Photo: Sandy.Strickland@jacksonville.com
Terry Dennis (left) is seen with his son, Matt, in 2004. Terry recently received an award for his work as an advocate for organ and blood donations.
Since his son became the youngest patient to receive a heart transplant in Florida 25 years ago, Terry Dennis has been a tireless advocate for organ and blood donations. He’s given countless speeches. He went on a two-month cross-country bike ride to raise awareness about the different types of donations. Dennis, who retired in 2005 as a battalion chief in the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, spearheaded its blood drive efforts.
His son, Matt, received his new heart when he was 3 in 1986. When he learned that anti-rejection drugs had destroyed Matt’s kidneys, Dennis donated one of his own last December.
For his efforts, Dennis recently received the inaugural Christopher Mark Gregory Angel of Hope Award presented by Gabriel House of Care, which opened on the Mayo Clinic campus in April 2011. The house is an extended-stay facility for visiting transplant and cancer families.
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Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/columnists/good-news/2012-07-14/story/good-news-terry-dennis-tireless-advocate-organ#ixzz20bWDoRml
{Register to be an organ,eye and tissue donor. To learn how, www.donatelife.net or www.organdonor.gov}
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