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Stories of Hope: quotes

"That this cause is an urgent one should speak for itself. When it's one of your own, the cause becomes greatly enhanced."  
Robert Redford, actor (his son had two liver transplants)

"Potential organ donors are slipping away, and with them, slip away the hopes of countless people and families." 
James Redford, son of Robert Redford

"It was the most amazing thing when my brother, Neil, wanted to give me one of his kidneys. I don't think there's anything more generous that a person can do for someone else. On my transplant date, which is five days after his birthday, I send him a "rebirthday" card. That's what it was for me...rebirth."
Phil Van Stavern, kidney recipient

"Without my heart transplant, I know I would not have lived to see my 18th birthday. Today I am working towards college graduation and have wonderful plans for the future. Thank you for my new heart, and my new life!"
Jessica Schwartz, heart recipient

"As soon as I learned about Katie's situation, I felt I had to try, in some small way, to help her. It was then I realised that Katie is only one of a number of people whose lives are at risk for want of a suitable donor.

"I was appalled to discover the low level organ donation in New Zealand. We are all in the position of maybe one day needing the replacement of a heart, lung, liver, or retina. It is not until you're facing blindness, heart disease, or liver failure that you realise how bleak the prospects are here for people who are critically ill.  Organ donation is a life-saving gift that we all can make to fellow New Zealanders and it costs us nothing. We have the skills here, the hospitals and the surgeons, what we lack is a population willing to give.

"I would encourage everyone to update their driver licences which lists donor status, and make clear their wish to be a
donor to their families.
It's an amazing thing that in the passing of one life other lives can be saved." 
Peter Jackson, film director speaking in support of our campaign.

Why I want to be an organ donor...

Alex

"I can think of nothing better than being able to give a healthy organ to improve the life of another person."
Alex Pocock, manager in the bicycle industry.

Fiona

"I'm married and a mother of three and I try to get as much out of life as I can. When I die, donating my organs would be my way of giving something back. Hopefully it would allow other people to continue to enjoy life -- just as I had." 
Fiona Lester

Jon

"For me, donating one's organs brings new meaning to the idea of life after death. I hope that it would also help reduce the feeling of loss for my family in that my death was helping to bring new hope to others." 
Jon Ward, head of computing & IT

Nick

"You can't take them with you."
Nick Horne, software services manager

Paul

"I like the idea of helping other people to carry on living after I die and I would like to think that they would be willing to help me out if I was ever in need."
Paul Randall (23), application developer

Alistair

"I don't want my bits to go to waste. I hope I shall live to a ripe old age, but if not, then I want my organs used for the benefit of others."
Alistair Watt (26), investment accountant

Fiona

"What good is burying or cremating my remains without first seeing whether my organs could be of use to someone else? It would be such a terrible waste if another life could have been saved or improved."
Fiona Mitchell, graphic designer

Poem

"To remember me"

The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital busily occupied with the living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has ended. When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don’t call this my deathbed. Let it be called the bed of life, and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.

Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s face or love in the eyes of a woman.

Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain.

Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play.

Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week.

Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk.

Explore every corner of my brain. Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that, someday a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window.

Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow.

If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all prejudice against my fellow man.

Give my sins to the devil.

Give my soul to God.

If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you.

If you do all I have asked, I will live forever.

Robert N. Test

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