2008 Ride of a Lifetime Winners
Launched in April 2007, the third annual Astellas Ride of a Lifetime contest asked organ transplant recipients to write essays describing how their lives had been transformed by transplantation, for a chance to participate in the 2008 Tournament of Roses® Parade—one of the most celebrated entertainment events in the world.
Each winning organ transplant recipient, plus one guest of his or her choosing, will travel to Pasadena, California 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, 2008, the five contest winners rode aboard the “Life Takes Flight” 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 third annual Astellas Ride of a Lifetime contest, and to congratulate the five winners who experienced the ride of a lifetime on January 1, 2008.
Here are the winners of the Astellas Ride of a Lifetime contest who rode on the “Life Takes Flight” Donate Life float in the Tournament of Roses Parade:
Tournament of Roses is a registered trademark of the Tournament of Roses Association.
Tracy Copeland, 43
Sparks, NV
Liver recipient
Click here to read Tracy’s story
Claire Goudeau, 56
Madison, WI
Liver recipient
Click here to read Claire’s story
William Ismer, 63
Plant City, FL
Heart recipient
Click here to read William’s story
D.J. Lampert, 17
St. Louis, MO
Liver recipient
Click here to read D.J’s story
Jill Miller, 39
Saegertown, PA
Kidney recipient
Click here to read Jill’s story
Tracy Copeland, 43
Sparks, NV
Liver recipient
My education regarding organ donation came fast and furiously, and after I had received the gift of life. The pink dot has always been on my driver’s license; it seemed like “the right thing to do.” I had no idea the implications of that simple dot. I had no idea of the size of the transplant waiting list. I had no idea of the nature of the decision that would be made by a family faced with honoring the profound vision behind the dot.
My liver died suddenly for reasons that I still do not know. In January 1998, I was healthy and active; in February I realized I was sick and on March 6th I flew to Stanford University in California. On March 9th I was in a coma and placed on the transplant list. My family gathered, but could only wait and pray. On March 12, 1998, I woke with a new liver and a new life. I reached out to my donor family early by most standards after my transplant.
I am so very blessed that they reached right back. We spoke by phone and I met my donor family on the one-year anniversary of my transplant. I learned that my donor was a nineteen-year-old man who lost his life in a tragic motorcycle accident. Terry Snow’s parents, John and Kathy, had never discussed organ donation with Terry. In the midst of their own unimaginable grief, the Snows made a decision that would bless several families with the gift in the form of a heart, lung, kidneys and a liver. Five families received miracles that day. Words cannot adequately express the gratitude in my heart for my donor family.
Since my transplant it has become my strong desire to share my experience and accomplishments as a transplant recipient. I seek out opportunities to show how successful organ transplantation can be while raising awareness for the growing need. My donor family is an incredible part of that outreach. Their strength, courage, and compassion are unmatched. Kathy was a nurse at the time of Terry’s death; she is now a renal transplant coordinator. Our lives have been forever molded together. Side by side, Kathy and I now share our collective experience and encourage families to discuss organ donation.
During one of our visits in 2001, my donor family told me about the U.S. Transplant Games. John and Kathy have accompanied my husband, daughter, and me to the games in 2002, 2004, and 2006. I have competed in cycling, swimming, and track. With John and Kathy by my side, I was honored to receive the Jerry Cound Outstanding Female Athlete Award at the 2006 U.S. Transplant Games. I was honored to represent Team U.S.A. at the World Transplant Games in Bangkok, Thailand in August 2007. Although I received this awesome recognition, the true heroes remain my donor family. I hope to honor them and the memory of my donor, Terry Snow, in every aspect of my life.
Claire Goudeau, 56
Madison, WI
Liver recipient
I feel compelled to write this essay for the Ride of a Lifetime contest. Ironically, since pre-transplant I have felt that my life was a sequence of positive and negative rides. I, like many other people faced with transplant, thought my ride was over. My survival was dependent on someone selflessly donating a loved one's organ to me. I have worked as a nurse for 30 years. I suppose you could say that it was my calling. As a child, I frequently rescued injured birds or road turtles with broken shells. Going into nursing was just a natural progression. Over the years, I cared for many individuals that were in need of organ transplantation. I witnessed their rides through this process. Some people received an organ in time to continue their life journey and others did not.
