Johnny Damato Donor Awareness Drive
Seeks Blood Donations and Organ Donor Registration November 23, 2014
� FORT LEE, NJ � As a kickoff to Thanksgiving week, the 3rd annual Johnny Damato Donor Awareness Drive will be held at Jack Alter Fort Lee Community Center, 1355 Inwood Terrace on Sunday, November 23rd from noon to 6 p.m.
Inspired by 18-year-old heart transplant recipient Johnny Damato, the drive�s purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of being a blood donor and registered organ donation candidate. The event is in honor of Children�s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) which provides financial support to families like Johnny�s to offset transplant-related expenses. As part of the drive, a silent auction will be held to benefit the organization.
�If more people were aware of the need for organ donors and knew how many lives just one donor could save, I know more people would become donors,� says Damato. Previous events have resulted in many blood and platelet donations, as well as multiple organ and bone marrow registrants.
�One organ donor can give 50 people a second chance at having a normal life again,� says Damato who received a heart transplant in June 2012. �I am hoping this drive will make a difference for other families waiting for transplants, speeding up the process and reducing the stress involved.�
Johnny Damato Donor Awareness Day will include:
A blood drive by Community Blood Services. Donors can register in advance online at https://donor.cbsblood.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/37052 or simply show up on the 23rd between noon and 6 p.m.
An organ donation registry conducted by the New Jersey Sharing Network
The opportunity to bid for silent auction prizes, the proceeds of which will benefit COTA
For more information or to donate an auction prize, call Mary Gendron Augustyn at 917-340-1006 or email her at [email protected]. For more information about COTA, log onto www.COTAforJohnnyD.com.
ABOUT CHILDREN�S ORGAN TRANSPLANT ASSOCIATION: The Children�s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is a national charity that provides fundraising assistance to transplant families. Since 1986, COTA�s priority is to assure that no child or young adult is denied a transplant or excluded from a transplant waiting list due to lack of funds. 100% of all funds raised in honor of transplant patients are used for transplant-related expenses. As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, COTA receives contributions to help offset transplant-related expenses. COTA then disperses funds to families to offset those expenses.
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