And welcome to the Get to Light podcast where we have conversations about organ tissue and eye donation. I'm Maurice Deel. And I'm Sally Chintry. And I'm Sally Chintry.
And we are so glad you have chosen to tune in. Lots of fun stuff going on today. We're going to learn a lot. We're going to be educated.
We're going to have some fun and we want you to join in. Absolutely. On our first segment we're going to talk about new ways on how technology and donation. Yeah, Sally and I are kind of giggling about this.
This is pretty interesting. So you'll want to stay tuned for this. Yeah. We'll also talk about the marsh mad dash.
So if you're looking for an event to get involved in, baby for the first time, something family friendly, this may be the thing. We'll have all the details. And then we'll be talking to Sally again. She'll be continuing a conversation on coping with the aftermath of suicide.
Yeah. Lots to come on that. We're on our hero as we do it. Every podcast, take your questions and answers.
And hey, we want you to help us spread the word. So everything that we talk about today, we want you to pass it on to at least one other person. It's easy to do, y'all, huh? Sure.
And you can find us, of course, always on local.org website and any podcast app. I mean, pretty much all of them are carrying us now. So just look us up. The gifted life.
You'll find us anywhere. It's that easy. Sally, you get involved in this on social media, especially Facebook. Exactly.
Yes. Yeah. So spread the word, do what you can. And this is becoming interactive.
Right. So we have a phone number now. You can actually be part of the podcast. Call us.
504-648-3477. That's 504-648-3477. Yeah. Maybe we can make a jingle.
Sally, I mean, you say we could do something like that. Yeah. Be a part of it. Spread the word about donation.
This is one of the ways that you could do it. Lots to get to. You guys ready? All right.
Stay tuned, everybody. Hey, Joey. It's our new segment. And this is pretty funny.
We've been giggling about it since we got together this morning. They're using the app Tinder, which usually is just to find a match, finding love online through an app there, people with common interests. But they're learning about organ donation, which is pretty cool. Now this is happening in the UK.
Right. And what they have on the site is they've got two British actors and then one Olympic gold medalist, and they've got a pink heart next to them. And if you swipe to the right, the next message that comes up is, well, first of all, it says that you can basically, you are interested in becoming an organ donor. And then it tells you if it was only this easy for those in need of a life-saving organ to find a match.
Pretty cool. So, the way that targets users between the ages of 18 and 35, not only do they get that message, they get stats about the number of people waiting, so nearly 7,000 people. Again, just to clarify, this is in the UK. They also get a link to the organ donor registry and the hope for both Tinder and the organ transplant site in the UK is to encourage people to not only register, but to pass along the message.
So whatever works, man. It does. If we were to have this eight or nine months ago when I met my wife, the first thing that I did was look at her license and she had a hold on her license. I said, well, that buys you in a first date.
Damn. And then we got married. But this would have been a lot easier had I been on Tinder. Of course, there was no Tinder back then.
And he walked uphill both ways to school in the snow. It was something else back then. But this is pretty cool. This is something we had to share using technology, using the mobile app Tinder.
Like I said, whatever works, we're always looking for outside the box campaigns or thoughts. And this would work. So does it spur something in your mind? Pass it on to us.
We have the number in votelopa.org. Help us do the next best thing. We love it. In our community segment, something fun that you can get involved in.
It's family friendly. March 12th. March your calendars for Joey. The marsh mat dash for life.
Bam. I'm looking at drum roll there. Something. Yeah.
So it's just a great way to help spread awareness about organ donation. One of the brain trusts behind this. Ms. Lana Stevens, community educator with the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency is here.
Now, hey, how you doing? I'm doing good. Are you like stressed? Because the race is coming up?
No, it's a well-willed machine now. It's a well-willed machine. We got this. I got the volunteers.
There's no stress with this race whatsoever. It's a stress free zone. Joey, are you believing her? I'm not believing her.
I've been part of quite a bit of run. And they all have some stress involved. It's good. It's fun, though.
So when I go out there, you have lots of helping hands. People love this event and want to help in some way shape or form. It's just a good time. Yeah, we have a good volunteer base in Tibido and in the home area.
Anywhere down that Terrebonne, LaFouche Barris area. We have a really good volunteer base of donor families and recipients. And they really want to get involved. So it's really exciting to be able to kind of just say, oh, we need to find something for you to do.
I know. I love that. Very scenic. You guys are on campus at Nichols.
You got a great little group there on campus that helps you out. So kind of walk us through all the players there. Because I mean, this is a team ever. Oh, yeah.
