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TRIVIA TIME!
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Which contestant on Dancing with the Stars is a transplant recipient and what did he receive?
Hint: he is also the Grand Marshal of the 2012 Rose Parade.
First person to send the answer to rhonda@wrtc.org by 12/15 will win a Donate Life - BPA free, double walled tumbler! |
Donate Life America Announces Significant Milestone Achieved with 100 Millionth Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registered in the U.S.
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New national goal set to register 20 million more by the end of 2012
The United States can now boast that 100 million Americans -- roughly 42 percent of the adult population --are registered as organ, eye and tissue donors in state donor registries.
Growth in the number of registered donors is vital because the need for transplants continues to rise. More than 112,000 people are currently waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. Thousands more await tissue transplants to resume their normal lives.
Last year, more than 28,000 people received organ transplants, more than 40,000 received corneal transplants and hundreds of thousands received tissue transplants, yet 6,590 died awaiting organ transplants.
A surge in the number of donors is necessary to save more lives. Therefore, as the donation and transplant community celebrates the accomplishment of registering 100 million people, work has already begun to reach the new national goal of registering 20 million new donors by the end of 2012. Twenty million additional donors would result in saving thousands more lives each year.
Join us in celebrating this 100 million accomplishment by registering more people in order to add an additional 20 million in 2012!! Contact Mary Delaney for registration forms now: mary@wrtc.org |
 | | Kidney Recipient, Gennet Belay and Living Donor, Harold Mintz |
Living Donation Update | |
As the organizational pioneer of living donation exchanges to the waiting list in the OPO world, WRTC is proud to announce that UNOS has decided to discontinue the need for OPO - driven living donation swap programs. This is due to the fact that there are now more paired living donor exchanges performed every year by transplant center consortiums throughout the nation. NOTE: interested citizens may still donate a kidney to the local waiting list via WRTC's Voluntary Living Donor Program.
Living donation in general has grown by leaps and bounds. In 2010 there were a total of 6,562 living donors compared to 5,489 in 2000. Those interested in a paired exchange or swap to the list may contact one of our local kidney transplant centers for more information. Please direct other potential donors to Immanuel Rasool, WRTC Manager of Research and Living Donation: Immanuel@wrtc.org | | |
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Tree of Life Lighting | | |
The Northern Virginia partners of Donate Life Virginia: WRTC, Old Dominion Eye Foundation and Inova Fairfax Hospital, have planned an open-house for the Tree of Life Remembrance and Lighting. Feel free to visit:
November 30, 2011
4:30 - 7:00 p.m.
The Inova Heart and Vascular Institute Lobby
Inova Fairfax Hospital
Falls Church, VA 22042
(If you have questions about this Tree of Life remembrance, please contact Maureen Balderston for further details.) |
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Taking Your Story to the
Next Level | |
Create your own opportunities and spread the word about saving lives within the community. Let us know when your creativity creates ACTION!
 | | Cathy Shry, mother of heart recipient Athena Shry & Donate Life Super Hero! |
 | | Cathy Shry at her Employer's Harvest Festival |
 | | DC DMV Director, Lucinda Babers |
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| Upcoming Events | |
Dec. 3: Donor Sabbath Event, Congregation Beth Emeth - Herndon, VA
Dec. 9: National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, Fairview Park Marriott - Falls Church, VA
Dec. 9: Transplant Recipient Support Group, Georgetown University Hospital
Dec. 10: Rose Parade Farewell, Bike Lane - Reston, VA
Dec. 11: Paul Rossmeissel Rose Parade Floragraph Decorating Finale, Christ the Servant Lutheran Church - Reston, VA
Dec. 18: Donor Drive, Temple Sinai - Washington, DC
Dec. 21: Washington Hospital Center Holiday Party
Jan. 14 & 15: NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo, Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Washington, DC | |
Please contact Mary Delaney if you have questions about any of the above events or would like to volunteer!
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Greetings! | 
National Donor Sabbath, which takes place two weekends before Thanksgiving, is part of a donation initiative launched by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in 1997. This weekend celebration where houses of worship educate members of their congregationon organ, eye and tissue donation, leads to the "Give thanks. Give life." campaign. From Thanksgiving Day up until the New Year, while giving thanks for life, family and friends, please spread the word about giving the ultimate gift: the gift of life. Share the YouTube link attached to the graphic above, with your contacts so that they too will understand the reason for giving life. Happy Holidays!!
