns out.

A Harry Potter Tradition...

2011-07-17T09:16:00.000-04:00

Last night I went to see the final installment of Harry Potter. This was something that mom and I always did together. I remember when the last book came out I was living in Calgary and had pre-ordered it. When I was finished reading it I was going to send it out to her, but when I started talking to her on the phone about it she went out and bought it herself. That's a very mom thing to do.

When mom had her first transplant I remember sitting in Hamilton (we left the hospital and went to Kim and Dave's hoping to rest, comical idea considering the circumstances) and reading Harry Potter. It was a way for me to escape the heaviness and anxiety of the situation.

When the Dealthy Hallows Part 1 came out mom wasn't able to go with me because she was in the hospital. "It's okay", I remember telling her, "when the last one comes out you'll have had your transplants and we can go to that. It's going to be the best one anyway". I so desperately wish that that could have been how it happened.

I bought Part 1 when it came out on DVD and watched it with her and Bonnie, her best friend. Mom was so weak that she made it through the first hour and had to watch the rest little pieces at a time over the next few days. Luckily I got to see the ending with her and as I predicted for Part 1 she loved it.

Going to the theatre last night was bittersweet because she couldn't be with me. But where ever she is, I know she's enjoying it. Likely asking a lot of questions, but still enjoying it.

Links

2011-07-15T11:14:00.001-04:00

Mom, Madeline and I at Canada Day July 1, 2009

Remember to take a look through the links on the right hand side of the page. I'm trying to find as much information as possible. My goal is to have a list for every province about what can be done to become a donor. Plus the "About Organ Donation" links are full of information. I didn't realize that Spain has the highest national average for organ donation and the London Region comes in third! That's exciting news.

In Ontario there are currently 1,509 people waiting for transplants. During 2010, 916 organ transplants were conducted. In Canada 2,153 transplants were done. These are great numbers! Unfortunately, another 4,529 Canadians remained on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplant, and 247 patients died while waiting. This is why the message that organ donation saves lives needs to be told. This is the reason behind Hummingbirds for Hope.

Madeline and Mom enjoying the slide
during Maple in the County 2009.

One person who donates their organs can save 8 people. Astounding!! Further to that, an additional 75 people can be impacted when someone receives an organ. I can speak from experience that these are not just arbitrary numbers. So let me ask you, have you signed your registration form yet? Click here to do that now! All you need is your health card.

Dad saw the boxes...

2011-07-14T10:47:00.000-04:00

Dad was away when the boxes from the Gift of Life came. Last night I went over to show him them. He couldn't believe all of the things that they sent me. It's a very proud moment for me and I will be so proud if all of this goes off as planned. Dad commented that I'm going to be quite the advocate. Well... this message needs to be sent loud and clear!

The float in the parade is going to be HUGE! I'm so excited for it. I'm excited to be honouring my mothers memory and sending out the message the organ donation saves lives. Dad comment on how big the float may be and I said "Good! I want it to be so big that people see it and ask questions because that's how you generate interest!".

On a sadder note, I went to visit mom's stone at the Wellington Cemetary. It's very surreal going to see something like that with both dates on it. I felt bad that I didn't have flowers, but I will get them soon. Peach roses, her favourite. In the spring I'll take lilacs from the tree in the backyard.

From the Gift of Life...

2011-07-13T11:40:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I got home to 2 boxes FULL of stuff from the Gift of Life Network! There were pens, pamphlets, business cards, ribbons and most importantly consent forms! I will add pictures when I can remember to take them. Brian really came through.

I plan on putting a HUGE float into the 'Pumpkinfest' parade that Wellington has every year. There will also be a booth where people can get information about the Gift of Life and just how organ donation can impact so many lives.

I will keep you posted as to how things are going.