COLBY FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER
FOUNDATION NEWS
OUR MISSION IN ACTION: RAISING AWARENESS THROUGH THE COLBY CASSANI ENDOWED LECTURESHIP SERIES
Two Additional Schools Held the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series!
LECOM: The Colby Foundation is thrilled to tell you about the latest presentation of the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS). The Foundation endows Schools of Osteopathic Medicine to provide organ and tissue donation education through the lectureship series. One aim is to educate and support future physicians in addressing this important issue with their patients. In March, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (LECOM) Erie campus held its first CCELS.
And our impact is real: “I'm a student from LECOM-Erie and just got back from your presentation. I just wanted to let you know that I am committed to making organ donation education part of my standard history and physical. Thank you for coming in today and sharing your story with us.”
LECOM Erie also hosted its annual continuing medical education conference, Peek n Peak, for practicing physicians. The Colby Foundation was able to expand its educational reach in addressing these physicians as well.
OSU-CHS: In April, Oklahoma State University (OSU-CHS) held its annual Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series. Inspired by Colby’s story, student leader Kara Beair championed renaming the students’ annual "Scrub Run" 10 K in memory of Colby and in honor of Brayden (Colby's heart recipient).
As Kara states: “We could not even begin to express the tremendous impact John and Starla [Cassani, Colby Foundation founders] have had on our students. Their beautiful story is so powerful. Additionally, their endowed lectureship at [OSU-CHS] has made it possible for each new class of future physicians to hear about the significance of organ donation. It is our hope that these permanent name changes will not only honor these phenomenal families, but will also bring further awareness to organ transplantation and encourage donation.”
A true highlight of this year's events was the presence of Brayden (now 16 years old), the heart recipient whose life was saved when Colby's organs were donated by the Cassanis. The Cassanis have shared many years of friendship with Brayden's family and were proud to introduce this amazing young man and his family to OSU-CHS!
2009 YEAR TO DATE, COLBY CASSANI ENDOWED LECTURESHIP SERIES.
Three Schools of Medicine Endowed by the Colby Foundation.
February 13: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton FL
March 12: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie PA
April 2 - 4: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa OK
DIRECTORS’ NOTES
SUPPORTING OUR MISSION:The Colby Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, thanks our contributors! With your generosity, the 2009 Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS) has already been held in three Schools of Osteopathic Medicine. Over 500 students, faculty, practicing physicians, and others have attended the CCELS! We welcome your contributions to continue to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation. You make the difference! Click here to make a contribution securely online, or mail your check to Katie Parker, Director; Colby Foundation; PO Box 31917; Seattle, WA 98103.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND THANKS: The Colby Foundations Trustees and Staff would like to thank the following speakers who have made the 2009 Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series successful:
· Dr. John J. Fung, MD, PhD
· Kurt Shutterly, RN, CPTC
· Dr. Kirby Slifer, DO
· Stephanie Bagley, RN
· Dr. Charles Wright, MD
· Melissa Kelley, RN, CPTC
· Brayden - Colby’s heart recipient
PERSONAL NEWS
STORY OF HOPE - PATTI AND CHET
Patti was the youngest of six children and loved the outdoors. In 1994 while on a camping trip, she called her dad Chet to tell him what a great time she was having. “I remember telling her to be safe and enjoy herself. It was the last time we talked.”
Tragedy struck in the wee hours of the morning when Patti was involved in a car accident and near death. “There are no words to describe the feelings you go through at that moment,” said Chet. However, he began to recall a conversation with Patti four years earlier, letting him know that she had signed up to be an organ donor. Chet brought the conversation up to his wife and within minutes they were on the phone with the hospital. “I told them, ‘do everything possible to save this child, but if Patti dies, it was her wish to be an organ and tissue donor.’”
Patti’s brothers were the first ones to be able to book flights and be with her in Tennessee. “I was not sure I was well enough to travel and we desperately wanted some family there with her. I had congestive heart failure and did not have much stamina,” said Chet. Patti’s brothers called and said that she had been declared brain dead. “We immediately made preparations to fly there, as we had decided to disconnect ventilated support and needed to be there with her.”
“Soon after arriving, we met with Suzy, from the Organ Procurement Organization, who went over various options with us in terms of Patti’s wishes for organ and tissue donation. The laws are different now, but I had to sign giving my consent and it was the hardest signature I have ever had to write.”
By this time, family members had begun to make arrangements to go home and plan Patti’s funeral. Chet went to lie down. “I was not feeling well and was “heavy” with the decisions that had to be made. At that point, Suzy came running up to me with some news that would dramatically change my life. I had been involved in an investigational drug study and had been on the heart transplant list for four years. I had given up hope of a heart transplant, but was involved in the study in the hope that it would help someone else. Suzy was now telling me that I could have Patti’s heart.”
Suzy informed the family that Patti’s heart could go to her father under the Directed Anatomical Gift Act. “This was a total shock and not anything we had considered, so we initially declined the heart” said Chet. “I was worried that people would think I was being selfish,” but they decided to run it by the rest of the family. They discussed the pros and cons and opted to accept Patti’s heart.
After a flight back to his home state, Chet was scheduled for transplant surgery immediately. “My chest was opened, the transplant began, and at 9:47 a.m. Patti’s heart took its first beat in my chest.” Chet’s recovery was swift - the blueness left his lips and his skin color was good. He immediately felt that he was able to think more clearly.
“I am going on 15 years now and it is like I have a new engine! Beyond a couple of colds, I have been healthy. Prior to my transplant, I had four grandchildren that I could not keep up with. Now I have 12 grandchildren and I can actually pick them up. My biggest satisfaction is my grandchildren because I would have missed knowing many of them if it were not for Patti. The change in how I felt prior to the transplant with how I feel now is truly a miracle this side of heaven.”
A REMINDER ABOUT GOOD SEARCH: SEARCHING THE NET SUPPORTS THE COLBY FOUNDATION...IT REALLY DOES!
To those of you who have already begun using GoodSearch as your search engine...we THANK YOU for your support! For those who have not yet made the switch, we hope you will consider it because the Colby Foundation earns a penny every time you use GoodSearch to search the internet.
How does that work? GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations to the Colby Foundation add up!
To learn more, just use the GoodSearch icon (top right of this page) or go to www.goodsearch.com and please spread the word. We appreciate it!