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Rose Parade 2012
Join WRTC as we celebrate the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California on January 2, 2012. The float, titled "...One More Day", will feature DC area donor Paul Rossmeissl's floragraph (portrait made of organic materials, like seeds and flowers). Paul became a donor after a bicycling accident on the W&O Trail in Northern Virginia in 2006. Paul's wife, Hedy and daughter, Rachael, both active FFL volunteers will represent WRTC in many Donate Life events associated with the float and parade in Pasadena. The Rossmeissl family will place rose dedications in the Dedication Garden for our donor families and recipients. Click HERE to learn more about dedicating a rose in honor of your loved one and to download an order form. To place your order online click HERE. Look for the Donate Life float featuring Paul's floragraph and those of dozens of others who courageously donated organs, eyes and tissues to help save and enhance the lives of others, on Monday, January 2, 2012 at 11am on local stations: ABC 7, News Channel 8, NBC 4, the Hallmark Channel, HGTV and Univision. |
| 4th Title for FFL Volunteer |
 | | Miss Virginia Junior Teen |
Congratulations to Nyasha Sprow, donor sister and FFL volunteer who lost her brother awaiting a second transplant, for winning her 4th state-wide pageant title! This is Nyasha's fourth title with organ, eye and tissue donation as her platform. She will continue to save thousands of lives as she goes on to reign as Miss Virginia Junior Teen throughout 2012. Nyasha was also recently featured in The Richmond - Dispatch, Suntrust Richmond Marathon Notebook. Keep up the good work Miss Sprow! |
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Done Vida Scholarship Winners!! |
 | | Claudia Diaz, Scholarship Recipient |
Join us in Congratulating Claudia Diaz and Chelsea Partridge for their wonderful video entries, and for helping us spread our Done Vida message to the growing Latino population. The Done Vida Scholarship was created toeducate Latino students on the importance and benefits of organ, eye and tissue donation. It provides them with the knowledge necessary to support donation, and it helps them overcome financial barriers on their track to higher education.
Click HERE to see Chelsea's video. Enjoy!
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| | Virginia Transplant Games Re-Cap | |
Saturday, October 1, 2011 was a crisp, cool fall day in Richmond - the perfect setting for the first ever Virginia Transplant Games held at Clover Hill High School. The opening ceremonies didn't leave a dry eye in the stadium as donor families, recipients, family, and friends stood together to celebrate life.
The opening ceremonies began with the Color Guard and National Anthem which was a stirring rendition by Reverend David K. North. As the athletes marched in, cheers arose from the crowd and were sustained for what seemed like forever. Virginia's First Lady, Maureen McDonnell spoke at the opening ceremonies and praised the brave families of the organ donors, along with the recipients who have overcome so much to reach the point where they are today.
An inspiring and awe-striking moment occurred with the ceremonial dove release and the games began!
The day was filled with fun, laughter, and excitement. LifeNet Health, Bridge to Life, University of Virginia Health Systems, VCU Medical Center, HCA Virginia Health Systems, Old Dominion Eye Foundation , Cytonet, Sentara Health, Henrico Doctors' Hospital, Washington Regional Transplant Community, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, King Pin Lanes, Sports Backers, Uncharted Pixels, Chesterfield County Public Schools, and the YMCA were special sponsors and supporters of the Transplant Games.
A powerful message was sent by recipients who participated in a 5K walk/run, track & field, basketball, bowling, swimming, and table tennis. They participated alongside family members of donors making it even more dramatic and emotional.
 | | Virginia Transplant Games Opening Ceremony |
Andrew Mullins, Transplant Games Planning Committee Chairman, spoke of the bravery, selfless giving, and courage of all of the participants. Jill Stephenson gave a heart-wrenching account of what it was like to lose her brother at the age of 11 to a car accident, and her own young son at the age of 21 in the fight against the Taliban. Both young men donated their organs so that others could live and it has had a profound effect on Jill and her friends and family.
A surprise highlight occurred when Brad Ellis of TV's hit show Glee, a heart recipient himself, joined the stage and performed with piano and singing. He is the incredibly talented pianist on Glee and was awarded the 2011 Donate Life Hollywood Person of the Year award for his work in donation. In addition to solos, he also performed with the Clover Hill High School's New Dimensions Show Choir, sharing with us an awe inspiring performance. Seeing how Brad has taken his life to new heights - thanks to a heart donor who gave him a chance to live - was a shining example of what the day's events were all about.
The next Virginia Transplant Games will be in two years and with the success of the first-ever annual games in 2011, the 2013 games are sure to be phenomonal! Congratulations to all of the brave donor families and recipients who participated in the 2011 Virginia Transplant Games - you are an inspiration for thousands of other people. |
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National Minority Donor Awareness Month Concert was a HUGE Success!
Celebration for Life ~ Celebración por la Vida |
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Bolivian folkloric dance troupe "Caporales San Simon Universitarios" |
In celebration of National Minority Donor Awareness Month, WRTC held its 2nd Annual Celebration for Life Concert in Downtown Silver Spring. During the month of August, WRTC increases its efforts to educate various multicultural communities on the importance and benefits of organ, eye and tissue donation. This fully bilingual event was hosted by local radio personality, our very own FFL, heart recipient George Rosario.
Nearly 300 attendees and by-standers were touched by the heartfelt testimonials given by our Friends for Life volunteers, and entertained with live music and dance performances. We were also very fortunate to be joined by Eventos VIP Magazine, El Zol 99.1 and the Spanish-language TV show DContigo, who covered and aired the event on Univision a week later.
Look out for a save the date for next year's celebration which will be even bigger and better!
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Happy Holidays and warm wishes for a wonderful New Year!
For more news from Washington Regional Transplant Community,
visit our news & events page. |
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