“Our whole family is into it now,” shares Gayle Winder, Wendy’s sister.  “My parents are really passionate about it.  We use Wendy’s supplies and look forward to releasing the butterflies throughout the summer.

Gayle has gone through her own transformation as part of her grief journey. She falls into a special group of people who have more than one person in their family who have given the gift of life.  The precious gift of life is rare, and to have two people in the same family who have been donors in such a short period of time is even rarer.

Steve, fishing at the cabin

In February of 2006, Gayle’s brother Steve died from heart failure.  He was only 40 years old.  He made the decision to be an organ and tissue donor on his driver’s license and the family supported his decision.  Gayle says that being a donor was consistent with who Steve was – always putting people first, laughing, upbeat and positive.  “He was the family prankster,” shares Gayle.  “And he was also a very generous person, both in life and in death.”

If Steve was the prankster, then Wendy was the comedian.  “The party never started until Wendy got there!  She was the entertainer,” says Gayle.  Just after Steve died, Wendy’s driver’s license was up for renewal.  The youngest sibling at just 33 years of age, Wendy hadn’t been registered as a donor before.  Her brother’s gifts of donation inspired her to sign up.

Less than a year later, Wendy became ill and spent several weeks in the hospital.  In September 2006 she died from complications from pancreatitis, and she followed in her brother’s footsteps by saving and healing lives through tissue donation.  “It’s been really comforting to know that they’ve been able to help others, even though I don’t know who the recipients are.”

For the fourth year, Gayle is sharing her story with fairgoers at the Minnesota State Fair.  “There’s such a huge need and it’s important to get that message out there,” she says.  “And it helps me keep my brother’s and sister’s memories alive.”

More people than each of us realizes has a connection to organ and tissue donation.  One of the things about being at the fair is that fairgoers often come to our booth to tell us how they have been impacted by donation and transplantation.  I’m not talking about one or two people – lots of people every day stop by to share their story.

One such interaction stands out in my mind.  I was at the fair last Thursday morning when a woman walked by our booth.  A volunteer from Mayo Clinic that was working with us asked her if she was an organ donor and she replied, “I will be on September 23rd.”  Of course, our response was, “Really?!” 

She went on to tell us that she had just found out the day before that she and her husband had been matched with another pair in an exchange program at the University of Minnesota.  Since the two of them were not a match, she was donating her kidney to a stranger and another stranger was donating his/her kidney to her husband.

Just the day before, while his kids were playing our plinko game, a father shared that he had recently lost his father in June of this year.  He’d had a stroke while in Las Vegas and in his death saved lives through donation. 

Most of us probably don’t think about organ and tissue donation on a regular basis, or feel a sense of urgency in registering to be a donor.  Why would we?  We tend to think we’ll live forever and maintain our health, and spend our energy worrying about things that seem more pressing. 

The challenge is, organ and tissue donation is a pressing issue that impacts thousands of people in our communities.  In the past 21 years, LifeSource has supported more than 5,000 donors and their families. More than 2,800 people in the Upper Midwest are currently waiting for the transplant that will save their life.  The stories we hear from fairgoers puts a face to these numbers.

And the stories we share via our volunteers and staff are intended to help encourage others to take action and register their decision to save lives.  The final count isn’t in yet, but 12 days after we began we know that more Minnesotans are registered as organ and tissue donors.  Often, it’s because of these stories. 

I’ll leave you tonight with this short clip of two girls who registered to be donors at our booth.  When Amber mentions “that nice man over there,” she’s talking about heart recipient and LifeSource volunteer Bill Carlson.

Jesse Frank

Cliff and Sandy Romberg visit the Minnesota State Fair for one very special reason – to tell people about their son, Jesse. 

This is their third year volunteering at our booth at the Fair, registering people as organ and tissue donors.  Their daughter, Alyssa, is joining them this year too.  “We like to promote donation and share Jesse’s story,” says Sandy.  “It’s so wonderful to get out there and promote this so that other people can receive the gift of life.”

Jesse Frank was just 24 years old when he was killed as the result of a work accident in 2006.  He made the decision to be an organ and tissue donor when he renewed his driver’s license shortly before he died, and save the lives of four people through the gifts of his kidneys, liver, pancreas and heart. 