At that time, I didn't realize that I would find myself on the same ride. I am blessed to be able to say that this month I have had my liver transplant for 2 fabulous years. I am no longer emaciated and confused. I now refer to myself as "fat and sassy." Since transplant, my most memorable ride has been my trip to the U.S. Transplant Games in Louisville, Kentucky. I was one year post-transplant when I entered the cycling events. Just the fact that I was able to enter the events or even drive to Kentucky was a miracle. A year previous I could not climb one stair! I am proud to say that I won a silver medal in the 20K cycling race. It was an incredible experience. To listen and observe the other organ recipients was uplifting and left me in awe. To think that none of us would be alive today, if not for organ donation and transplantation. When I look at my medal it reminds me of where I have been and where I can be tomorrow.
My current personal ride is caring for my elderly parents. Due to many medical issues, they have required much help. Without my transplant, I would never have been able to assist them with care giving. I am forever grateful that I can help them.
I feel motivated and inspired to educate people about organ donation and to support those with transplants. I have been fortunate to be included in volunteer activities to promote organ donation and to encourage the public to sign their driver's licenses for organ donation. When I returned from the Transplant Games, I started a post-transplant cycling group to promote the health of transplant recipients and to continue our own personal rides. We are soon to start year two. Transplantation not only saved my life, but gave me a different perspective on living it. I have always loved life, but nothing like I do now. Every day is a gift and the beginning of a new ride. I would love the opportunity to have the real "ride of a lifetime" on this most significant float.
William Ismer, 63
Plant City, FL
Heart recipient
In 1998 I had a first-time heart attack at the age of 54. It left my heart badly damaged and I was told to prepare for the worst. With those words, I did just that. But what I thought to be the worst for my life, actually turned out to be the best. It's very true, only God knows best. I arrived at Tampa General Hospital in early January 1999 for a possible evaluation for a heart transplant. They gave me 48 hours to live. However, that was not the plan for my life. I was approved and put on the list for a second chance at life. That meant someone would have to die in order for me to live. It was very difficult for me. The long wait was difficult also. Day after day, month after month, I lived on 5A at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) where it became my home. The staff became my family.
Finally, on October 28, 1999, the call came! My heart was here. The generosity of people I didn't even know gave me the chance I'd been waiting for. And in 7 days, I was home and my new life began. Like I always say, "I waited all year for my heart and when I got it, I gave it away"... I married my favorite cardiac nurse! We were married 4/21/2000, and ironically, I am the 421st heart transplant at TGH. Our life has been incredibly blessed since my transplant.
We started going river rafting on class V rivers just 6 months after the transplant. We bought an RV and have traveled to all of the U.S. except Hawaii and we hope to get there. I have learned to play the piano and have become part of our church choir and praise band. My wife and I do try to give back as much as possible. We talk to all kinds of organizations about the importance of being organ donors, and we truly feel the donors are the true heroes of the world. What we would give to be able to thank our donor family in person. We have written letters and we respect their privacy.
We have started volunteering at TGH with the Integrative Medicine Program. There, I am the music therapist that plays music as a healing modality for all patients. Often it is a patient in the very room I was in, or the intensive care unit where I was also. I enjoy talking to pre- and post-transplant patients and giving them hope for their future. We stress the importance of using guided imagery, relaxation, prayer, healing touch, and music as ways to help in healing and dealing with each circumstance we encounter. We encourage the acceptance stage each new organ recipient goes through after transplant. It is vital to keep rejection from occurring and keeping patients healthy. We encourage patients to write letters to their donor families. Many times the families have met and formed close bonds for years to come. I send this letter in honor of my donor. Thank you and God bless you.
D.J. Lampert, 17
St. Louis, MO
Liver recipient
I would like to share my story with you about how transplantation has changed my life. I was diagnosed with biliary stresia at 1 month. At 8 months a loving family gave me and my family the greatest gift of a lifetime, the second chance at life. I spent the first year and a half of my life in the hospital and the doctors said I was a week away from dying. The day my parents brought me home they said they knew I would make a difference.
