Hello and welcome to the Get to Life podcast where we have conversations about Oregon tissue and eye donation. I'm Lori Steel. I'm Joey Boudreau. I'm Sally I'm Sally Gentry.
We are smiling blue and green right? Blue and green day. Blue and green day. Hashtag blue green day.
Hashtag blue green day. It is the day. I'm so excited right? Yes you are.
Right? Yes you are. For Oregon tissue and eye donation right? Yes.
Not only in our state but all of our partners across the country But in Louisiana we have some special things happening So keep your eyes peeled because we have some very important Louisiana landmarks going up and blue and green exciting. Oh, it's a good stuff. So the gutters mention Oh, smoothie keys. Yes.
Yes. Yes. So and Saint Joe's plantation has some churches going up and blue and green The light center in Lafayette area. Yes.
Beautiful. All to honor our donors. Celebrate life to get people talking about donation today. Right?
And that's what we try to do. We're gonna have partners all day. Plus social media is gonna be on fire. Right?
So that's where we ask you if you're listening to take pictures of blue and green be creative. Some people have blue and green hair. Joey did nails. Yeah, he did that.
Sally is already dressed up and hurt blue and green. We love that. Right? Some have pets that they love and they have the blue and green bow tie.
Others are into plants. So they do blue and green all these beautiful colors But remember the goal behind it is to get people talking about organization Hopefully inspiring them to say yes to donation. So today's the day join us We're gonna tell you how to follow our social media fees because we want to see what you're doing where you are. Don't have to be in Louisiana, right?
No, you don't partners all one goal making life happen also in this podcast pretty neat because you get an insight into our Louisiana families Our donor families those that are honoring heroes and saying yes, so you get to hear from them today Yeah, as we do every year we like to bring donor families together to mingle with each other get to know one another get to know our staff And actually it's one of the brainchild's of our own Sally right now. Yes. Yes, it's great I mean it's just wonderful for the families to come and be with other folks that they can talk to about their loved one and what they've Experienced what's going on for them And it's truly a celebration of their loved ones life And I think it's very uplifting for not only the families but for us to see in the smiles and knowing how proud they are that They are that they're loved when was a donor so it's great time And what we're talking about is our donor family Picnic and I love that we are part of these families and you'll hear it for yourself coming up on this episode of the gifted life that and more guys It's incredible, but look we need you we want more people tuning in to these conversations It's not about us. It's about donation and it's about honoring those heroes celebrating life We're easy to find and find us on apple podcast Google play and now you can even find us on the gifted life dot org Yes, we talked about blue and green day social media.
What did I say what's gonna happen on social media today? It's gonna be on fire You're listening so that that's a plus alright so Facebook or donate life Louisiana Instagram and Twitter at donate life L a post your pictures be a part of the plan to save more lives. You can do it and we have this hotline sound yes We do it's five zero four six four eight three four seven seven So you can work the phones as well share your stories with us so that other people can be inspired because we want to make life happen You're on our team. So let's get this party started right all right.
You're on fire. Yeah, no Okay, we're gonna work on that guys more to come here on the gifted life on this episode of the gifted life You get a behind-the-scenes look if you will at our annual event to honor donors The donor family picnic held at global wildlife lots in attendance It's gone through a transition over the years thanks to Sally But lots of people in attendance because we listen to what they wanted. Yeah, absolutely I think we had over two thousand people that attended picnic really great way to visit with families Yeah, it's one of our favorite as as lopa staff we get to interact with the families They have an opportunity to have good conversations with other donor family members And of course our staff and that really enjoys that and most of the staff says that this is their favorite daily year You know, so we thought that you guys would want to hear so let's take a look Hello, everyone Lori steel here and Sally gentry of the gifted life podcast actually on location. This is pretty nice Yes, it is global wildlife management.
