Today I had the opportunity to photograph the fourth annual Cambridge flag raising for “Be A Donor.”
Cambridge Ontario is in the forefront of organ donor awareness in the province of Ontario. The charge is lead by a small yet hard working band of volunteers. It was here is Cambridge that the “Green Ribbon” campaign started in support of one of our own, Kayla Baker.
Today’s ceremony saw representation from all four levels of government; city, region, provincial and federal. Local celebrities Gayle O’Brien and Darryl Law, morning show hosts with 107.5 Dave Rocks were masters of ceremony.
MC Gayle O’Brien talking with transplant recipient Kelly Thorman-Kleinschmidt
Greetings and legislation updates were brought by Mayor Doug Craig, Kathryn McGarry,MPP and Bryan May,MP.
Pam Ditner shares what her hero has meant to her entire family.
Organ donor recipient Pam Ditner told the crowd of her journey and what receiving a heart transplant has meant to her and her family. Because somebody, a total stranger, made a decision to be a hero Pam has lived to see her children get married and to hold and love her granddaughter. Because somebody else’s heart beats in her chest she is able to walk four kilometers every day, and participate in the transplant games. I watched several people wipe their eyes and cheeks as Pam told her story.
There were tears of joy over the way organ donation has affected local families.
Mike Pleau brought the story of what it is like to be waiting for your hero. Only it isn’t his hero he’s waiting for. It’s his daughters. His daughter Sophie is 27 months old and has been needing a kidney transplant since the day she was born. In her short life Sophie has undergone several operations and spends 12 hours each and every day on dialysis. If you are on Facebook you can read Sophie’s story here.
Mike Pleau shared how painful the waiting process can be, then shared some great news.
Then Mike surprised everyone when he announced that he had just found out this morning (April 7th) that Sophie’s surgery for a kidney transplant has been scheduled for early May. Mike is going to be his daughter’s hero. He has been approved to give his daughter one of his kidneys. There were more tears.
The new signs that were at the event today May Be a Donor are a reminder that even if you think you are registered you need to make sure your family know your wishes and you need to check the donor site to make sure you are registered.
Then it was time to celebrate the lives of the recipients and thank the families of the generous donors. Flying the “Be A Donor” flag at city hall is another sign that Cambridge cares.
These are a few of the many lives right here in Cambridge that have been effected in a positive way because of organ and tissue donation.
