3rd Angel Birthday

As many of you know from reading my Blog my Friend Duffy passed away three years ago today. He was on a transplant list when this happened, it is always hard when you lose someone especially when they are so young.

For the last 3 years Duffy's Mom has been doing all she can to raise awareness for organ donors and to keep Duff's legacy alive. I am so proud of the things that Mary Jo has accomplished and I want to share it with all of you...

This is a email from Mary Jo that was sent out today:

As most of you know I have been working hard since February to accomplish several goals for transplant patients. I wrote a proclamation declaring September 2008 Organ Donation Awareness Month which the Governor signed and I have been busy this month getting the word out. I have spoken to several groups and I will be speaking to the Driver Ed students at high schools in Alamance and Guilford County as well as setting up booths at different locations through the remainder of the year to promote organ donation.

Today, Duffy's 3rd Angel Date, we officially opened the Duffy Collins Organ Transplant Foundation bank account to help defray costs for transplant patients. The Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt foundation and every penny you give is deductible. We have almost 100,000.00 people on the transplant list and 50% of them will die while waiting for a transplant. My goal has been to bring awareness to the need for organ donors and also to help defray the costs of a transplant. All of you probably have insurance and you know what the insurance company will pay and what you have to pay out of pocket. For transplant patients it is a tremendous amount out of pocket and most families do not have those funds. After a transplant the anti-rejection drugs are as much as $5,000.00 a month and the recipient of the transplant will have to take them for the rest of their life. That is what this foundation is all about. These people need financial help!!

Chris and Jennifer Benkosky, owners of Electrical Technologies, Inc. in Alamance County made the first contribution to this foundation today. Their compassion and caring has officially opened this account with funds. The picture attached is a copy of their check being handed to an employee of MidCarolina Bank for the first deposit to the Foundation. Please give them a hand for their caring and help.

I am asking all of you to tell your friends, neighbors, church, and any other group you might be associated with about this foundation and help us raise money for these patients.

The address for the foundation is as follows:

Duffy Collins Organ Transplant Foundation

P. O. Box 128

Burlington, N. C. 27216

I thank you all for your help and support this year.

In January 2009 my senator will be introducing a bill to make September Organ Donation Awareness Month for North Carolina. A law will keep it on the books and a proclamation has to be renewed every year. Keep on praying that I can get this done.

Way to go MJ, I love you