We have a lot of families today celebrating their loved ones life Yeah, it turned out to be a good weather day as well. How many people would you say? Oh, I'm thinking somewhere around 2100 or so My goodness lots of people here Yeah, we're seeing lots of shirts with designs on them And we had to stop and talk to miss Elizabeth because of the design that's on her shirt and turns out she's a donor mom Yeah, and she's here to honor her son Gerald. So how are you miss Elizabeth?
I'm fine Yeah, we appreciate you joining us here on the gift of life and for being willing to share your story So tell us about your shirt here. Obviously caught my eye. I love it a lot of love. I think went into it Yes, my daughter myself.
I'm a set of twin girls. We designed the shirts and we made the shirts We have a company. We started up a company a year and a half ago every year that we come we make a new design Yeah, so it has Gerald's picture. It has the angel wings and has his birthday Here and then death day says Gerald profit your wings were ready, but our hearts were not and we hear a lot about that here At the picnic so we want to know about Gerald obviously you're so proud of him Look at that smile his daughter is here running around at global wildlife.
So tell us a man I'm like goodness got my attention for sure. Yes Gerald is actually our oldest We have a total of four two boys and we have a set of twin girls the girls helped me design the shirts every year But Gerald being the oldest he was just outgoing just brought everybody together. We would do family gatherings We have family fun day when we do and he would be the one. Oh, yeah, I know y'all coming, you know everybody's coming You know you get everybody together Look how she's lighting up talking about it.
That's one of my favorite parts. So he was 27. He was 27 I had to do a balloon art for his cousin baby shower and he was invited also So he came and I actually had left and was headed home and got a phone call He drives a motorcycle He had wrecked his motorcycle and so by the time I got back he was in the ambulance and he coded on the way to the hospital They didn't pronounce him did until after he was at the hospital because they were still trying to revive it So that was in 2015. Yes, that's the week after his birthday.
Oh my goodness If we fast forward to 2018, we know that he's a hero Yes, like what a legacy was left and he had decided that he wanted to be a hero, right? He said that he made a decision for himself that we're gonna I and tissue donations to tell us about that when he got his license You know, he told them that he wanted to be a donor. So he has it on his license I think everybody in the family kind of has it on their license. Yeah, and we were talking a lot of families meet their recipients Right, right so I have not had the chance to meet the recipients Like I said, this is actually our third year last year me and my daughter's talked about getting more involved We wanted to do the square we just hadn't got a chance because they're kind of like the boy Well, let's make his daughter a quilt with all of his pictures So let me ask you have you written to the recipient shed or I have not written we really I'm just sorry So you think that son you might want to do?
Yes, okay, you know, we'd love to help you do that and we can get him out to the recipients Transplant centers. I'm right. Yeah, that's one of the great things about this day is because you have all the people who work for Lope and all the people that can help make that happen here today, which is incredible So you said this was your third picnic We try to make it in this type of environment So we noticed that you your husband Gerald's daughter's here Tell us about what this day is for you because obviously made it a priority to be here the family Yeah, but what does this day like for you and in this environment? What does it do for your family?
It is Everybody's kind of busy and running around, you know, cuz all of the kids have grown Yeah, and so it's just the way it's for us to really just kind of come together and do something together Yes, you know in his remembrance celebrating his life. Yeah, yeah, and I love that everybody has those t-shirts on I know pop is around proud to wear that Small over there. Yeah, so we appreciate you coming and we even have his niece I think she's three months. Oh, wow, and she also has my shirt.
Oh, that's great. That was a good thing about us making We can make a business. Me and you can talk later and as a visitor But we appreciate you guys coming. We appreciate you keeping Gerald's memory alive We love the shirts and we love the things that you do and that you're part of our Lope of families Thank you so much for taking the time.
No problem. Enjoy yourself. We always do great So we actually had a chance today to visit with Gerald's daughter three years old and here's what she had to say so precious About her daddy I love it. Now.
