Source: Joplin GlobeJOPLIN, Mo- — Colored memorial ribbons, attached with “Donate Life” pins, identified the guests at Tuesday night’s “Celebration of Life” ceremony at St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
Chevelle Gilmore, Vicki Stokes, Norma Scroggins and Judy Sprague were wearing peach ribbons. Their family members donated organs.
Bud Farley and Lynn Gardner were wearing purple ribbons because they received donated organs.
Darian Vanderhoofven was wearing a green ribbon. She’s a branch manager for the Heartland Lions Eye Bank.
The annual event honors the families of donors, recipients of organ donations and those waiting for donor organs. This year’s ceremony included the planting of a tree in remembrance of those who have donated organs.
Peach ribbons
Stokes’ husband and Gilmore’s stepfather, Steven Stokes, died Dec. 10, 2009, after a surgery. “We had a couple of really good days,” Gilmore said. “We came through the storm, and then we lost him at the last minute.” Gilmore said the family felt fortunate that Steven Stokes could be a donor, donating his corneas and skin, despite being diabetic. “It gave me comfort to know that somewhere, he’s still out there enjoying the sunshine, seeing flowers and children’s smiles,” Vicki Stokes said.
Sprague’s daughter, Stephanie Baert, was killed in a traffic accident Dec. 21, 2005. Sprague said she believes it’s important for family members to always be aware of each other’s wishes concerning organ donation. “Just because it says ‘donor’ on your driver’s license doesn’t make it so,” Sprague said. Sprague’s daughter was a tissue donor. She said her daughter helped 97 people, though that doesn’t make it any easier.
Green ribbons
Vanderhoofven works as a branch manager for Heartland Lions Eye Banks, an organization that collects and places donor corneas. “Heartland Lions gives back the gift of sight to seven people every day,” she said. Vanderhoofven said she wanted people to know that anyone can be a cornea donor, despite vision impairment and even blindness. “As long as it doesn’t affect the cornea, we can use them,” she said. Donated corneas that can’t be placed with a recipient can be used for research purposes.
Purple ribbons
Farley, who worked with chemicals on a road crew, received a single lung transplant 12 years ago. “This is 12 years I wouldn’t have had, praise the Lord,” he said. Farley said his single donor lung supports him because of the donor’s size. “My lung came from a 6-foot-4-inch man in Texas,” he said. “His lungs helped two people.”
Gardner, who spoke to the group about his double lung transplant, concentrated on not only what he has gained through donor organs but also what would not have happened without his operation.
“If I would have died, my obituary would have been written and my funeral would have been past history,” he said.
Chevelle Gilmore, Vicki Stokes, Norma Scroggins and Judy Sprague were wearing peach ribbons. Their family members donated organs.
Bud Farley and Lynn Gardner were wearing purple ribbons because they received donated organs.
Darian Vanderhoofven was wearing a green ribbon. She’s a branch manager for the Heartland Lions Eye Bank.
The annual event honors the families of donors, recipients of organ donations and those waiting for donor organs. This year’s ceremony included the planting of a tree in remembrance of those who have donated organs.
Peach ribbons
Stokes’ husband and Gilmore’s stepfather, Steven Stokes, died Dec. 10, 2009, after a surgery. “We had a couple of really good days,” Gilmore said. “We came through the storm, and then we lost him at the last minute.” Gilmore said the family felt fortunate that Steven Stokes could be a donor, donating his corneas and skin, despite being diabetic. “It gave me comfort to know that somewhere, he’s still out there enjoying the sunshine, seeing flowers and children’s smiles,” Vicki Stokes said.
Sprague’s daughter, Stephanie Baert, was killed in a traffic accident Dec. 21, 2005. Sprague said she believes it’s important for family members to always be aware of each other’s wishes concerning organ donation. “Just because it says ‘donor’ on your driver’s license doesn’t make it so,” Sprague said. Sprague’s daughter was a tissue donor. She said her daughter helped 97 people, though that doesn’t make it any easier.
Green ribbons
Vanderhoofven works as a branch manager for Heartland Lions Eye Banks, an organization that collects and places donor corneas. “Heartland Lions gives back the gift of sight to seven people every day,” she said. Vanderhoofven said she wanted people to know that anyone can be a cornea donor, despite vision impairment and even blindness. “As long as it doesn’t affect the cornea, we can use them,” she said. Donated corneas that can’t be placed with a recipient can be used for research purposes.
Purple ribbons
Farley, who worked with chemicals on a road crew, received a single lung transplant 12 years ago. “This is 12 years I wouldn’t have had, praise the Lord,” he said. Farley said his single donor lung supports him because of the donor’s size. “My lung came from a 6-foot-4-inch man in Texas,” he said. “His lungs helped two people.”
Gardner, who spoke to the group about his double lung transplant, concentrated on not only what he has gained through donor organs but also what would not have happened without his operation.
“If I would have died, my obituary would have been written and my funeral would have been past history,” he said.
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