Organ donation is a personal decision, but it’s a decision that can undoubtedly change someones life. As part of National Donate Life Month, KREX 5’s Katerina Chryssafis had the chance to speak to Kate Geer, the widow of fallen Deputy Derek Geer, about what this month means to her.
As National Donate Life Month kicks off around Wyoming, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center has teamed up with Donor Alliance to increase organ, eye and tissue donation awareness in Wyoming. At a flag raising ceremony on April 3rd, local resident, Doug Bare, shared how he understands the gift an organ transplant can be for a family. His infant son received a heart transplant that motivated him decades later to do an altruistic living kidney donation.
April is National Donate Life Month, which is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of being an organ donor and to encourage everyone to sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor. This morning at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs, and at other hospitals across Colorado, a Donate Life flag was raised that will fly all month.
Laurie Weaver says she’ll often replay in her head the last words she and her husband had. “The last thing I said to him was ‘I love you,’” recalls Laurie. In the whirlwind of grief and confusion, Laurie was informed that Sam had just renewed his driver’s license and listed himself as an organ donor. In honor of her late husband, Laurie will be a guest at a flag raising ceremony to kick off this year’s National Donate Life Month at Wyoming Medical Center.
February 14th is National Donor Day or, if you rather, National Organ Donor Day. The intent to bring awareness to the massive number of Americans in need of life saving organ donations. In Colorado Springs, we caught up with a donor with a special and especially timely story.
Valentine’s Day is also “National Donor Day,” across the United States. While many celebrate love, others hope to use the holiday to encourage everyone to show their love by signing up to be an organ donor. While donating organs after life is important, there are examples of living donors giving to strangers. Doug Bare, a resident of Cheyenne, is one of those who made that selfless decision.
A Denver police officer is still giving back to the community, seven years after she was shot and killed in the line of duty. For the first time, Officer Celena Hollis’ parents revealed she was an organ donor after her death in 2012.
A woman who received a life-saving organ donation is thanking the doctors who saved her life. Colleen Reed visited the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora on Monday. She says the gift of an organ donation not only saved her life, but changed her life.
The family of a double-lung transplant recipient who passed away earlier this year honored her memory at Cheyenne’s Henderson Elementary on Friday. Caydence “Cayde” Brannaman, 11-year-old regional advocate and poster child for Donate Life America, lost her battle with a heart condition earlier this year, and her family donated a scarlet “Love Cayde” bench to her former elementary school in remembrance.