Who is this handsome guy on your shirt? My daddy. He wrecked his motorcycle He wrecked his motorcycle He's a hero Lori Steele and Sally Gentry here at the donor family picnic at the beautiful Global Wildlife beautiful days out Oh, absolutely. Look at all these folks.
You can hear the kids in the background. You having a great time I know in so many stories that we're hearing they're talking about the heartstrings But we're seeing smiles behind these stories because of the reason that we're here today. That's honor our heroes That's right. This is designed to celebrate.
Yeah, celebrate their lives celebrate lives and today we're celebrating the life of Clark His mom Melissa joins us now. Hey, Miss Melissa. Hello, so this is not an easy story to tell you probably seen on our social media sites We wanted to bring it to our podcast audience But Melissa and her husband Ryan DeSell are in the Lafayette area and the first neo-natal flag raising happened in honor of Clark So the first we say the first not only the state but across the nation that we're aware of so that means mom is forward thinking that she has a Big heart and that Clark is quite the hero So I know that you and Sally were talking so bring us back you're pregnant you're anticipating this second pregnancy because Clark has a big sissy Right two and a half year old what's her name two and a half Olivia Olivia? All right So you have a second pregnancy things are going well.
You go to 16 week check up. Yeah, and then what were you told Miss Melissa? We were actually only having an ultrasound that day to find out the sex of the baby And we had found out for our daughter and we wanted to do the same this time around Yeah, obviously with some hopes that maybe it would be a boy, you know one of each is all these you know kind of a dream I guess so we went into that appointment feeling like everything was normal I hadn't had any real symptoms or anything different than my first pregnancy And once that ultrasound started the ultrasound tech kind of started to cough and excuse yourself from the room I really didn't think much of it my husband though kind of questioned is she Excusing herself because she's coughing or is she excusing herself because something's wrong? Thinking in yeah, definitely So we waited wait for what seemed like forever for her to come back and when she came back in the doctor was with her And so being that it wasn't our first pregnancy We knew at that point that something was wrong.
They started asking a lot of questions about my health history throughout the beginning of the pregnancy If anything had gone on and eventually told us that they didn't see the skull and brain development for the time period that they would expect For that 16-week development really difficult for you to hear kind of that heart-dropping moment So told us that they didn't see that it was normal But couldn't really tell us anything further than that suggested that we needed to see a specialist which we were fortunate That was scheduled for the following day So we went into went home from that appointment and called our parents and our immediate family and let them know what was going on And then decided that we would continue to move forward like normal went to work the next day and waited for that Oh my goodness. Yeah, just my stomach is a knots for you, you know, like your mom You're you're going to this appointment just thinking everything's normal And that's not the news that you're going to receive so right so you find out what we found out on that specialist visit That he had a diagnosis of anencephalae Which is a neural tube defect which means that the brain didn't the neural tube didn't close when it should have and it didn't develop The way that it should have so things like spina bifida other neural tube defects like that that are a little more common This is one of the more rare birth defects Oh my goodness So Sally was talking to you because we're both an amazing at the strength of this couple that's sitting across from us So I wouldn't know what next what my brain would be thinking next but you read this article Talked about donation in the same same night setup. Yeah, same and then your little heart tells you to do what? Yeah We we went home that night after the specialist appointment and that was the first time that I'd ever told Ryan about the article And so we I told him what we read and what they were planning to do now that couple was in Oklahoma And so his first question was is that something that we can do here for this baby And so they had the same type of diagnosis and chose to carry the baby Yes, she was still running at the time Okay, did she not have that baby yet?
But they had worked with the Oregon donation agency where they are to make those plans And so you have this conversation which not the easiest conversation to have right now. No, yeah, it's been very difficult I have that conversation And then and then what what happens next you decide? Yeah, we went we said let's find out more information because we knew that it was happening in another state But we didn't know if it was happening here It was nothing that we'd ever heard about before reading that article and so we discussed with our OBGYN Who also said I have no idea. I've never I've never had anybody not that they hadn't seen the diagnosis before But they had never had anyone inquire about Oregon and Tishu's donation before and so we kind of set on on an adventure to find out a journey to find out and so where you like mom on a mission like so this is my son I felt him in my tummy so we're gonna do something big here We're gonna do something to honor here is that with a thinking was there?
