July 2011 Anniversaries

[Clark]

Ah, July.  Warmer, slower, lazier, happier days for most of us, sunshine and joy in the moment.  Remember, if you will, that some of us choose different activities, on behalf of others, during this month.  July also holds the poignant story of Patti McRoberts and her husband.  She languished in a coma from the time of her surgery until two days shy of what would have her fourth kidneyversary.  His surgery was successful, and he came to her bedside to sing to her every day.  Her brave words of joyful hope to a reporter before her surgery resonate with each of us. Thank you, one and all.

Thirty-eighth anniversary:
Barbara Outz Johnson donated a kidney to her brother on July 5th, 1973

Twenty-first anniversary:
Joan Schurman donated a kidney to her son on July 8th, 1990

Sixteenth anniversary:
Mare Medernach donated a kidney to her brother, Mark, on July 19th, 1995

Eleventh anniversary:
Laura Hawes donated part of her liver to her mother on July 25th, 2000
Patti McRoberts, a living kidney donor to her husband on July 31st, 2000, never woke up, and died on July 29th, 2004

Tenth anniversary:
Jenny Lee donated a kidney to her daughter on July 9th, 2001
Lisa Steele donated a kidney to an unrelated recipient on July 12th, 2001
Stephanie Ritchon donated a kidney to her sister on July 16th, 2001

Ninth anniversary:
Jess Coleman donated part of his liver to his wife on July 3rd, 2002
Gerda A. Coakley donated a kidney to her brother on July 10th, 2002
Margaret donated part of her liver to her mother on July 12th, 2002
Ted Whitehead donated part of his liver to his brother on July 19th, 2002
Julie Michaels donated a kidney to a friend on July 24th, 2002
Tim Hurley donated a kidney to his son on July 24th, 2002

Eighth anniversary:
Steven Seidner donated a kidney to his father on July 8th, 2003
Tom Falsey donated a kidney to a stranger on July 15th, 2003
Patricia donated a kidney to a stranger on July 22nd, 2003
Zell Kravinsky donated a kidney to a stranger on July 22nd, 2003
Donna Vogelgesang donated a kidney to her father on July 30th, 2003
Karen Kennedy donated a kidney to her mother on July 30th, 2003
Linda Marshall donated a kidney to her mom on July 30th, 2003

Seventh anniversary:
Gary W. donated a kidney to his father on July 7th, 2004
Lisa Quinn donated a kidney to her mother-in-law on July 7th, 2004
Susan Kuhn donated a kidney to her husband on July 9th, 2004
Kimberly Moity donated a kidney to her husband on July 13th, 2004
Mike donated a kidney to his uncle on July 20th, 2004
Barbara Romine donated a kidney to her daughter on July 28th, 2004
Sherry donated a kidney to her husband on July 28th, 2004
Patti McRoberts, a living kidney donor to her husband on July 31st, 2000, never woke up, and died on July 29th, 2004

Fourth anniversary:
Irismer donated a kidney to her cousin on July 2nd, 2007
Kevin Vericker donated a kidney to his brother on July 5th, 2007
Ellen Sweeney donated part of her liver to her sister, Susan, on July 12th, 2007
Tristan Smith donated a kidney to his 11 year old cousin on July 12th, 2007
Tanya Moder donated a kidney to a stranger on July 17th, 2007
Charissa Cook donated a kidney to her father, Joseph DiBeneditto, on July 18th, 2007
Matt Jones donated a kidney to an unrelated person on July 18th, 2007
Laurie Fosburg Carlo donated a kidney to her sister-in-law on July 20th, 2007
Joyce Hennes donated a kidney to a friend on July 24th, 2007

Third anniversary:
Marilyn (Moe) Shea donated a part of her liver to her employer on July 1st, 2008
Breann Dobben donated a kidney to her boyfriend on July 7th, 2008
Jonas Read donated a kidney to his childhood friend, Austin Pierce, on July 31st, 2008

Second anniversary
Anne Caldwell donated a kidney to a friend from church on July 7th, 2009
Jody Clement donated a kidney to her best friend, Faye, on July 8th, 2009
Macey Leigh donated a kidney to her cousin, Marc, on July 10th, 2009
Cathy Hopkins donated a kidney to her uncle on July 16th, 2009
Jordan Brough donated a kidney to a stranger (and then friend) on July 16th, 2009
Laurie Stuart donated a kidney to her ex-husband, Paul, on July 22nd, 2009

First anniversary:
Nicki Hayes became a non-directed kidney donor on July 13th, 2010
Tom O'Driscoll donated a kidney to Carolyn Branson, suggested by Chaya Lipschutz, on July 23rd, 2010
Dawn made a non-directed kidney donation on July 26th, 2010
Betty (Bryant) Shelton made a non-directed kidney donation on July 27th, 2010

[Clark]

July 31st will forever be associated with Patti McRoberts' tragic story in my mind and heart.  Her death was the most recent among several donors that I knew of as I first stepped onto a public stage and spoke about living donation.  Every candidate needs all their names and their stories as part of an education program in order to reach informed consent, in my view.  We all do.