Power in Contribution
Sometimes you hear a word or an expression for the first time and then, it seems, you see or hear it everywhere you go. You start to wonder how this was never part of your experience before. Since my liver transplant I’ve been more aware of stories in the news, online and in everyday conversations of people receiving a second chance at life through organ transplantation. A story about a father who gets to witness the birth of his first child. Mothers who get to become grandmothers. Stories of children who get to go to school with their friends and literally grow up. And the stories of people who have been inspired to start a charity or an organization to raise money for transplant research, those who became fitness fans in their post transplant life and people who take on big challenges like traversing the country to raise awareness for organ donation.
This is where I find myself post transplant. On my journey. I am striving to show other transplant survivors, individuals on the waiting list and potential donors what can be accomplished, through dedication to health and fitness, by someone who has required an organ transplant.
What’s there for you?
In my Donor Art Mosaic Project my goal is to cause 1,600 new organ donor registrations in Ontario. I have been reaching out to as many people as I can to spread a simple message, speaking at events and having fantastic one on one conversations about the need for new registrations and just what that means to someone like me. Some people are willing to become donors right away and just never faced a direct opportunity to do so. Others never really thought about registering but now, informed, don’t see any reason why not. I have also met people who simply don’t want to register. With them – all have been eager to dig deep and share! - I get to discuss what it is that’s stopping them from choosing to support transplant initiatives as a registered donor. Some are not sure what it means to be an organ donor, and many admit to being uncomfortable when they consider their own mortality. If I can get a better sense of what stops people from getting involved in the cause I can consider the larger population as I work toward my goal and be more effective in addressing their concerns. If you are reading this and fall into that category of being “stopped” in the matter of registering (you want to help, but you have reservations), please, take the time to reach out to me at grey@goalembassy.com so we can explore what’s in the way, without judgment or any pressure to change your mind. I’m so grateful for every one of these conversations - they’re a huge contribution to what I’m up to.
