Living liver donor Maurisa Mounger and John Romero from the Donor Alliance talk about the importance of organ donation. The Donor Dash is coming up as a way to honor and celebrate those who have donated or received donations
Pedal for Life is a non-profit organization that raises awareness for organ donation needs in the country. Along the way the cyclists meet with people whose lives have been impacted by organ donation. In Cheyenne they met with Jillian Gava at the KGWN studio. Jillian’s mother was an organ donor and saved the lives of several people.
Lawmakers this session used the renewal of the state’s organ donor awareness fund to honor Rep. Janet Buckner and her late husband, former Aurora Representative John Buckner. The late Buckner represented Aurora in the state House from 2012 to 2015 when he contracted a virus that exacerbated an existing respiratory condition. While it was first thought not to be a life-threatening issue, John Buckner died several weeks later in May 2015. Buckner was appointed to finish her late husband’s term in the 2016 legislative session and subsequently won election to the seat in November.
A below-the-radar bill that passed the legislature without a no vote was signed into law by the governor this week, and it definitely will save lives by supporting organ donations.
NASCAR driver Joey Gase is used to adjusting on the fly, but when his mother died suddenly in April 2011, it felt as if his life spun out of control. His mother, Mary Jo, died of a brain aneurysm. What the family didn’t know was that she was an organ donor. Her organs have directly saved or enhanced 66 lives. In addition to his Xfinity Series races, Gase also carries the “Donate Life” sticker on his race car.
Shea Bicknese says, “It’s one of those things. God absolutely put it on my heart. I’d wake up thinking about it, go to bed thinking about it, think about it during the day. I just couldn’t let it go.” She thought about her stepdad daily. He was suffering from renal failure. “My dad’s name is Dean. He’s an avid fisherman and he’s a mechanic.” He had been on dialysis for nearly five years. That’s when Bicknese decided to step up.
At 3, Peri hasn’t been hitting the gym, but she’s definitely feeling stronger. On March 21, she underwent a liver transplant at Children’s Hospital Colorado that has helped solve medical problems that began at birth with her diagnosis of biliary atresia, a rare and life-threatening disease of the liver and bile ducts. And though her condition wouldn’t have placed her high on the list of patients seeking potential deceased liver donors, Peri took a different route. She found a living donor — and she didn’t have to look far.
The first three years of Keegan Cook’s life were spent in and out of Children’s Hospital. He was born with a rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia. At just seven weeks old, Keegan had his first surgery. While the surgery bought him a little bit of time before he needed a complete liver transplant, for the next three years of his life, Keegan and his family had to deal with illnesses and complications related to the disease.
His eyes brightened and tears began to fall the moment Randy Schrantz began to talk about his 3-year-old granddaughter and the suffering she and her family went through early on in her young life. “I can’t adequately express the feelings I have for my granddaughter,” Schrantz said. “Seeing her in that hospital bed, tied up to those tubes that kept her alive and the suffering she went through. Not only that, but seeing our daughter — pardon me — suffer and going through all they did to get her to the point that she is now,” he said pausing to wipe tears.
One person can donate up to eight organs, which means saving eight lives. “Your loved one continues to give, and has given life to somebody else through donation,” said Allison McKissen, whose son donated his organs. “I got involved with Donate Life when my son was in a fatal car accident in August.” She said the choice of organ donation was simple.
