Jim's Hearts

We hesitated to stop to say “thank you” at this point, in fear that we’d lose some of the fantastic momentum we are enjoying. Tens of thousands of young people (and the rest of us) have seen the #beadonor message we initiated last Thursday — and it continues today (and hopefully many more days after).

But #jimshearts is inspired by a real person — one man, and that man and his family are very, very thankful for everyone who took their time to sign up to be a donor, and to share the message with others.

While the world was sharing on Facebook and Twitter, Jim was having a procedure done in the Ottawa Heart Institute. Marah waited until it was completed to share our incredible results. It was the boost he needed. Thank you.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that Jim needs a new heart. He’s the reason why we are so motivated to share the #beadonor message. So, don’t stop now! Share. Share some more. Talk to your family about your wishes. Be inspired. Be a donor (anywhere in Canada).

THANK YOU.

If you are looking to be inspired — this is an excerpt from a letter received for Jim:

Dear Jim.

I’m just like you. I have kids who rely on me, a family who needs me. I have responsibilities and the need to take care of others. I want to provide for those I love, and be there for my kids as they grow into adults.

I’m just like you. The only difference is that I’m not sick right now, and I’m not waiting for a heart transplant – but who knows what the future will bring? I can’t help but think that if it were me,  I’d want you to sign up to be a donor. So I’ve signed up. Because I’m just like you.

Good luck Jim. I’m rooting for you.

How awesome is that?? This letter-writer thought about including their name and a picture of their family, but decided upon reflection that the story is about Jim and his family. By remaining anonymous, we think that anyone could be this letter-writer and share these sentiments by becoming a registered organ donor. Do it today. Be a donor. Please – continue to share Jim’s story. We’re making a difference.

You know how life tends to just carry on? How you trundle through your daily tasks, think vaguely about what you’ll do on the weekend and consider the future through a hazy lens? That’s the norm. But sometimes, life has a way of making you sit up and take notice.

This past week we attended the funeral of someone we loved very much. It was for a wonderful man, with a life well-lived, but no less heart-breaking for those of us he left behind. Suddenly, you are pondering life in a different way. Life is short, it’s not a solo sport and it truly is a gift.

It reminded us afresh of why we continue to challenge Ontario and Canada to become organ donors. The gift of life is so incredibly precious, and so easy to share. Please – register to be an organ donor today. Don’t wait for life to kick you in the pants.

Jim, and thousands more need you today. Be a donor.

Something that Jim’s mother-in-law shared recently resonated with us. It was something about using the right words to make a difference. Words are powerful things – they can strike you down, or they can raise you up. They can destroy and they can move mountains.

What are the right words to make everyone see how incredibly important organ donation is? Do we need to use words that are charged with emotion, like tragedy, death, or anguish? Or perhaps the words we need are more spirit lifting, like hope, faith, or support? Though some of our words are getting through, the dramatic shift in organ donation registration we’ve been looking for just hasn’t happened. (We won’t give up).

So – what do you think about these words?

Jim’s tomorrow depends on you.

We’re going to continue to try to inspire everyone to be a donor. Please share this message – add your own words to make it stick.

Summer is here, and with it the beautiful hot weather. Hot and humid. Perfect for your backyard pool, or dip in the lake — but not so perfect when you have congestive heart failure that already causes your body to build up fluid. For Jim, it’s another thing he needs to contend with while he waits for a new heart. It makes being on the waiting list that much harder.

Won’t you take two minutes to sign up to be an organ donor this Summer? Let’s give Jim, and the 4500+ waiting for an organ transplant some hope. Waiting is hard – signing up to register your consent is not.

Be inspired. Be a donor. Talk to your family about it.

We are on the fence about some of the “in your face” messaging around organ donation. Some of the experts say that this kind of message is meant for the younger demographic. You’ve seen them: messages like “dont’ take your organs to heaven — heaven knows we need them here” etc. You can’t deny that they are truthful, but in our experience, young people are very much on board with organ donation. It doesn’t seem to take much for them to grasp the need to sign up and be a donor.

So, these messages don’t seem to be doing the trick anyway – whether you like them or not. Only 25% of Canadians are signed up to be a donor. Our take on this situation is that the message just isn’t reaching people. Will you help us reach as many people as possible with a simple message?

Be a donor. Talk to your family about it. Be inspired by someone like Jim.

We’ve been thrilled with the success to date of this blog (last week we surpassed 40,000 views) and the accompanying Facebook and Twitter activity (in the 100’s of thousands at least). The inspiration of course comes  from Jim, who is still waiting for a new heart. Jim’s story has touched a nerve in Ontario, in Canada and around the world. We are amazed and grateful.

Here’s the dilemma though – what do we do now? How do we keep up the momentum to reach new people? Do we need a celebrity to endorse us? Do we need media coverage? What do we need to bring this to the next level?

Jim, and too many like him are waiting for an organ transplant. We can’t stop now. Tell us what you think. In the meantime, if you haven’t already, sign up to be a donor. If you are not in Ontario, click here for information.

Be inspired by Jim’s story.