The Gift of Life Part 1

Steve Adubato talks with individuals who share their profound stories about the impact organ and tissue donation has made in their lives. Guests include: Elisse Glennon, VP & Chief Administrative Officer, NJ Sharing Network; Stuart Geffner, MD, Director, Renal Pancreas Transplant Surgery, RWJBarnabas Health; Mark and Terry Meade, Heart Transplant Recipient and Recipient Family Member; Deanna Fenton, Hospital Services Manager, NJ Sharing Network; Howard Nelson, Chair, Board of Trustees, NJ Sharing Network; Sharon Marino, Mother of Organ Donor; Daniel Tompkins, Liver Transplant Recipient and Jay Gordon, Heart Transplant Recipient.

8/28/17 #2069

Excerpt:

"Hi, Steve Adubato here in beautiful New Providence, New Jersey. I'm here with my colleague Joanna Gagis. This is the 7th annual New Jersey Sharing Network 5K. Big event. Gift of life. Absolutely. Every year, we come here because we understand the importance of educating the public about organ and tissue donation and we know that for every person who registers, 75 lives can be saved. It's incredible. Last year, they saved hundreds of people's lives. People who gave the gift of life. In this program, in the following half hour in both Life & Living and One On One, our other programs, you are going to see people who are here because someone gave the gift of life to them. You're going to see family members of people who decided to give the gift of life to others. They're marching together, Joanna, on teams. That's right. 10,000 here gathered today. It's such a significant event in New Jersey because so many people have been impacted like you said by this issue, and so in this next half hour and in the programs that we're going to do. we're going to be talking to those people, hearing their stories, and I'm sure it's going to move you in the way that it's moved us. Check it out. Welcome Folks. I'm Steve Adubato and more importantly, we're here at the New Jersey Sharing Network 5K Celebration of Life to honor, to remember, to give hope. And we're here with our good friend and colleague in this cause, he's been leading it for a long time. Joe Roth, who is the President and CEO of New Jersey Sharing Network. Great day once again in New Providence, New Jersey, right? Yep, wonderful day. Our 7th annual 5K Celebration of Life, and we can't be prouder to continue this tradition as it's going. And a beautiful day. So much energy here today. It's terrific. Joe, you've been in philanthropy. You've been in the corporate world. You've been giving and making a difference for a long time. What makes this effort, this organization, and ultimately, the people it serves so special? Well, the people we work with, our job is to save and enhance lives through organ donation and transplantation, and this is like the culmination of that effort every year. Bringing people together, donor families, recipients, people waiting for the gift, people involved in transplantation..."