Well, I mean we had a conversation after that specialist appointment of you know He's ours already he's already our baby at 16 weeks who have seen the heartbeat you can see him moving on the ultrasound We now know he's a boy. He didn't have a name at that point But he was ours when I'm thinking dad's thinking about future about games and doing those kinds of things So that you could even get to this point where you say yes to donation or let's try or let's find out like that's oh It's pretty incredible kindness that yeah that is involved with you all thinking that way to begin with it's just phenomenal because I'm sure That there was part of you that was like I just can't believe this is happening But then to think of others at that point in time my head is off to both of you all for being so kind and really looking looking toward a Future where he could help others just just fantastic. I think I would have been stuck So I don't know where that strength comes from one of the first Parts of the that you know continuing conversation that we had was we have a child who is two years old Yeah, who could easily be waiting for a donation of some time Yeah, we could be on the other side of this in a split second where we are the family that is waiting on that gift and waiting on that person to say Yes, and so we have an opportunity You know to be that person here for our child to be that person you guys are younger parents I'm just in awe of you now. So we know that there is a network of folks If you're touched by donation, we know this person we know this cell phone We know that cell phone that's kind of how I work for you guys like just started making calls to see is this a possibility for my Clark, yes, and so tell us that that timeline of how that went So I'm a social worker by profession and I will in Lafayette general large hospital system And so we often as social workers in the medical setting are on the other side of those conversations and that news So I was fortunate to already have resources to go to and information and contacts And so I used one of those who is a recent go more who the executive director of a maddie so Prince We know her donor mom Yes, she's on her mom Which I didn't know at the time but reached out to her and just kind of said this is what we're thinking about But we don't really know where to go and she said I know exactly where to go And so you have the knowledge and the background yes of having that available to you Which I know did not make that decision easier, but at least it gave you food for thought of moving forward rather than just kind of Stuck there at that I right we had a lot of questions But I knew that we would be able to find the information that we needed and get the answers that we needed so fast forward You get in touch with local's neo-natal expert, not to Laura who's here at the picnic today playing with Olivia Just playing with Olivia here and and so you had that conversation tell us how that went and then curious through to delivery day initial conversation She gave us a lot of some links to some resources to look at on a purposeful gift Which became kind of a go-to guide for us who is at Bethany Conkel out of Ohio You know her son was one of the first donors in the country with Annan Cepoli And she kind of now writes a guidebook for all parents that are looking into that and is really just an expert on neonatal donation So I think we read every single piece of information that we could I bet you did, yeah Kind of read it separately and then came back together and said okay What do you think and we both said yes?
We think this is definitely something that we want to do and so Laura said call me back when you know what you want to do And we got back in touch with them and had a meeting pretty immediately They gave us a recorder to record Clark's heartbeat and our next ultrasound that we later had put into a bear for Olivia at a Build a bear we did that for Father's Day and had that put in and then you know involved our medical team and kind of got everybody on the same page Because our physicians really didn't know yeah, if this was an option or what they would need to do if anything special Wouldn't need to happen, but everybody that we had on our team at that point Was you know a hundred percent in and wanted to make this happen? The hospital was totally on board of course it was new for them They never while they're great partners with Lopa then neonatal donation was not something they'd ever done Right and so I was kind of new territory for everybody But they were all very open and willing to figure it out with us So I remember when Clark was born just seeing these beautiful pictures that you guys again decided let's share these pictures of everyone and I was in awe sitting back in denim Springs like oh my goodness Right, but you allowed that and I'm just thinking of the lives that you touch because obviously people click on that story They read your story, but tell us how how that day went for you as a mom after making that decision Of course, there's a lot of anxiety I think anytime when you're going in to deliver a baby whether you know what the outcome is going to be or not whether you Go home with a healthy child. There's still just some apprehension of how things are going to go We ended up with a very long labor I labored for Clark for about three days before he made his arrival, but it was very calm we had a lot of family around there was a lot of smiles a lot of laughs Olivia kept everyone very well entertained and You know, of course once he was born there were tears But there was also a lot of joy that we were getting to meet him and have some time with him You know I shared in one of the interviews that we did before that one of the biggest concerns or fears that I had going into it Was that I would physically not want to let him go? Yeah, yeah, and when the moment came I couldn't wait for our family To share that talk with him My goodness well those pictures are powerful We actually have a link on our local website local.org for neonatal donation And you can read about it and you can learn just like Melissa and Ryan DeSell did but Clark is a hero, right?
