News & Stories

Now that the holidays are here, we are rushing around buying gifts for our loved ones all in the hopes that they will enjoy and appreciate what we have purchased.

While many of us will receive what we want this Christmas, there are more than 120,000 Americans who are waiting for a gift that isn’t wrapped and waiting underneath the tree.  They’re waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and hoping that their second chance at life will come soon, so they can return to a fulfilling life full of friends, family, work and play.

Here at Lifeline of Ohio, I am the community outreach/partnership coordinator where I educate organizations, companies, religious groups, BMV’s and businesses on organ, eye and tissue donation on what it means to say ‘yes’ to donation.  Throughout the year, I help coordinate Lifeline of Ohio’s presence at events, create marketing materials for hospital partners who promote donation through Donate Life month or the Ohio Hospital Association’s Hospital Champions program, answer questions for our BMV partners and plan and execute National Donor Sabbath, a chance for our religious partners to educate their congregants about donation.  Without the hundreds of organizations who partner with us each year, we wouldn’t be able to connect with as many Ohioans as we do each year.

When I’m asked what I enjoy most about my job, my answer is always that every day I’m reaching out to a new audience in a new manner.  No day is ever the same!  After all, who can say they grilled food at the President’s Cup tournament while promoting donation, spoke to hundreds of Ohioans during countless education sessions, stood on the corner of a major intersection promoting Blue and Green Day, registered donors at OSU’s Fan Fest and walked with several doctors during “Donate Life Walk with a Doc” day, all in the name of work?  Let’s just say if I listed everything I have done at Lifeline of Ohio on my Linked In account, there wouldn’t be enough space on my profile!

As we move into 2014, I’d like to take a moment to thank the religious organizations who invited us into their house of worship, our BMV partners who register hundreds of new donors each day, our business and organization partners who invite us to share the donation message with their members and our volunteers who help us share the importance of donation in new and unique ways.  Each opportunity we have to shed a light on the need for donation helps those who are waiting for their second chance at life.  In this season of gratitude, I also want to thank you, our registered donors, because without your commitment to donation, the opportunity to save lives wouldn’t be possible.

If you would like to incorporate the donation message in your house of worship, workplace, organization or event please contact us so we can partner with you to provide you with the needed materials and information.  Visit our website at www.lifelineofohio.org to request materials, or you can contact me directly at 614-384-7333 or lfitting@lifelineofohio.org.

During this season of gratitude, I’d like to thank all of our partners who helped us to share the Donate Life message this year.  We wish you a holiday season filled with peace and joy and we look forward to working together in 2014 in the name of donation so that every Ohioan who needs a transplant to survive or thrive receives it!