That's the best part of it. We have such a great team involved from the Nichols State University anywhere from the student life. We have our student organization, which is called Colcurnals for Life, which is an on campus organization of students. Some will get her.
They really are. They sponsor our little bounce house for our kids area. And they also set up a bake sale for us and look at all of those proceeds. And they just really enjoy doing it.
They usually have a team as well. Who cooks? I mean, the culinary department. That is genius, by the way.
Love it. It kind of is. No, it is. No, we have really good jambalaya from the culinary department at Nichols.
I usually provide that for us and they serve it. It's great. It's good. We have a team going on.
We start out early in the morning. It doesn't matter what the weather is like. Okay. It could be like a raindrop.
It could be colder. Smiling faces. Lots of people. Lots of different teams.
And they come with t-shirts. We do. We have two different awards outside of the race itself. We have an award for largest team.
We also have an award for best team uniform. And it's really fun to see all the different team shirts that come out, whether it's in honor of a donor or recipient or, like I said, the students usually have their own team shirt. And it's just really fun to see all the different designs that they come up with. And it kind of makes me think, why don't I think of that?
They have some really great ideas. And the teams are bigger and bigger. So we have a lot of people already talking about it. So a few people are registered already.
We're just really looking forward to it. It's our registration has opened up on our website at www.loppe.org. And until February 27th, it's going to be a $25 race fee. And then after that date, it will move up to $30 per person.
We are allowing people to register with the day job as well. And so Joey, who's our resident runner? That's right. Trix.
Okay. So this is a 5K and there's also a fun run for. Get it was right. Or whoever.
Yeah. Who ever wants to do it? Right. Right.
So, sometimes the people that are doing the 5K, like to warm up by doing the fun run. That would be nice. That would be nice. just with the five cakes.
I'll do the next one. I love it. I just love the energy out there. And then I always leave inspired because of the stories.
People get up there and they want to share. They love talking about their loved ones. And if it's a recipient, they want to honor that donor. I mean, that's a critical part of what this is all about.
Yeah, I think last year we had a living donor out there as well that was there with their recipient. And it wasn't a family member. It was just somebody that just decided they wanted to become a donor. And so that was really nice to have them out there.
And for the families that were waiting to see that there was hope for these people that have received transplants and that there are families out there that choose to donate. So it's a really great day. People like to travel too because I've been getting texts like, is that still March 12? It's March 12.
You can go on our website, lopa.org. If you want to volunteer, info at lopa.org. And we'll get all that information to Lana so that she can kind of put that spreadsheet together because we're all about spreadsheets. Just kind of makes things go calmly, most days.
Most days. We've been fortunate too with the weather. Do you remember the first year? It's cold.
Everybody showed up. It was like record cold for March. And I remember thinking, how did this happen? But this year we're going to have great weather.
And then I got a call this morning from a volunteer, a nurse with 24 years of experience, and just wants to do something for Lopa. And she said, in the hospital, but I'd like to get out in the community. This is one of those events. Anybody can go to either it's helping with shirts, pointing which direction to go to, handing out balloons, something like that.
There's something for everyone. It's family friendly. It's awesome. All right, so Lana, this is your one last ditch effort.
Invite people out. March 12. March 12, 8 AM, Nickel State University. It's right next to the stadium.
So we'll have lots of signs pointing everybody in that direction. You can register on our website, lopa.org. Or you can call us, which is 1-800-521 Give. And we can get you registered.
We have paper registry forms. But we really kind of wanted everybody to register online. It's always been just a lot easier for everybody. And cash prizes for those?
Cash prizes for the second and third place. Amazing. And it's just a day of inspiration. A day to celebrate life.
March your calendars will see you there. It is now time for our family support segment, where we are continuing our conversation on suicide. Yeah, of course, Laurie, we had our first segment in our last episode about signs and myths of suicide. And this one we're talking a little bit more about the coping with the aftermath of suicide.
Between 5% and 10% of our organ and tissue donors have been or victims of suicide. So Sally is one of our experts in the field. So I'll kick it off to Sally. Okay, thanks, Joey.
When a loved one takes his or her life by suicide, the effect on the survivors is devastating. Generally, the first reaction to the death of shock, disbelief, followed by intense sadness, guilt, anger, and sometimes fear. And these thoughts and feelings are compounded when it's the death of a child. Today, we're going to be talking with Robert Boone, who knows firsthand what coping after the death of a loved one can mean.
His son Don was a donor in 1992, after he took his life by suicide. So we'd like to introduce Robert to you. And thank you, Robert, for coming on. And we'd like to hear your thoughts about what has happened and what you and your family dealt with during this tragedy and how donation may have been a benefit to you all.