“We are very proud of Jesse for being an organ donor,” shares Sandy.  In this video – the second half of which feature’s Jesse’s story – Sandy shares how she knew for sure that being a donor was Jesse’s wish.  The Romberg’s also talked about Jesse’s decision to be a donor in this WCCO story.

“The fact that Jesse was a donor put a little sense into a situation that otherwise would make no sense to me,” says Sandy.  “It helps to know that a part of him lives on and that another family did not have to deal with the death of their loved one.”

One of those people who lives on because of Jesse is a man named Todd from South Dakota, who received the gift of Jesse’s heart.  Todd and the Romberg’s have been in touch, giving them a chance to get to know one another.  And just last month they met Todd’s sister Tracy at our donor family and recipient picnic in the Twin Cities.  Tracy is hoping to join them at the Fair next year to share their story and talk about how Todd’s transplant has changed his life.  We hope so, too!

Vern and Kathleen

Vern Jackson received a lung transplant in June of 2007.  Two months after his transplant he was at the Minnesota State Fair, sharing his story.  He and his wife, Kathleen Hallinan, continue to volunteer at the Fair each year, often taking several shifts at our booth to talk with fairgoers.

“It’s really fun interacting with people,” says Kathleen.  “I love dispelling the myths.  It’s incredible some of the goofy ideas people have about doantion.  The greatest reward is having a conversation with someone and then seeing them register as a donor because they had all the information.”

Earlier this summer, Vern and Kathleen attended the US Transplant Games in Madison, Wisconsin.  Held every other year in the United States, the Games are an Olympic-style competition for solid organ and bone marrow recipients and living donors.  This was Vern and Kathleen’s first time attending the Games and they went for a very special reason – to meet the mother of Vern’s donor.  “It was such a fitting atmosphere to get together,” shares Kathleen.

I encourage you to watch this video and read the accompanying story to learn more about Vern and his donor’s family.  Cameras were there when he and his donor’s mom met for the first time, and it shows the emotional connection two families have when they are connected through donation and transplantation.

Part of Kevin’s job involves being on-call to notify patients when an organ has been matched with them.  “Clearly, this is the best part of what I get to do,” he shares.  “The range of responses is just incredible.  Some people start to cry, some get almost giddy and don’t believe me, and some get short of breath and will tell me that they have to sit down.”

Being told your life is about to be saved by a generous stranger is clearly a life-changing moment.  “It’s one of those things where people will never forget the moment they got that call.  Patients always remember where they were and what they were doing,” says Kevin.

He also helps support transplant recipients by facilitating communication with their donor family, allowing them the opportunity to say thank you and share how their transplant has impacted their life. 

“Everyone has an interesting story – transplantation changes the patient’s life.  I see some really remarkable things, people with a desire to do so much more.  And it doesn’t just benefit them, it benefits their family too.”  He quickly goes on to share a story about a patient who received his transplant several years ago and was recently at a clinic visit with his two year-old son and pregnant wife – more lives created and impacted by the generosity of his donor.

Kevin, sharing information with fairgoers

Kevin and 19 of his colleagues from Mayo Clinic spent today volunteering at the Minnesota State Fair, educating people about organ and tissue donation and transplantation and encouraging fairgoers to register as donors.  Kevin describes his work with his colleagues as a team effort, supporting patients along their transplant journey.  “We’re like a family.”

Kevin relayed one interaction he had with a fairgoer.  Upon asking a woman if she was interested in registering as an organ and tissue donor she replied, “I’m already signed up.  Isn’t everybody?”  He tells me, “What a great way to look at things – that donation is just something everyone should do.” 

You can see more pictures of the staff from Mayo Clinic at our booth at the Fair today on our Facebook page.

Kevin is sharing his story with fairgoers this evening.  He’s been a regular at the Fair for several years, usually working three or more shifts and volunteering to be on-call for additional shifts. 

It is so much fun to see him interact with the kids, especially.  Kevin has worked in the Minneapolis Public Schools for many years and takes his passion for teaching from the classroom to the Education Building.  He not only talks about the gift of donation, he also talks about the importance of making healthy choices.

