TRIBUTE TO IRIS

IRIS' HEART WILL BE 12 YEARS OLD

written June 1, 2000 ~revised January 3, 2001

In July of 2000, I celebrated the 11th year of my heart transplant. In June, I attended the 2000 U.S. Transplant Games in Orlando, sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation. It was the first "Games" for me and I was part of Team Florida, and entered into the table tennis competition.

paddle and ball

I hadn't played ping pong in almost 30 years but it didn't matter how good an athlete you are, nor was it about winning medals, just as long as you participated and showed the world that transplantation works.

Transplant "Athletes" from all over the country, as well as donor families attended. Competition in various sports were held, includine tennis, volleyball, cycling, bowling, badminton, basketball, swimming, and track. We were very excited about going to this event and looked forward to meeting many recipients that I had been communicating with through the internet. I had heard that it would be a very emotional and inspirational experience, and it most certainly was.

I try at every opportunity to talk about the importance of organ donation. At a recent gathering at our retirement community, I approached our Mayor, who was also in attendance. I told him that I was a heart transplant survivor and that April 16th to 22nd was National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week. I asked him if he would be willing to take a picture with me to promote organ donation. He was very receptive and said that he would issue a special proclamation declaring the entire month of April as donor awareness month for the citizens of our town.

A reporter from the Herald newspaper was writing an article about me being a long-term survivor of a heart transplant and the photo would tie in nicely with that.

On March 22, 2000, Mayor Fekete presented me with a Proclamation from the city naming April Organ Donation Month and also honoring me for my contributions and courage. This part was a complete suprise to me. I had no idea that the certificate would be given to me to keep. I guess I thought it would be just filed at city hall. We immediately had copies made to send to our children and close friends up north, and shortly afterwards, had the Proclamation beautifully framed. It is now hanging in the entrance hall of our apartment.

The Mayor stated "Anything that makes the public more aware of organ donation is the right thing to do", and we added that we want people to become aware of filling out donor cards.

Mayor Presents Proclamation To Iris

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, transplantation of human organs from one human being to another is undoubtedly one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of this century; and

WHEREAS, organ and tissue donations are the ultimate gift of one person to another; and

WHEREAS, over 40,000 people nationwide currently wait for a life-saving organ transplant and hundreds of thousands are in need of a life-enhancing tissue transplant; and

WHEREAS, the month of April is Organ Donation Month, and

WHEREAS, Iris Epstein, a resident of Pembroke Pines, received a donor's heart more than 10 years ago and has led a very active, productive life, and

WHEREAS, Iris Epstein will be participating in the Transplant Olympic Games in Orlando in June 2000 as part of Team Florida.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ALEX G. FEKETE, by the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Pembroke Pines, do hereby recognize Iris Epstein for her courage and efforts on behalf of Organ Donation and encourage all Pembroke Pines residents to consider becoming an organ donor.

Won't you please sign an organ donor card and support organ donor awareness? YOU can make a miracle happen for someone. Click here for information on how to donate