So what do we know so we know that he was able to donate? Yes, and so have you gotten any feedback or response or anything like that of those gifts from him so his donations were all for research He was able to donate his lungs his thymus and his sling for research We did get a letter from one of the researchers who is handling the lung donation that it's being used to do some lung mapping for Babies and then you natal intensive care units to hopefully prevent chronic lung disease later in life Yeah, those premature babies so little Clark a little hero, right? So so what do we tell Olivia about Clark? What do we Olivia was much more aware of everything?
Much more aware than we probably expected but she was there the day that he was born she held him She kissed him she loved him. She talks about him all the time. Yeah, she knows that he is was here We love him. He is in heaven.
You know she she knows that she's a big sister Oh, I love that she's where I did in the hospital when he was born Olivia Can you you think you can talk in there and tell us your whole name? My name is my name is my baby to sell What's your brother's name? You tell us your brother's name? Clark Clark is a hero.
Oh fantastic You guys are good little parents guys all right, so today we're at Global Wildlife It's a day to honor these heroes to celebrate life So what's the feeling about how this day is unfolding for your little unit? It's been amazing. This is our first time here first experience with this But it's awesome to see all these families here together You know we told Olivia that we were coming to a party to celebrate Clark So, you know, that's exactly what it feels like and what a great party it is really glad you all that Yeah, thank you guys so much for sharing your story. No, it's not easy.
We know that it's fairly new so there is It is gonna be emotional But I do see your smile We talk about funky light up when you talk about your children I love that we love that you were four thinkers and wanting to learn about donation and that you continue to pay it forward So we appreciate you guys. Thank you. Thank you so much. Good to sell We have a very special guest with us on the right.
That's right. Melinda Bennett. Hey, ma'am. Hey stranger to me I don't even know you kidding kidding kidding.
We go way back We go way back to my first days at Lopa. You're my first donor family But I love the smile. I love how she likes up when she talks about her guy Antonio Bennett So you are a donor mom Yes The reason that that you're here But the spirit that you possess when you talk about I think people listen about Working on tissue donation because of how how you portray it. So your son is a hero.
Yes Yes, yes, he is. He's very much a hero. Yeah, so tell us about Antonio get every letter. I know about him Okay, he was handsome number one, right?
I know one yes handsome handsome and he loved life And he loved music and it was just I mean I really you know talked about them about our organization because I am in a recipient I have two cornias that was transplanted to me. Yes So that's why the story is such a good story because I talked to my two older kids about that and that was one of the things I Don't say you must do that because without that I would be blind today. Yes, I received yes Yes, and so it when they came up to me when he passed away, it was like you don't have to explain I already know it's a yes and I was dating to me Sally when I met this family in 2010 going into 2011 because it was Donation is what you should do. It's a gift right and so I received he gave he's a hero I mean it for this family was so simple nothing to think about really yeah And I know at the time that you have to ask this a hard thing Yeah, it's a hard thing for some families and I just I was I'm just glad that I was able to do this for other families Yeah, because to see the other families because I actually met both kidney recipients.
