I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: okarol on May 04, 2010, 11:29:33 PM
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The American Transplant Congress convention was the last 4 days in San Diego. I went down there on Saturday, got to meet two members of the other forum I admin for, Living Donors Online, one is a man who was an altruistic non-directed donor at 67 years old! The other was Jennifer Martin from the National Kidney Foundation, who I have "known" online for years, but never met in person. They were both great and it was really fun to have dinner with them. My main reason for attending the conference was because I was asked to present an award to Lori Hartwell at the National Kidney Registry Recognition Reception. Here are some photos and my speech.
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Karol Franks - National Kidney Registry – San Diego, CA - May 3, 2010
I want to thank Garet Hil for all he does for patients and donors, and for inviting me to participate by presenting the Patient Advocacy Award to Lori Hartwell.
But first, Lori, I’d like to tell them a little about you. Lori has been a kidney patient since age two and has experienced many years of dialysis, both peritoneal and hemo. She has had 3 kidney transplants, the last one of which has given her 20 years of freedom.
Often when a patient like Lori gets a transplant they hurry back to the business of living. Most are happy to leave the ordeal far behind. But Lori devoted herself to helping other patients. She founded the patient-run Renal Support Network that provides many programs: her nationwide Patient Lifestyle Meetings are well attended, and she does interviews for KidneyTalk, an online radio show heard all over the world. Her HOPE-LINE provides toll-free patient support, and she started weKAN, a patient-advocacy group working for positive kidney health care legislation. For the last 10 years Lori's annual Renal Teen Prom has provided a special evening for kidney teens that may miss normal teenage activities due to their disease.
I feel fortunate to have met Lori. In 2001 my 15-year-old daughter Jenna was diagnosed with kidney failure. It was sudden and unexpected so we began looking for a support group. Someone suggested I contact Lori, because she had been a teenage kidney patient, so I called and left a message. She called me right back and we spent an hour on the phone. I knew SHE knew what Jenna was facing, and she invited us to her free patient meeting the following week. It was a great introduction into the world of kidney disease. We learned about fistulas, renal diets and transplant waiting lists, UNOS, and living donors. We learned about hope.
Jenna was soon on dialysis, so I began researching transplant options. I wanted to donate my kidney so I joined Living Donors Online, a support group for living donors. Unfortunately it turned out that I was the wrong blood type. Other friends and family came forward, but no one was found suitable. We posted our story on Living Donors Online, and were contacted by potential donors from all over the world. As a result, eventually, we met an altruistic living donor, Patrice, which resulted in a successful transplant for my daughter, not far from here, at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla. Lori's encouragement to Jenna, and support for our family, inspired us to never give up.
Lori seems to know everyone in the kidney world. She writes articles and books, speaks all over the world, and is constantly thinking of creative ways to find solutions for patients, and then she makes them happen. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious. With courage and imagination, she has inspired many patients to help others as well.
Her OWN EXPERIENCE as a patient, her DETERMINATION, and her VISION make her the ideal patient advocate -- One kidney patient helping another.
For all of this I, and many others, owe Lori a great debt of gratitude. I am honored to present Lori Hartwell with the NATIONAL KIDNEY REGISTRY'S PATIENT ADVOCACY AWARD.
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Photos:
1. Lori and I
2. Lori and Garet Hil, founder of the National Kidney Registry
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Karol, you rock (Lori does too of course!). I couldn't think of anyone more appropriate to present the award.
Congratulations!
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Congratulations to you and Lori. Well written speech Karol. Good job!!!
:thumbup;
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What a wonderful honor and wonderful speech. You need some kind of award yourself, girl. What a privilege to know you Karol. You always seem to be there and know what to say. Congratulations!!!
Love, Mimi
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Congrats to Lori...
And well done, Karol....
Darth...
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You must be able to stop time?
To do all you do for everyone you help and be a mother and wife all i can say is :thx;..
Great speech. Great award. Great photo.
I award you the Bouncy :bandance; award.
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:flower; Very cool!
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Great job Karol...and Lori too! :flower;
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awesome :clap; :clap; :clap;
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Do you admit that you are Admin for I hate dialysis . com or is that kind of awkward?
Great job! :cheer:
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I have talked to Lori as well and was surprised that she personally returns phone calls. The way she told me was that she will not waste her time with someone who is not genuine in their quest to help others. She will have a secretary return the call otherwise. I feel very fortunate to know both Lori Hartwell and Karol. We are so lucky to have Karol on our Admin team. I can not begin to think where IHD would be with out her.
:2thumbsup;
Glad to have known you Karol before you were so popular. :rofl;
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Do you admit that you are Admin for I hate dialysis . com or is that kind of awkward?
Great job! :cheer:
I wear my pin and people ask about it, but it's too much info to put in the speech, and it wasn't about me anyway, but I wanted to link my experience to meeting Lori.
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So proud of you, Okarol!!! That was a great speech about a great person, given by a great person! :clap;
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What an honor for you. It is amazing how much you both have done for people with kidney disease.
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awesome! :thumbup;
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yay! Congrats! Nice to have something positive happen!
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WAAAAAAAAAAAY Cool. Nicely done Karol. :bandance; :bandance;
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Awesome. Did the nerves go away?
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Not really. I have always been nervous about public speaking. I should do toastmasters, like you did Kitkatz.
When I got to the part in the speech about Jenna my voice began to quiver and I thought "Oh no, I am going to lose it" when out of the corner of my eye I saw Lori sprinting to the stage, climbing the steps and in a flash she was standing next to me, and gave me a hug. That calmed me down and I was able to finish without blubbering. She moved FAST for a tiny person who started dialysis again a couple of weeks ago!
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That made the award even more special I bet.