Central and Southeastern Ohio Motorcyclists Encouraged to Live On, Ride On as Organ Donors
Lifeline of Ohio, which promotes organ and tissue donation in central and southeastern Ohio, is partnering with the motorcycle enthusiast community to reclaim negative slang phrase "organ donor." Through their "Live On. Ride On." campaign, Lifeline of Ohio wants to show motorcyclists the impact they have by registering in the Ohio Donor Registry.
Columbus, OH (PRWEB) May 28, 2009
Ask a motorcycle enthusiast what they think of the term "organ donor" (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/LiveOnRideOn) and you'll likely get a heated reaction. For years, this slang term has been thrown at bikers by individuals who don't understand or appreciate the passion for biking.
Lifeline of Ohio (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/), the nonprofit organ procurement organization responsible for promoting organ and tissue donation in central and southeastern Ohio, is setting out to change that by reclaiming the phrase and showing the public what an organ donor really is: a hero.
"Live On. Ride On." Campaign
Lifeline of Ohio is working to connect with motorcycle enthusiasts (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/LiveOnRideOn), a group known for its philanthropic efforts and sense of community. This month, coinciding with Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, they will launch their "Live On. Ride On." campaign and will reach out over the next several weeks to motorcyclists at events, retail locations, rider training programs and through social media.
Lifeline of Ohio will kick off its campaign at the 5th Annual Brandy Winfield Run (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/LiveOnRideOn/Events. aspx) in Marion, Ohio on June 6th with a water/information table. The group will also participate in several others events throughout the summer. Event attendees that show they are registered donors, and those who register onsite, will receive their choice of a cruiser-style patch or a sport-bike inspired T-shirt showing support for the cause. The need for organ and tissue donation is a national crisis, with more than 102,000 Americans waiting for a life-saving transplant. While about 90 percent of the population supports organ donation in theory, only half of Ohioans are registered donors. Through the "Live On. Ride On." campaign, Lifeline of Ohio is seeking support from motorcyclists to help share the message of saving lives through organ donation.
Connect with "Live On. Ride On."
Lifeline of Ohio is also spreading the word through outreach to motorcycle groups. Central and southeastern Ohio groups interested in learning more about donation can call Rachel Lewis at Lifeline of Ohio (614.384.7329) for materials and to talk about hosting a free speaker who has been touched by donation, like Tim Jones of Cambridge, who is a lifelong motorcyclist (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/recipient/stories/story_timjones. aspx) and a heart transplant recipient. In central Ohio, information displays and brochures will also be available at A. D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson locations, Centennial Park Harley-Davidson and Iron Pony Motorsports Superstore. Motorcycle enthusiasts can also connect with "Live On. Ride On." online, at www. Lifelineofohio. org/LiveOnRideOn (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/LiveOnRideOn/), where they can read stories of motorcyclists who have been touched by donation, see the latest schedule of events, connect through Facebook and Twitter and register to be an organ and tissue donor.
Quotes attributable to Kent Holloway, CEO of Lifeline of Ohio:
"Motorcyclists should be proud to declare themselves organ donors," said Kent Holloway, CEO of Lifeline of Ohio. "Our goal is to demonstrate the positive impact they can have by registering in the Ohio Donor Registry and let them know they have the opportunity to live on and ride on by donating life." "We chose to launch during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month because we know the members of this community are safe drivers and we want to show that 'organ donor' shouldn't be a negative term, it's the ultimate gift."
About Lifeline of Ohio
Lifeline of Ohio (LOOP) is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and coordinate the donation of human organs and tissue for transplantation. Lifeline of Ohio is approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services as the designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving 37 counties in Central and Southeastern Ohio, and Hancock and Wood counties in West Virginia. Lifeline of Ohio provides services to 64 hospitals through its transplant coordinators. LOOP's clinical staff is on call 24 hours a day to coordinate the recovery and transport of tissue and organs for transplant.
Additionally, Lifeline of Ohio offers educational presentations for professional, civic, church and social organizations, as well as elementary through college level school programs. These programs are offered year-round as a community service and are customized to meet the objectives of the particular audience. Printed materials regarding donation, as well as donor registry information, are also available from Lifeline of Ohio by calling 800.525.5667 or visiting the Web site at http://www. lifelineofohio. org/ (http://www. lifelineofohio. org/)
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