By YVETTE C. HAMMETT | The Tampa Tribune
Brandon - For Tom, it was 47-year-old Carl who saved his life when his heart enlarged and began to die seven years ago.
For his daughter, Stephanie, it was a 12-year-old boy named Riley, from somewhere in the Northeast. Her heart would contract but wouldn't relax. She risked sudden death before Riley's heart came to her.
Stephanie Dye received her new heart when she was 18, just three years ago.
"I moved out of the house three months later and started college," she told a group gathered at Brandon Regional Hospital April 21.
The Valrico father and daughter came to tell their story as part of a Gift of Life event, bringing the hospital and LifeLink Foundation together to promote organ donation. LifeLink is the federally designated organ recovery organization for the west coast of Florida.
"We have both volunteered a lot for LifeLink," Stephanie Dye said. "It's an awesome program."
Brandon Regional CEO Mike Fencel called organ donation the most generous gift a person could ever give.
"We all know why this is such an important decision," he said. "Eighteen people die a day waiting for an organ transplant," said LifeLink Executive Director Liz Lehr. "We get about 2,000 potential brain death calls every year, but only about 200 of them will be organ donors. It's a very precious gift.
"Encourage people to learn a little bit more about it." And let your family know if you choose to be an organ donor, Tom Dye said.
"Carl's mother didn't even know his wish was to be a donor," Dye said "Your family needs to know."
To learn more about becoming a donor for organs or tissue, visit www.lifelinkfound.org.
For his daughter, Stephanie, it was a 12-year-old boy named Riley, from somewhere in the Northeast. Her heart would contract but wouldn't relax. She risked sudden death before Riley's heart came to her.
Stephanie Dye received her new heart when she was 18, just three years ago.
"I moved out of the house three months later and started college," she told a group gathered at Brandon Regional Hospital April 21.
The Valrico father and daughter came to tell their story as part of a Gift of Life event, bringing the hospital and LifeLink Foundation together to promote organ donation. LifeLink is the federally designated organ recovery organization for the west coast of Florida.
"We have both volunteered a lot for LifeLink," Stephanie Dye said. "It's an awesome program."
Brandon Regional CEO Mike Fencel called organ donation the most generous gift a person could ever give.
"We all know why this is such an important decision," he said. "Eighteen people die a day waiting for an organ transplant," said LifeLink Executive Director Liz Lehr. "We get about 2,000 potential brain death calls every year, but only about 200 of them will be organ donors. It's a very precious gift.
"Encourage people to learn a little bit more about it." And let your family know if you choose to be an organ donor, Tom Dye said.
"Carl's mother didn't even know his wish was to be a donor," Dye said "Your family needs to know."
To learn more about becoming a donor for organs or tissue, visit www.lifelinkfound.org.
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