2009 Ride of a Lifetime Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the fourth annual Astellas Ride of a Lifetime contest in which organ transplant recipients submitted essays describing how their lives had been transformed by transplantation, for a chance to participate in the 2009 Tournament of Roses® Parade-one of the most celebrated entertainment events in the world.
Each of the five winning organ transplant recipients, plus one guest of his or her choosing, will travel to Pasadena, California for five days to meet other transplant recipients from around the country, work with the Donate Life team to help build the float and attend special receptions honoring the transplant community. Then, on January 1, 2009, the five contest winners will ride aboard the "Stars of Life" Donate Life float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in celebration of those unique individuals whose lives have been touched by transplantation.
An independent third-party panel of judges, along with an Astellas representative, selected the five essay winners who best demonstrated the degree of transformation they experienced as a result of transplantation.
Astellas would like to thank all those who submitted essays to the fourth annual Astellas Ride of a Lifetime contest, and congratulate the following five winners who will experience the ride of a lifetime on January 1, 2009:
Lauren Donkar, 30
Alpharetta, GA
Liver recipient
Click here to read Lauren's story
Debbie Kowatch, 37
Parma, OH
Kidney/Pancreas recipient
Click here to read Debbie's story
Andrea Spraggins, 36
Pontiac, MI
Kidney recipient
Click here to read Andrea's story
Mandy Trolinger, 31
Highlands Ranch, CO
Kidney recipient
Click here to read Mandy's story
Merle Zuel, 46
Bonner Springs, KS
Heart recipient
Click here to read Merle's story
Tournament of Roses is a registered trademark of the Tournament of Roses Association.
Lauren Donkar, 30
Alpharetta, GA
Liver recipient
The fall of 2006 should have been one of the happiest times of my life. My husband and I were expecting our first child, a little girl, in early December and we couldn't have been more excited. Near the end of my pregnancy, I just wasn't feeling right and was sent to the hospital for an emergency c-section with a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. My daughter, Allie, was born on November 10, 2006 and she was amazingly beautiful and perfectly healthy. However, our joy was short lived as I was transferred to the ICU in complete liver and kidney failure within hours of her birth. When it became apparent that I would require a liver transplant to survive, I was transferred to Piedmont Hospital. I spent almost a month in a coma and had two liver transplants before I began to recover. When I woke up, my daughter was nearly five weeks old and I was introduced to my transplant team. Overall, I spent almost three months in the hospital recovering and was very blessed to have supportive family members at home caring for my daughter. I never expected to be a transplant patient. Before becoming pregnant, I was perfectly healthy and had a normal pregnancy for the first 36 weeks. My life was saved by transplant and without the amazing families that made the decision to donate their loved one's organs, my daughter would be growing up without ever knowing her mother. Since my transplant, I have celebrated my fifth wedding anniversary, my daughter's first birthday and my 30th birthday. I cherish every day that I have been given to spend with my family and I have a much greater understanding of how fragile life really is. I have returned to work as a pediatric nurse practitioner two days a week and am back to playing tennis whenever I get a chance. With the help of some close friends, my husband and I have started a charitable organization to raise money for the Piedmont Hospital's Transplant Services and Georgia Transplant Foundation. Last year, we were able to raise over $20,000 by hosting a golf tournament. Transplant saves so many lives and we want to help other transplant patients in any way that we can. I will be forever grateful to my wonderful transplant team and the friends and family who were so supportive during such a difficult time in my life.
Debbie Kowatch, 37
Parma, OH
Kidney/Pancreas recipient
It is hard to believe that the "Gift of Hope" bestowed unto me would change my life in so many ways. How truthfully wonderful it is to be given a second chance of life! If only others knew how one's life can be changed through organ and tissue donation.
At three and one half years old, I unfortunately was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. I went through many complications of diabetes, but I overcame each hardship with strength and hope that there would be a cure. I was a diabetic for twenty-nine years and because of the long term effects of diabetes, my kidneys failed to work. On August 10, 2004, I received a kidney/pancreas transplant, which dramatically changed my life. I am no longer a diabetic and no longer need dialysis. I have a new life now, full of opportunities to explore.
