Boat races raise organ donor awareness

[okarol]

Boat races raise organ donor awareness

MEGAN HAWKINS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

August 18, 2007

Ericka Fry was given the ultimate gift a year and a half ago — a badly needed kidney that came after 18 months of dialysis and worrying.

On Saturday, the 31-year-old clambered into a dragon boat with her friend and donor, Tricia Kell, and about 16 teammates for the first annual My Angel Foundation Paddling for Hope benefit. They are living proof that organ donation transforms lives.

The sun glinted off the waves at Gray’s Lake in Des Moines as members of 16 teams took turns teetering down the long center beam of four brightly painted 42-foot dragon boats, life jackets hugging them. Each team’s drummer set a beat at the front of the boat, and paddles swooshed through the water in sync — or in attempted sync. For many participants, this was their first race.

The paddlers set off for the starting point, then took off at the blare of a horn. Their chants rose louder and louder as they neared the finish, until their flag pullers yanked the markers out of the buoys and erupted in cheers.

Exhilarating, many called it. Like life should be.

Ted Cochran, 29, started the My Angel Foundation less than a year ago after his mother, Carla, donated her kidney to help him live.

About 400 people competed throughout the day in 31 races. The Saturday races marked the foundation’s first big event. Cochran estimated they raised about $10,000.

“I wanted to honor my mother’s gift and be an advocate for the very thing that saved my life,” Cochran said as he juggled a walkie-talkie and a stopwatch Saturday. “We want to be advocates for organ donation and raise awareness and educate people about the process. We want to raise money to support transplant patients. And we want to create hope through compassion.”

For more information on the program, visit www.myangelfoundation.org.

Reporter Megan Hawkins can be reached at (515) 284-8169 or mehawkins@dmreg.com

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070818/NEWS/70818009

[goofynina]

Although i think it is great that they did this, i think it is sad that it took someone to actually have to get a kidney to get this going,  i think it should be law that annual events such as this one should be held throughout the world to raise money and awareness 

Way to go Ted for starting this event and his mother Carla for giving him "the gift"