Event highlights importance of organ donation

Iowa Press Citizen | Tara Bannow


Ashley Smith and her family know about the positive impact organ donation can have. After all, it gave them 25 more years with Smith’s father.

At age 25, Emerson Martin was the first heart transplant recipient in Iowa. Although he died two years ago, the heart donated to him in 1985 carried him long past the 50 percent chance of surviving the first year doctors had given him. The family now is showing its gratitude by participating in a run/walk to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.

The C.A.R.E., East K5 and 10K is Aug. 25 in North Liberty starting at the North Liberty Community Center. C.A.R.E. stands for Compassion for Awareness, Remembrance and Education. This is the third year the event has been in North Liberty.

Ted Cochran, who founded My Angel Foundation in 2007, started organizing the C.A.R.E. run/walks to raise money for the foundation in Waukee five years ago. He brought the walks to North Liberty because he learned of families in the area coming all the way to Waukee to participate.

Smith’s was one of those families.

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20120819/NEWS01/308190007/Event-highlights-importance-organ-donation?nclick_check=1
{Register to be an organ,eye and tissue donor. To learn how, www.donatelife.net or www.organdonor.gov}