Note from Laura Jeanchild

A little heart sticker Denise wore on her t-shirt over her own heart symbolizes the sentiment of the Transplant Games for me. When I came home from Kentucky, I printed organ donor registration forms and cards from the state organ donation website. It is easy. One donor may directly help as many as 60 people plus bring years of joy to all their families and friends. I encourage everyone reading this to look at the web page for your own state, print and pass on the information. “My heart (as well as liver, lungs, kidneys, corneas, spleen, etc.) goes out to you.” takes on a profound literal as well as spiritual meaning. Michelle, Stacey’s old school chum, joined our family at the campsite with her two adorable daughters. Michelle’s sister, Colleen, was an organ donor. Thank you so much Michelle for being with our family at these games. Stacey with her double lung transplant won the gold medal. For those of you who do not know, it is far more difficult to play aerobic sports with a lung transplant than with any other. Stacey was the only lungs recipient in these final matches. Stacey has always been an athlete, and our family photos are a life long documentation of her throwing balls, kicking balls, hitting balls, climbing rocks and trees and running with the the enthusiasm of a puppy. Every mother I spoke with who attended the games has highlights of the experience etched on her heart which are as unique as her own precious child. When Denise placed the gold medal around Stacey’s neck, everyone went wild, crying and clapping for this long deserved tribute to Stacey, a woman who has always whole heartedly loved athletics, and in all ways embodies the merits of good sportsmanship, adores everything that athletics has to offer, challenges her own limits and continually strives heroically for her own personal best while coaching others to do the same. On or off the field, win, place or just show up, the athletes of these games all exemplify what it means to have the Heart of a Champion. So thanks Denise for wearing that little sticker of a heart over your own and demonstrating that while this disease has broken our hearts, love heals. And thanks profoundly Michelle for so tenderly bringing us the message from your family that your sister’s heart is still beating. Everyone can participate in these games by signing and circulating donor cards. Stacey has a bumper sticker that says”Recycle Yourself”. -Laura Jeanchild