After my transplant, in October 2004, I was encouraged to join Organ Transplant Support (OTS), an organization that promotes donor awareness. During November 2007, I won a competition through OTS to design a glass sun catcher to be given as a gift to its members. My design "Believe in Hope," inspires members who await organ and tissue transplants. Since then I became involved with the following transplant awareness organizations: American Transplant Association, Transplant Recipients International Organization and the Children's Organ Tissue Association. On October 3, 2007, I joined Life Banc, our local procurement organization in Northeastern Ohio, and became a certified Life Banc volunteer. Through these organizations, I give support and fellowship to my transplant recipients, educate the public about organ and tissue donation and encourage others to become donors.
This year, I had the responsibility of leading a service project which worked with the students and staff members of Cuyahoga Community College in our area. The service project entailed a donor drive at our college on April 8, 2008. The donor drive was very successful! I had the opportunity to share with everyone my transplant experience and encourage other students and staff to "Donate Life." During the four hour event, thirty donors were added to the Ohio Donor Registry; almost eight donors per hour. The bake sale at the event raised funds that were donated to the Children's Organ Transplant Association. My goal of this project was to serve the community by educating and caring for others now and in the future. I want to bring hope to the community, just as my organ donor brought hope to me in my time of need.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story and encourage others to become organ and tissue donors themselves. It would be an honor for me to be chosen as a winner of Astellas “Ride of a Lifetime” competition. This would be a chance to represent transplant recipients and those who await organ and tissue transplants, setting an example for all, reminding others to simply "Donate Life!"
Andrea Spraggins, 36
Pontiac, MI
Kidney recipient
Transplant has changed my life so much that it was difficult to condense my experience to 500 words or less, but I managed to do so. My transplant experience took place 14 years, five months and three days ago when I received my kidney from my mother, Jerry Kay Clark. As a nine year old diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, my kidneys failed when I was 19 and I went on peritoneal dialysis for two and half years before I decided to forego transplant as a treatment option. I was blessed to have supportive family members who offered to be a living donor for me when I began dialysis, however, I decided to remain strong and do daily peritoneal exchanges because I feared for the safety of my family members who were interested in being tested to see if they could donate. After finally deciding to allow my mother, father and sister to begin testing, my mother was determined to be the most compatible and the surgery was a success. My speedy recovery after my kidney transplant allowed me to return to my college studies at Wayne State University in Detroit where I had to drop out due to my declining health. After receiving my bachelor's degree in Social Work I entered the Masters program where I obtained my Masters in Social Work in ten months and received a Dean's scholarship. My personal experience with transplant made me an excellent candidate for the position as Transplant Social Worker at Harper University in Detroit, Michigan. As a transplant patient who began taking the medication on January 26, 2005 as a result of the need for my physicians to change my immunosuppressant therapy after receiving a pancreas transplant, I have experienced an even better freedom as a transplant recipient who is now even free from taking insulin injections. I can volunteer more in the community as a community liaison for the Gift of Life Michigan where I promote organ donation. I participate in health fairs to promote transplantation and organ donation, I've been a team captain for walkers for the annual Kidney Walk sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan for the past six years, and I also founded a support group for the patients at my transplant center (Harper Organ Transplant Center) for patients to share their commonalities and express their thoughts/feelings as transplant recipients. My transplant experience has allowed me to the opportunity to learn how transplant has changed the lives of others across the nation. I have had the opportunity to learn how transplant has changed the lives of others across the nation. I have had the opportunity to attend several transplant conferences to learn about how the topic of transplantation is changing to help improve the lives of millions.