Thank you, Kevin, for everything you do to share the facts about donation so that the people in our community can make an informed decision!  We appreciate your passion and your dedication to sharing the gift of life.

Last month, Holly Kluver’s family gathered at the site where her mom was fatally injured in a bike accident.  It was the one-year anniversary of Corrine Stein’s death and her gifts of life through organ and tissue donation.  The family released balloons in her memory and, as Holly shares, “We told the kids we were sending them to Grandma.”

Corrine with her grandsons, Gavin and Ben

In July of 2009 Corrine was out for a bike ride with her husband and son after dinner when she fell and hit her head on the pavement. Unconscious, she was rushed to the local hospital in Morris, MN and then airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

“She was a bubbly person who people loved to talk to,” shares Holly.  “She was so down to earth and relatable.  She always had a story or a recipe to share.”  A wonderful cook, she had three things for which she was most well-known – her scalloped potatoes, homemade caramel rolls and sloppy joes, which took on the name “sloppy grandmas.” 

Corrine was not registered as an organ and tissue donor.  When they were approached about donation in the hospital the family discussed the opportunity and decided that Corrine would have wanted to help people.  “It was really my brother who said ‘we need to do this’,” says Holly.  Corrine’s kidneys and liver saved the lives of two people and her corneas and heart were donated to research to help many, many more.

Holly met the recipient of Corrine’s kidney and liver last April.  She shared pictures of her mom with her and got to learn about how her mom’s act of kindness impacted her life.  “She was just a great lady to talk to,” she shared.  “I can see our friendship growing.”

This is Holly’s first year volunteering at the State Fair, and she loves the interaction with fairgoers.  “It’s been fun to talk with people and hear their stories, too.  I’ve met donor families and recipients today who have stopped by the booth to tell us how they’ve been impacted.”

Holly’s two young sons, Gavin and Ben, ages 5 and 2 ½, won’t know firsthand how wonderful their grandma was.  But Holly keeps her memory alive in the stories she shares.  “We talk about my mom and they’ll ask ‘what do you think grandma is doing right now?’  I just smile and say things like ‘I bet she’s putting together one big puzzle with God.’  It keeps her close to us.”

Bruce Sellner

Today would be Bruce Sellner’s 59^th birthday.

Fair-goers will be honoring his legacy today as they enjoy some of the Fair’s rides with their families.  You see, Bruce invented many of the amusement park rides we all enjoy – things like the Berry-Go-Round, Spin the Apple and Monkey Mayhem, to name a few.   And the Sellner family also invented one of the most well-know fair rides, the Tilt-a-Whirl, right here in Faribault, MN. 

Bruce also has another legacy – his connection to donation and transplantation.

Bruce had two auto-immune disorders, the combination of which was quite rare.  One of the medications he took to manage his diseases damaged his lungs, which then weakened his heart.  He was listed for a heart and lung transplant in 1993.

While he was waiting for his transplant, Bruce shared that it was the little things in life that he missed, like being able to shovel snow or rake the leaves.   “I always think about that,” says his daughter, Erin.  “When I’m hot and tired and I don’t want to mow the lawn I just thank God that I can.”

Erin describes her dad as someone who loved to travel, had a great sense of humor, was passionate about his work and was so very proud that his family built amusement rides.  “I grew up going from one county fair to the next!”

Bruce waited for his transplants for two years.  Near the end of his wait his family doctor came to the house to tell him that he had become too sick to undergo a transplant and was being removed from the waiting list.  He was just 44 years old when he died on Labor Day in 1995, the last day of the Minnesota State Fair.  Erin was 21.

“He was hanging on to the hope that he would get the transplant,” shares Erin. “Once that hope was gone, he just let go.”

This afternoon, Erin and her mom, Tovah, are sharing Bruce’s story at the Fair, encouraging others to register as

Tovah and Erin Sellner at the Donate Life booth

donors so that fewer people will have to suffer the same fate.  Erin now has a daughter of her own, a 14-year old named Mallory.  “She’s growing up hearing grandpa Bruce stories, but it’s just not the same.”

“When my dad was waiting for his transplant, people didn’t talk about organ donation as much as they do today.  It is so encouraging for people who are waiting now that we’re talking about it so much more.”

