Sandy, on behalf of Jerri who is waiting for a lung transplant
Indiana
I am submitting my story to you for my friend Jerri who is in need of a lung transplant.  Now what to say about her, I can't say enough about her as she is one of the most compassionate, exuberant, personable individuals that I have ever met in all my life. She is one of the individuals who if you are going through a dark period is an instant GOD send! Jerri was there when I lost someone dear to me and she was there when I learned that a transplant may very well had saved him and now I am going to be there for her! And I hope by my getting her story out that all will learn the importance of organ donations! On a final note I will quote still another friend of mine who said quote "there comes a time in your life when you learn that we are all just here to take care of one another!" Thank you very much for allowing me to tell Jerri's story.

Allison waited for a heart for 3 1/2 weeks but unfortunately one never came.
Our names are Kayla and Sara. We're writing to tell you our story and hopefully it will touch you in the way we want it to. This past September one of our close friends passed away. Her name was Allison and she was just 15 years old.

Allison was born with a heart problem - a valve that was too small and she only had a 25% chance of living. She had many surgeries, but knew that some day her valve would have to be replaced but we didn't know that it would be this soon. On August 9th, 2002, Allison went into her 8th surgery. She would be having valve surgery. This time it didn't go OK. Through weeks of problems and complications the doctors decided that Allison would need a new heart. Unfortunately the heart never came. Allison had a brain hemorrhage before she could receive one. Allison passed away on the 12th of September and was taken off life support the next day.

You would never know Allison had a heart problem just by looking at her. She was full of life. No matter where you were she always had optimistic energy. Even though she had so many unfair things happen to her she never once complained and was always appreciative of every thing. She brought out the best in everyone. Allison was an amazing person; she was caring, nice, funny, brave, outgoing and so much more. She was everything you could want in a friend.

Allison waited for a heart for 3 1/2 weeks but unfortunately one never came. We found it very sad, shocking and unacceptable that with her being at the top of the donors list not one person who passed was a donor. Allison was a donor but unfortunately her organs weren't healthy enough. From this experience we learned that many people are unaware of the importance of donating their organs.

We want to raise the awareness by telling people our story and encouraging them to become donors.

earthangels2987@hotmail.com

Cindy, waiting for a liver
Illinois
I am a non-practicing registered nurse as I write this. I learned while working on a surgical floor at a small community hospital that I have hepatitis C. By the time I was diagnosed, the disease had progressed so much that within a year of finding out I have Hep C, I was placed on a waiting list for a liver transplant. Professionally speaking, I understood what was happening to me, but I felt like I had no one who could understand what I was feeling.

As I write this, I have been on a waiting list for a liver transplant for 20 months with a probable additional one to two years of waiting (unless I get sicker faster than that). I had seen "The Kindness of Strangers" produced by the James Redford Institute and posted to the website. I was contacted by one of the families featured in the documentary, Pete and Laurel Wiley   It has been my blessing to have met Pete; his daughter, Laurel and I e-mail several times a week. It has helped to know someone who has been through the waiting period and who is now five years post-transplant and living a full, productive life.

If I could say one thing to people, I would stress that they make their wishes to be an organ donor known to their families before that situation arises. I think most families would honor their loved one's wishes and it would be easier to do so if they know in advance.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to express myself.