About
If you have read any of my blogs or looked at my Facebook profile you know I am a grateful 70 year old heart transplant recipient. I am a native Minnesotan who now lives in Jacksonville, Florida. It was at the Mayo Clinic here that I received my second chance at life.
Until my surgery and for nearly 30 years I was a communications consultant specializing in healthcare media, crisis and presentation coaching and counseling. One of my first clients was the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. I have since worked with Mayo in their other locations in Jacksonville, Florida and Scottsdale Arizona. Other clients included, UNOS, LifeSource, University of Minnesota, 3M and scores of other national and multinational organizations. I have been a guest lecturer at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and the University of Minnesota.
In the past I have served as a radio talk show host (one of the first in the nation), broadcast journalist, university communncations director and Press Secretary to a Minnesota Governor.
I am Married (Robin) and have 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. I have dedicated the rest of my life to promoting organ donation.
Hey, Bob! Yeah, it’s me. I Googled you and found out in a matter of minutes you’re leading this second life (in more ways than one, I guess!) as a heart transplant recipient. wow. You like to keep things interesting, don’t you? I’m still living in Virginia outside DC, writing a weekly newspaper column, and technical journal articles mostly on television (and mostly for TV Technology magazine, along with Radio World, now and then). Been doing that after working for the NAB (broadcasters) for about 12 years, and then 4 yeats at PBS, after leaving as Durenberger’s press secretary 20 years ago.
So how are you feeling these days? Sounds like you’re a new man. Ciao for now. Take care!
Best,
John
Bob I found your Blog when Googling for transplant related sites. I am involved in a new social networking site called thetxspace aimed specifically at everyone involved in a transplant event. It was launched last Friday in the UK. You might like to take a look and join up. We’ve been very suprised at just how many members have joined from the U.S. Its early days for us but we have great hopes for it. The site can be found at http://www.thetxspace.com
I hope this note finds you in the best of health.
Kind regards
Mike Hawkey
I live in Vancouver, Canada, and I have kidney failure. I need a kidney from 0 group. My wait here is 8 years. Over 80% of Canadians support organ donation, but only 16% of British Columbians have signed up to be organ donors. I really wonder why there is such a huge gap. Now it is easier than ever to sign up. You can do it online at transplant.bc.ca. The laws have changed in Canada, so the donor stickers on our drivers licenses are not longer valid.
I signed up to be an organ donor at age 16, and my mother was furious! I think she didn’t want to think of me dying and being cut open. Now she is a strong advocate for organ donation, because she now sees my struggle with kidney failure and she desperately wants me to be healthy again. I have talked to people who are not organ donors, and I asked them why. Some said it was because they just never got around to doing it. Others said they already told their families they want to donate their organs (not taking responsibility for themselves).
We live in a society of people who are not proactive. I am hoping we can change that.
Savilla
My husband and I would like to donate our kidneys or bone marrow but we know that may take time away from our jobs and family. We would hope our time, travel and post surgery care could be compensate Our hearts ache just to think someone die every day because there are not enough donnors. We want to help! Carmelita Hanley
…. thought you might be interested in the Britannica post today, by a professor who’s an organ donor, on why non-cash incentives should be legal in the U.S. for encouraging more organ donations:
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/12/providing-legal-incentives-for-organ-donation-a-firsthand-look-at-the-issue/
We’d certainly welcome your opinion, and feel free to link back in your comments to your fine site, too.
All the best,
Barb Schreiber
Britannica Blog
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois USA
Hi there Bob,
My name is Karen Prior. You recently left a lovely caring message on our sons website http://www.thelewispriorfoundation.org
We sadly lost our son Lewis on April 6th 2004, he was in need of an urgent heart transplant, he was just two years and eight months of age. In a few weeks it will be the anniversary of his angel day…i miss him so much. Today is Mothers Day in the UK, this has bittersweet memories for me as it was on mothers day in 2004 that i had my four children all together for the last time in Birmingham children’s hospital , England…a few weeks later we lost Lewis.
We want to make a difference in Lewis’s name, thats why we set up his foundation. Please take a look at Lewis’s website again and click onto our donor system page, there you will find a three minute mini clip we made of our son to highlight the need for more registered donors. Please leave your comments about it on our guestbook.
We also have a Facebook group raising awareness, please feel free to join & invite all you can
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/130719?m=8c3a5226&recruiter_id=5413320
Finally thank you so much for taking the time to visit Lewis’s website.
Kind Regards
Karen Prior.
Refer Patricia here:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h3282/show#bill_list
and here
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-s2320/show