Mother of Organ Donor Takes Commitment to New Heights

11/17/2009

Contact: Alexandra Parkowski, (302) 655-1552, aparkowski@a-b-c.com

Newport, DE—Pat Hieber literally elevated her efforts to encourage people to become organ donors. Hieber, the store manager of Newport Auto Center in Newport, Delaware, had the idea to use the company's billboard to spread the word about giving the gift of life. Company owner Mike Berger generously agreed.

Hieber’s involvement with Gift of Life Donor Program (www.donors1.org) came about through personal loss. The tragic and sudden death of her 18-year-old son happened just two years after another close relative lost her life waiting for a liver transplant. Since then, Hieber’s been an active volunteer for Gift of Life, the nonprofit agency serving Delaware, the eastern half of Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey that is responsible for recovering and distributing organs and tissues used in life-saving and life-enhancing transplants.

Hieber said the billboard is a tribute to her son and his gift of life. “Chris knew how important organ donation was because of his aunt’s experience,” said Pat. “My hope is that the billboard will bring attention to the importance of being an organ and tissue donor.”

Pat serves as the organ donor quilt chairperson, speaks at the organization’s annual donor recognition ceremony and the Gift of Life Dash for Donor Awareness in Philadelphia, visits high schools to tell students about the importance of registering to be an organ donor, and is a frequent volunteer at health fairs. In addition, she works diligently to persuade supporters to attend the U.S. Transplant Games, exceeding her goal of 75 donor family members with 108 attending the 2008 Games in Pittsburgh.

More than 5,300 people are awaiting transplants in the region. Tens of thousands of others need corneas to restore sight, bone and other tissues to repair injured or diseased bones and joints, skin to heal burns, and heart valves to replace diseased ones. One donor has the potential to save and enhance up to 50 lives and take up to 8 people off the waiting list.

Download a high resolution photo of the billboard.

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