Donor Alliance Invites Wyoming Residents to #ShowYourHeart in Honor of National Donate Life Month

Residents are encouraged to share their stories with the community to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation and honor those that have given the gift of life

News provided by

Donor Alliance

Apr 01, 2021, 13:06 ET

CASPER, Wyo., April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Donate Life Month this April, Donor Alliance is inviting Wyoming residents to help raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation by sharing with friends and family why they are signed up to be a donor. Participants can take part by visiting DonateLifeWyoming.org/ShowYourHeart to upload a photo, customize it with a heart and share what inspired them to sign up as an organ, eye and tissue donor using #ShowYourHeart on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

"Wyoming is among the most generous states in the country when it comes to percentage of residents who have signed up as organ and tissue donors, and we love hearing the inspirational stories behind what encouraged Wyomingites to say yes to giving the gift of life," said Jennifer Prinz, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. "To represent the nearly 2,000 people right here in our community waiting on a lifesaving transplant, we are hoping to accrue at least 2,000 submissions in support of the generous gift of organ and tissue donation. In addition to raising awareness for this important cause and encouraging more people to sign up to become organ, eye and tissue donors, sharing the stories of our friends, family and neighbors gives hope to those on the waitlist."

Donor Alliance Advocates for Life volunteers Lucy Williamson and Mark Holder are sharing their stories with their communities this April. After being diagnosed with cryptogenic liver disease and nearly a year on the waiting list, Lucy's life was saved with a liver transplant in 2009. Now, eleven years after her transplant, the Cheyenne resident is living her life to the fullest. She is sharing her story to give hope to and be an example for others new to their transplant journey, including Mark. Mark received his lifesaving transplant in May 2020 after living with cryptogenic liver disease for seven years. Not a day goes by that Mark doesn't think about his donor. A nurse in Laramie, Mark is sharing his story of profound gratitude to encourage more people to sign up to be donors.

Beyond sharing their stories to encourage others to say yes to giving the gift of life, they are also sharing their stories as an example of the incredible support of community. Through their volunteer work advocating for organ, eye and tissue donation, Mark and Lucy discovered a remarkable connection. After seeing Mark's familiar name and a candy recipe from her childhood days in Advocates for Life volunteer materials, Lucy realized that she and Mark were childhood friends. The sweet treats Mark's grandmother once made for her Sunday school class were unforgettable. Lucy wrote Mark a letter and they have since reconnected through their unique diagnosis, transplant and recovery stories. Due to the pandemic, Mark and Lucy have not been able to see each other in-person, but have made plans to reconnect virtually on Thursday, April 8.

Mark and Lucy were once two of the nearly 2,000 people in our region waiting for a lifesaving transplant. #ShowYourHeart for all Wyomingites touched by organ, eye and tissue donation at DonateLifeWyoming.org/ShowYourHeart.

Donor Alliance is the federally designated non-profit that facilitates organ and tissue donation in Colorado and most of Wyoming. For more information about organ and tissue donation, please DonorAlliance.org. To sign up to become an organ, eye and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeWyoming.org.

About Donor Alliance
Donor Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. As the organ and tissue procurement agency for Colorado and most of Wyoming, Donor Alliance serves more than 5.8 million residents and more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance adheres to the highest medical, regulatory and ethical standards, and meets every performance standard. By respectfully working with the families of organ and tissue donors, maintaining partnerships with hospitals, educating residents on the life-saving benefits of donation and inspiring them to sign up on the state's donor registry, Donor Alliance is able to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Colorado and Wyoming boast some of the highest rates of donor registration in the country, which directly translates to more lives saved and healed through organ and tissue transplantation. Donor Alliance is one of 58 federally designated organizations of its kind in the United States. For more information visit DonorAlliance.org or the Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming Facebook pages.