When they say God works in mysterious ways they mean exactly that. I believe that my calling in life is to spread the word and show how important organ donation is and just how wonderful it works. When I had my transplant they were not doing living donors so spreading the word was so important.
I feel the best way to show my gratitude is to give back and pass along my story speaking from the heart. So that's what I have been doing for 16 years. I asked my principal if I could add organ donation to our Abilities Fair. I got up in front of 500 kids and talked to them about the importance of organ donation. I even showed them my scars. In 2000 my principal nominated me for the Young Achiever Award and I was named the Young Achiever of the Year (for making a difference in children's lives). Again I got to tell the audience of over 1,000 that I would not be there today unless someone made the decision to give me the second chance.
I go to Cardinal Glennon and talk to kids and their families who are waiting for a transplant and show them how great I am doing and tell them, "See, you will be just like me when you get your transplant."
I play varsity baseball and soccer for my high school. I am running on my own two feet and have no restrictions. I take Prograf® (tacrolimus) 0.5 mg twice a day and that is it. I am on autopilot.
My best news is that after 16 years my donor family has just asked to correspond with me and I am so excited to share my stories with them and let them know all of the wonderful things I have been able to accomplish due to their unselfish gift of life. The mother wrote in her card that her daughter would be graduating soon. I told my parents I would like to invite them to my graduation and give them my diploma as they made this all possible.
For many years now I have had the opportunity to participate in the U.S. and World Transplant Games. Just this past year I was named the Outstanding Male Athlete at the U.S. Games and will represent Team U.S.A. this summer in Thailand. My dream has always been to participate on the Ride of a Lifetime float. Yes, God does work in mysterious ways!
Jill Miller, 39
Saegertown, PA
Kidney recipient
At the age of 26, I was diagnosed with kidney failure, related to an undiagnosed case of strep throat. I was on dialysis for 18 months while I dreamed of getting a transplant. I had the opportunity to act as a patient liaison between the patients of my dialysis clinic and the staff as the Patient Representative for Network 4 (the Pennsylvania region). Helping others on dialysis spurred an interest in a pursuing a medical career. Just 2 weeks before I started pre-med classes, I got “the call." I had been on a first date with a new friend. After a day of fun, my cell phone battery ran out of juice and I asked my date to take me home. I arrived home to find 24 messages on my answering machine. I knew something had happened! The first message was from my transplant coordinator at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, offering me a healthy kidney. The other 23 messages were from friends and family trying to track me down! My date rushed me to the hospital to receive my new life-saving kidney transplant.
My life changed dramatically overnight. My quality of life increased tremendously. Everything went so well that I only spent 5 days in the hospital! A year later, I found out that I had an advanced stage of breast cancer. The doctors told me that without the transplant, I would not have been able to endure the chemotherapy that saved my life. Miraculously, my kidney transplant saved my life twice! I am now cancer-free since diagnosis in 1997.
While studying to be a physician, I came up with the idea of making a beanie bear with the international symbol for organ donor awareness, a green ribbon symbol, embroidered on his chest. I designed the bear with the words “Gift of Life” embroidered on his back and our company “Charity Bear” was born. I worked closely with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF of the Alleghenies) and donated the profits from the sale of the bears to their Transplant Games team to promote organ donor awareness. Our next project was a bear for breast cancer research. We called the bear “Hope” and put a little hat on it that resembled my favorite hat from my chemo days. We put three rosettes on the hat, to represent the three treatment modalities of cancer: surgery, chemo, and radiation.
The company has been a great success and has enabled me to donate thousands of dollars to help others and to raise transplant awareness. In 2006, I graduated from medical school and I'm currently a family practice resident at a community hospital in Meadville, Pennsylvania. I am practicing medicine in a medically underserved area, so that I can maximize my ability to help people. I will be celebrating my 11th kidney birthday in August; I am grateful for my kidney transplant that has made all of this possible!
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