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by Andrea HallKitchener Citizen
Organ donation isn’t something people tend to talk about very often.
“In a lot of ways this is one of those difficult conversations,” said Kitchener-Conestoga MP Har-old Albrecht. “Too many of us think we’ll live to 95.”
But Step by Step is an organization trying to change that. They kicked off their 8th campaign, called “Register Now” on March 2. It’s a torch relay with the goal of inspiring people to sign up and become organ donors.
And this campaign has a special connection to Albrecht – it’s dedicated to his wife Betty who died suddenly last year from a brain hemorrhage and whose organs were donated.
“The grief that we’re going through, there’s nothing that would totally remove it,” Albrecht said, but added that both his faith and her gift of organ donation help him cope.
“I know today that there are at least five others who are enjoying life by the organs that Betty donated.”
Albrecht told his story in the House of Commons, and from there it spread to George Marcello, the founder of Step
by Step.
He asked Albrecht if this year’s campaign could carry the
torch in memory of Betty.
Marcello began the first campaign in 1997 to thank his anonymous donor after receiving a liver transplant.
Four years later, Pope John Paul II invited Marcello to Vatican City and blessed the torch, proclaiming organ and tissue donation as a genuine act of love.
Since then the Torch of Life has been carried throughout Canada, the United States and Europe in an effort to raise awareness about organ donation.
“We’ve left a footprint in over 500 communities,” said Marcello.
The “Register Now” student relay is taking place across 75 cities and towns in Ontario. It started in Kenora on March 2 and finishes in Toronto June 19.
Albrecht said he, as well as his children and grandchildren plan to participate as much as possible.
He has also written a letter to be read at each stop.
On May 4, the one year anniversary of Betty’s death, the torch of life will stop in Kitchener.
“On one hand it’s difficult, it’s not easy, I wish I didn’t have to talk about it,” said Albrecht. “On the other hand it’s part of the healing process.”
He also stressed the importance of making people aware of how easy it is to register as an organ
donor.
“It’s so simple, it takes literally a few minutes, go on to www.beadonor.ca and it’s done,”
Albrecht said.
And while this relay is dedicated to Betty’s memory, he said in the end it really comes down to getting people registered.
“It isn’t about me, it’s not about Betty, it’s about the lives we can save down the road.”
For more information on Step by Step visit stepbystep.ca and to register as an organ donor go to beadonor.ca.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE AN ORGAN DONOR
2012 Step by Step torch relay dedicated to the memory of Betty Albrecht
2012 Step by Step torch relay dedicated to the memory of Betty Albrecht
Kitchener-Conestoga MP Harold Albrecht (left) with George Marcello, who is an organ recipient and the organizer of the Step by Step torch relay which raises awareness about organ donation.