Okay, of course, 1992, everything was going great. I just didn't think of it. Like the beginning, had the opportunity to hit it up to you. That's for one of them.
Well, it sounds like you've given yourself, and I'm sure your close family permission to grieve and to think about things as time has gone on. And still, you were able to see hope that toward the end, I guess, of this time. And I know that you do a lot of volunteer work with Loba, talking about Don. Do you find that that has brought you some peace, too?
Or do you think just the fact that you can talk about it and maybe just not fall apart is maybe one of the better things that you found that has come out of the opening? You know, I want to hear his name. And I guess Don, by mistake, he's on. And I apologize.
You know, we need two four girls to put in us. There's many awesome things in the day, like this is in my heart and I'm just wait for this. And it was worked with a man. This is not going to be me, family, fall, inversion.
I'm going to say, Robert, I've heard you talking about Don. You know, I guess you've been a volunteer for quite some time, quite a few years. And every time I hear you talking about Don, you bring inspiration to the room. I can't tell you how many times I've heard you talk.
And the passion that you have for him and the love that you have for him, it just disseminates throughout the room. It is amazing. I'm glad to have met you. And I'm so happy that you were able to come on and share Don on our podcast with us today.
Thank you. Really, cheers, opportunity. I do. With this information that you're sharing with us, hopefully many people who are listening who may be experiencing something similar to what you have gone through will find what you have to say and inspiration and a way to give them hope for the future too.
And that's a wonderful thing that you can pass on to folks. So very much we appreciate that. And Robert, you're so honest and so raw. I mean, we're learning from you and we appreciate it.
And I have to tell you, your son Don, his picture, not only in our calendar and the floor graph that you talked about. But if you go to loba.org, faces of donation, you can see Don's picture, Handsome, Young Man. And you can read more about Don Boone, they are in our other heroes. But look without work faces of donation, Robert.
Thank you for being so honest with us and taking the time to help us learn. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Ron.
It is that time in the podcast where we pause to honor a hero. So that's all about. And today, Rick'sby Libuff. It was said about Rick'sby Libuff by his family that Rick'sby never met a stranger.
Whether he was in a store or a gas station or in church, he would always say hello, and how are you doing today? He worked hard all his life. He was married. He had his wife of 51 years, Mabel and his two children, Priscilla and Aaron.
He drove 18 wheelers in the oil field and then worked in the rice meal in small town, Abbeville, Louisiana. He loved to travel and enjoy being outdoors. When his health started to decline, he knew he had to have heart surgery. One thing that he did was make it known that he wanted to be an organ donor.
When he passed, his family made sure the hospital was aware of his wishes. And then they, of course, met with the local representatives and explained that this is what he wanted to do. And he became a cornea donor and gave sight to two different people. Knowing that his wishes were honored, and he was able to help someone else makes his family proud and happy.
That's a good story. I love learning more about our heroes. And you can do it to lopa.org faces of donation. You can go and see Rick's piece picture.
And you can see other heroes, the stories that have been submitted. So take the time to check that out. At this point, let's pause in the podcast and just say thank you to Rick's me for the gift of life. We have reached the question and answer segment of this podcast and info at lopa.org.
If you have questions, you want to throw our way. That's where this one came Joey. I'm a registered donor who notifies Lopa following my death. Well, Laura, in most situations, most of the time deaths come from the hospital.
And we are notified by the hospital staff. Usually the nurses are clergy. But not everyone passes away in the hospital. We have a partnership with many of the coroners in some of the parishes in Louisiana.
And they will notify us so that those families have the same opportunities to save and enhance lives just as those that are in the hospital. Very good. If you have a question, you want us to talk about a topic a little bit more info at lopa.org. This episode of the gift of life, almost in the books.
That's right. Yeah. I want to thank our special guests today. We want to thank our own, Lana Stevens, for coming on, talking about the marsh mad dash, coming up in Tibido.
Can you wait for that one? And of course, we want to give a very special thanks to Robert Boone for sharing Don's story with us. It's such a powerful story. Every time I've heard it, he's amazing.
It's such a raw story, even from 1992. He continues to tell it to bring awareness to so many different causes, especially organ donations. So we've got to thank him. Thank you for listening.
Remember, if you want to be part of the podcast, remember our number 5046483477. I feel like winning the jingle and sing it. 5046483477. I'll let the experts work on that.
Our info at lopa.org. Thanks for tuning in. Spread the word. Go out and do something today that you don't normally do to help spread awareness about organ donation.
Help us save more lives. Have a good one.