Mandy Trolinger, 31
Highlands Ranch, CO
Kidney recipient
My lifelong journey of living with kidney disease began at age two, when it was discovered my kidneys were not functioning properly. I began taking massive doses of prednisone at age eight, and had adverse reactions including extreme weight gain and chronic pain. This was the beginning of learning how to balance a life with kidney disease. My kidney function continued to decline throughout the years and I began losing weight, to the point where I looked emaciated. Many of my "friends" started to ignore me due to the way I looked. As I was in junior high at the time, I learned early on the importance of true friendship. This solidified my value system of judging people on who they are, rather than on superficial terms. During this time my parents knew the time for a kidney transplant was getting closer. In 1992, at 14-years-old, I received a kidney from my mother. The entire transplant process was a very positive and educational experience. My mom's kidney allowed me to pursue my bachelor's and master's degrees in nutritional sciences, obtain my registered dietitian license, get married, teach aerobics, participate in animal assistant therapy and create many experiences with my family and friends. In fact, I was drawn to nutrition due to my transplant experience and I now work as a renal dietitian. I enjoy the fact that I can relate on a personal level with my patients because of the bond we share with kidney disease. I encourage patients to focus on the positive aspects of life and not to let the negative aspects dominate who we are. After twelve wonderful years with my transplant, my kidney function began to decline and I had to begin dialysis for the first time. On April 19, 2005, I received my second transplant from a deceased donor. Her name was Alicia and she was only 19 years old. Alicia and her family's generosity allow me to continue to pursue my dreams. I continue to volunteer at various National Kidney Foundation events and serve on the Patient and Community Services Committee. I also provide educational presentations and meetings for patients and healthcare professionals with the Renal Support Network (RSN). This is my third year in organizing the Denver, CO patient lifestyle meeting to be held in July, to empower patients to become their own advocate. In conjunction with RSN, I am a patient activist and involved in medical, regulatory and legislative decisions affecting kidney patients. I also make a commitment to complete a 10K run every year in honor of my donors. Lastly, I will be starting physician assistant (PA) school this August. My first transplant allowed me to become a dietitian and my second transplant is allowing me to purse my dream of becoming a PA. When I graduate from PA school, I will remember two very important people, my mom and Alicia. I am where I am today because my donors have given me the gift of life.
Merle Zuel, 46
Bonner Springs, KS
Heart recipient
My name is Merle Zuel. I was born in 1962 with a defective aortic valve which was discovered when I was 10. At the age of 34, in 1996, I was admitted to the hospital for severe congestive heart failure. I had intermittent periods where I felt okay but my condition gradually worsened over time. Five years ago, I had a pacemaker/defibrillator implant which saved my life on about five different occasions. In November of 2005, I had open heart surgery for a mechanical aortic valve replacement. It helped some, but the transplant was inevitable. I had quite a lengthy battle to get healthy enough to be considered for a transplant. I was activated on the transplant list December 18, 2006 after yet another near fatal rhythm and collapse. I was on status 1B, on a continuous IV and portable IV pump while waiting on the list. Sixty-seven days later, a very thoughtful family gave me my life back, and I received a new heart. I felt better almost immediately and the heart was pumping strong from day one. I was fortunate to recover with only minor complications and setbacks and now I feel better than I have in 15 years or more. I have my strength and vitality which I had long since given up on. As one doctor put it before my transplant, "you've been sick so long you probably don't remember what it's like to feel good." I do now. I am a 45 year old male who happens to have been blessed with a very healthy vital organ and am living life to the fullest. My most recent heart biopsies show no rejection and very good heart function. My girlfriend and I are quite happy together and have been together for just under one year. She works as a respiratory therapist at the hospital where I received my transplant and was there for me throughout the procedure and recovery. I used to be happy to wake up in the morning, meaning I survived one more day. Now I attack life and have much love in my heart for everyone who helped me through this ordeal. I regularly visit patients who are pre/post transplant to help provide support and encouragement and give a little back to the system. I organized a benefit concert, MerleJam, for transplant social services in May 2007 and we raised over $7,000. We just had the second concert and donated over $4,000. All of the money has been donated to help pre and post transplant patients here in Kansas City. I have participated in donor family recognition ceremonies and helped volunteer to raise money for Team Mo-Kan for the U.S. Transplant Games. My Web site, www.MerleJam.com, has pictures and video of my old heart during pathology review which I produced myself. I use it to help educate and raise awareness. Thank you.
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