Yeah, and See me all the time. Oh my god. I come back and she's like where you at I gotta come see you I got and she surprised me with the other don't know the recipient and the family was just so grateful and is to see them How grateful they are and how thankful and they're just like what can we do for you like yeah giving us all this Yeah, can we do for you? And I'm like just live yeah live life cuz I know Antonio want to live life as long as they do it I'm happy really came full circle then from you receiving Ania donation and then for Antonio being able to help these folks.
Wow, that's that's awesome Education from your family because I was in the donation had the heart of my license You should do it's just the right thing to do and then I'm like living it with you and walking that walk with you Because we were so close because he was a floor graph Honorary in the Rosebury back in 2011. So I got to hear it to meet everything that the recipient yeah the first meet So I mean it was so good in the heart Absolutely, and it's such a wonderful thing I mean I to me that's an honor to be picked to get on that get a floor graph on that flow It is such an honor and we were joking on I get other people to go But we were joking around before we started but we say floor graph like me and you we know what a floor graph is but maybe not Everybody knows what the floor graph is but anyway They took Antonio's image a picture of Antonio and because it's the Rosebury it was all plant and flower materials material And his image was made in all those and so they sent us the floor graph Which was basically his image made in plant materials and then you got to finish it we got to finish the eyebrows Yes, the handsome guy like you pick the right picture because that came out just you know And then you did you go yes? Yeah, we did go it was my daughter and you went to California and my husband We went and we got treat. I mean it was just an awesome trip I mean the people were so loving just just everything and just being able to see it up there Yeah, we were sitting with all the floor graph I always have to tell this story and during the judging we got to sit out and we're watching the judging and Everybody's in tears you got to be quiet.
You can't make a sound and just a feeling and just a atmosphere Everybody was just in tears. I want to proud Moa Yes, you look at this look at this and one of the parents was like you know what just just makes this a little bit easier Yeah, you can see how people are so just grateful and thankful and you know that you know you did this and so And Millian got to see him. I was watching from a little Louisiana while you guys were in California watching it in person So and so good and you see how uplifting she is She is so comfortable with donation So when we talk about it and you tell your story like it's easy for people to gravitate on towards you One of the things I'm proud of Sally's that we try to make these picnics bigger and better every year for our families You actually moved away from us. I'm actually upset with you But she moved alone star stay great old Texas.
I'm still good in the Where are you today? Yeah, and then today you're here in Louisiana, Louisiana You came back for this eight hour drive for this why is this so important to you this donor family picnic You know, it's like our because of the family atmosphere because of the love and just being a part of local family I miss it. Yeah, we miss you We know that and it's like you know how to do this. I mean it just shows how you know We know I mean, you know, it's just honoring him all these family Yeah, and you know in the families I mean we need that we need that love we need that you know and it just makes us just I mean It just feels wonderful to be a part of it and we really feel good to be part of you all's experience with us too It really does my heart good.
I know I just wish you look closer to me so I can still take you to my events Hey, we'll work on that. Can you back to Louisiana, but man, it was so great when I saw you here I said I know couldn't travel all the way from Texas, but you yes I did and that's so we appreciate you helping us spread the word no matter what state you're in Yeah, saving more lives and we're honoring it. Yeah, that's important is to save the life because I actually got to tell the server You know I'm shy I tell you got to tell you teacher and her husband was on the transplant list Okay, and he didn't oh he died away before they had someone they were about to end and she saw she said oh my god She said but her daughter was able to get she wasn't even a liver and the daughter was able to get it She said I she said oh my god I'm giving me chills. Yeah, cuz we I never talked about it with her and she's like oh where you going and I was saying Oh, I'm and I when I told her where I was going and she was like oh my god Really?
Yeah, I just I don't know how to be thankful. She's even all lost my husband. My daughter is a lie today because of it Look at you. So I just you know, it's like oh my god You have a purpose you have a purpose we always talk about that.
