Niagara Falls Illuminated Green in Honour of Organ and Tissue Donation

[okarol]

Niagara Falls Illuminated Green in Honour of Organ and Tissue Donation

    Trillium Gift of Life Network, New York State Alliance for Donation and
    Upstate New York Transplant Services come together in honour of National
    Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week and National Donate Life Month

    NIAGARA FALLS, ON, April 25 /CNW/ - Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN),
New York Alliance for Donation, Upstate New York Transplant Services and
supporters of organ and tissue donation are gathering on both sides of the
border to raise awareness for the Gift of Life in honour of National Organ and
Tissue Donation Awareness Week (NOTDAW) in Canada and National Donate Life
Month in the United States.
    "This is an incredibly special event celebrating the gift of life," said
Frank Markel, President and CEO of TGLN. "It's wonderful to work with our U.S.
counterparts and together raise awareness for organ and tissue donation."
    One organ donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of up to
75 others through tissue donation.
    "We are thrilled to be joining with our neighbors in Ontario at this
international event to highlight April as Donate Life Month in the United
States and urge all New Yorkers to become donors by enrolling in the Donate
Life Registry at www.donatelifenys.net," said Lynette Stark, Executive
Director of the New York Alliance for Donation, whose Board includes the organ
procurement organizations, eye and tissue banks in New York State.
    Both the Canadian and American falls will be illuminated green in support
of organ and tissue donation from 9 - 9:15 p.m. and from 10 - 10:15 p.m. At
10 p.m. to coincide with the second lighting of the falls Canadian and
American participants will form a symbolic green ribbon across the Rainbow
Bridge. Participants will be wearing green ponchos and be holding green glow
sticks in honour of organ and tissue donation.
    "Niagara Falls is a place known throughout the world," said Mark J.
Simon, President and CEO of Upstate New York Transplant Services. "It is great
to know that on Friday evening so many will able to see the collaboration that
goes on between donor families, procurement organizations and supporters of
the Gift of Life to continue to do more for those in need."
    On April 21, 1994, two-year-old Stuart Herriott succumbed to head
injuries after an accident and his parents consented to organ donation. His
heart, liver and both kidneys were transplanted. The Herriott family,
including Stuart's aunt, Linda Rumble will be honouring Stuart's life by
turning the ceremonial green light on the falls.
    It doesn't matter how many years have passed since a "loved one" has
given the gift of life. Through organ and tissue donation, family and friends
always have a lasting living legacy to remember them by. Our little Stu-Buddy
at 25 months of age, gave life to four recipients. Tonight, we as a family are
marking the 14th anniversary of our little Stu-Buddy's organ donation by
celebrating the lives he saved on April 21, 1994. We are also celebrating the
lives he continues to save through the organ and tissue donation awareness
activities in which our family participates. Stu-Buddy always inspires us to
organize events like this one, the lighting of Niagara Falls for National
Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week, is a symbolic way to remember him and
to encourage others to speak to their families about their donation wishes,"
said Rumble.

    For more details on Trillium Gift of Life Network please visit our
website at www.giftoflife.on.ca or call 416-363-4001 or toll free
1-800-263-2833.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2008/25/c9630.html

[Sluff]

Great awesomness! 

[kitkatz]

Great, now get them to throw a purple boa into the falls in honor of our Goofynina!

[paris]

I would love to see that.  What a great visual and reminder to everyone.

[stauffenberg]

The less society does REALLY to address an important social problem, such as poverty, unemployment, or the shortage in organs for transplant, the more it makes a gigantic public POSTURING about how important whatever it is ignoring in practice is.  You don't see gigantic sentimental celebrations about the importance of capitalism, for example, because this is something society really cares about and really does something to promote in practice, every day of the year.  Sentiment is only necessary as a mask to hide the ugly reality of neglect underneath.

[KT0930]

I'd love to have seen that, bet it was beautiful!

Stauffenberg, I think most of the problem (and the reason for things like this) is that unless they are directly affected by it, most people have NO clue how desperate the situation is for those on the waiting list for an organ.