This is their second year volunteering at the Fair and, as Erin shares, “We’ll never miss it again.”

Nick Jolly

That’s nearly nine years, and in Nick Jolly’s case it was the number of days he had to celebrate life after his lung transplant in 1996.

Nick’s wife Kathy continues his legacy.  Today she is working at our booth at the State Fair, along with her daughter Diane, her daughter’s boyfriend and his parents.  When asked why she continues to volunteer at the Fair – this is her 5th year – she replied, “It’s a chance to honor Nick and his donor, Brian.”  

Kathy also now works at LifeSource in our Communications Center, partnering with hospitals and providing the opportunity of tissue donation to families in our communities. 

Last November Kathy shared their story in her church’s bulletin.  I hope you find it to be as inspirational as I do.  It shows the transformational powers of transplantation and what the gift of 3,236 days can mean to a person, a family, and a community.  Enjoy!

In 1982 Nick sustained a work injury that caused damage to his lungs and over the course of many years this made it very difficult for him to work, to play with his children and maintain a home.   In Jan of 2005, Nick was accepted to the U of M Lung Transplant program for a double lung transplant. 

It’s very hard to watch a loved one not able to dress, walk around the house, or do everything we take for granted because it is difficult breathe.  When the kids and I would be outside taking care of the yard or shoveling snow, Nick would be watching and tears would roll down his face because he felt so insignificant as a husband and dad.  In 1996 Nick’s health declined and we didn’t know if he would see another day.

Nick was transplanted on July 11^th thanks to his donor, Brian, who was just 18 years old.  We thank Brian and Brian’s family for sharing the gift of life with Nick and our family.  Nick was given nine more years with his family and friends.  He was able to see both of his children graduate from high school, see me obtain a degree in Medical Assisting and watch his niece and Goddaughter, Kalley. 

In 2005 Nick’s health declined and on May 20, 2005 Nick was started Hospice Care.  He was home on a sunny day.  We had a picnic with many family members who could spend time with him.  Four days later Nick ended his journey on earth and started his new journey in heaven.  I know the first one to greet him was his donor Brian.  Nick is now in heaven doing all of the things he could not do on earth – dancing, working, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow and watching over his family. 

Most of us learn to ride a bike so early in life that we don’t even remember.  We probably don’t even really think about the mechanics of it.  We just know we can hop on a bike and pedal our way down the street if we so choose.

But what if you couldn’t ride a bike?  What if you were so sick that the idea of this simple task seemed like climbing a mountain? 

That’s how life was for Sonja Sitzman just a couple of years ago.  Sonja spent three years on the transplant list, waiting for a new heart.  As the years passed, Sonja started to wonder if she would receive the gift she needed.  And, as hard as the wait was for Sonja and her husband, Ken, it was even harder for her son Nate who was just 7 at the time.

When she was waiting for her transplant, Sonja would be so tired that some days she would have to stop and rest after getting dressed in the morning.  It was hard for her to do even the little things with Nate, the things most of us take for granted. 

In February 2009, after three years on the list, Sonja received her transplant from a generous donor.  Sonja, Ken and Nate have now been in touch with her donor’s family and she calls her donor her “angel in heaven.”

As Sonja share in this video: “After my transplant, I just felt like I was blessed.  Everything little was wonderful to me.  Like the birds or the flowers or the snow…anything. It’s like I was grateful for everything.”

One of those things was riding a bike.  In June of 2009, just a few months after receiving her new heart, Ken and Nate surprised Sonja with a brand new bike.  As Ken wrote when he shared the news, “It’s been a few years in the waiting, but Sonja and Nate are finally able to go  on bike rides together…It brought a big smile to Sonja’s face to have her own bike to ride.”

Today Sonja, Ken and Nate are spending the day together at the Minnesota State Fair, registering people as organ and tissue donors.  It’s Ken’s fifth year volunteering at the Fair.  When I asked him what he likes most about it he replied, “I just like the interaction with people and talking with people about donation.  We often talk to other people who have a connection and it’s just great to hear their stories.”

Come visit us if you haven’t been to the Fair yet – we’re in the back right corner of the Education Building.  And don’t forget to register to be an organ and tissue donor!