Yeah, well, we appreciate you coming I'm glad to see you back in Louisiana stay a couple of days. Let's do some things I wish I could maybe next time every next time all right great to see you. Thanks for helping us save more lives Yes On the gift of life podcast we honor our heroes today's hero is Andre Robinson We learned about Andre through his family our hero Andre. We lost him at such a young age 34 He left behind two beautiful baby girls Sophia and Aubrey, but he did the right thing and was a donor We were always so proud of him the people that have a part of our Andre.
We love y'all And now we pause to say thank you to Andre for the gift of life in our question and answer segment today We received this question I have signed up with the Department of Health and Hospitals Bureau of anatomical services in New Orleans to donate my body to science And they have stated that I can donate my organs to you as well I was wondering what the process was for this to happen Do they collaborate with you in any way if I register with you? Are you both contacted at the time of death if there is any information on the subject? Please let me know so we figured this was a great question that not only we could let this listener know about but all of you listening as well Yes And so the important thing is to make sure you do register with boat registry as you head of time with whichever anatomical services that you would like to donate to as well as put yourself on the donation registry in many cases they can work with us and Enable us to recover and save lives through donation as well as they'll be able to utilize the body for research It's an individual basis However, sometimes we can do both and in some other times where they won't be able to use a body for medical education if we recovered Organs or transplant prior to that so the important thing is again that you do register or the anatomical donation for medical education Early because you can't do that, you know after death I mean that you can't have your family do that for you You have to do that ahead of time and then also that you register to be an organ donor or an tissue and eye donor So that way they're both all options are on the table. Yeah, and this is an interesting topic I was just at a presentation with a donor mom and this topic we stayed on for a long time because people were talking about their options Because they heard about donation wanted to go in that direction But they had made the decision as a family to do the donation the anatomical donation as well So great information and look if you're looking for information we do have links on lopa.org for anatomical donations So check that out and so if you have any questions or suggestions for a topic you'd like to know more about you can reach out to us at info at lopa.org Episode 80 of the get to life guys.
I'm just gonna call it hashtag blue-green day episode They get to life you like that I do because today's blue and green day. You're gonna see blue and green all day And we hope that you're sharing it as well kind of sound like a circus Yeah, I'm so excited because this is the day that everybody joins with us We do as a team and the end goal is to make life happen. So show us your blue and green guys Absolutely, you know one of the most favorite things that our donor family picnic was our quilts that these are designed And made by our donor families and then they're put into a quilt panel And I think we just had a big big turnout But you know every year we have lots of folks who come and look at the quilt squares and reminisce and get to read the stories that They have written about their loved one with the quilt books that are there too And along with that one of our partners cry alive ask if they could borrow one of our quilts to hang in their atrium to honor All those heroes who selflessly donated their orgas and tissues And we certainly want to thank all the donor families that showed up at the picnic They told us their stories and of course share their stories here on the gifted life podcast and thanks to all the other families Not only within our state in Louisiana, but but throughout all the states who share throughout the entire year their stories of their loved ones Who've also so selflessly donated? I love our families and look we're already getting blue and green on our social media feeds Because they are just as excited about honoring their loved ones and celebrating life So today's the day show is your blue and green guys donate life Louisiana's our Facebook page at donate life la for Instagram and Twitter and listen do something that you don't normally do to help us make Life happen, right?
So Joey, what are you gonna do blue green green? Green green green. I'm sporting green as well We want to see what you're gonna do and we hope that you get inspired to help us make life happen And maybe that's signing up as part of the registry register me org. We appreciate you listening and we'll talk to you next time This is a production of the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency or LOPA.
The gifted life is hosted by Lori Steele Joey Boudreau and Sally Gensri our producers are Kirsten Heinz and Shalom Caraway We are recorded engineered and mixed in our metery Louisiana studio by Troy Perez