Thursday, February 16, 2012

2012 Third Annual Donor Sabbath

Micki Wise is inviting all TRIO members and friends to attend the third annual Organ Donor Sabbath on Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:30pm at Temple Israel on 133 Merriman Road in Akron (44303).

The service will be conducted by Rabbi Robert Feinberg and will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat and refreshments.

We are hoping for many TRIO members and friends to come. It was a great success last year, and we are hoping for an even greater success this year.

Please sit in the middle of the room so others can have the opportunity to talk to you on a one on one basis and become much more informed on organ donors, recipients, and the transplant experience.

This event is sponsored by the Bernard Wise Family to honor organ donors and recipients and is in memory of Bernie Wise.

According to the US Departement of Health and Human Services, the Donor Sabbath is this:
Donation and transplant professionals join faith communities to focus on the lifesaving and enhancing gifts passed to others through organ, tissue and blood stem cell donation. Faith leaders, donor families, and transplant recipients participate in services and programs to increase awareness of donation and transplantation. Those who donate heal and strengthen not just their recipients, but families, friends, and the larger community.

Many people turn to their faith leaders for help when dealing with life and death issues. Nearly every religion in the United States officially supports organ and tissue donation or supports the individual choices of its members. Donation is viewed by most religions as an act of compassion and generosity, and National Donor Sabbath is celebrated in many houses of worship, often with a transplant recipient sharing a personal story of receiving “a second chance at life.”

Awareness of donation increases each year, but so does the need for donors. More than 105,000 people were on the organ transplant waiting list as of January 2010 despite the fact that more than 14,000 donors made almost 28,000 transplants possible in 2008. Each year, thousands of Americans need corneal or other tissue transplants, and an average of 3,000 individuals at any given time are searching for an unrelated blood stem cell donor. Those who donate organs, tissue, and blood stem cells restore hope and share gifts beyond measure. Transplantation can save lives. If generous individuals and families say yes to donation and register as donors, miracles can happen.

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