The Guild 12-28-2003 It's about life. Make a donation

Transplants.org ^

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

About NFT	|	Contact Information	|	NFT Publications		|	Patient Documents

Patient Campaigns

|

Corporate Opportunities

|

How Can I Help?

|

Organ/Tissue Donation

|

Learn More

|

Helpful Links

Organ/Tissue Donation

---

Organ Donation: It's all about LIFE

There are two essential steps to saving lives through organ donation

1. SHARE YOUR LIFE. Decide to be a donor.

Transplants provide hope for thousands of people with organ failure. In addition, hundreds of thousands more can be helped with tissue transplants. Unfortunately, the need for donors is much greater than the actual number of donors. Your commitment to organ and tissue donation can save lives.

2. SHARE YOUR DECISION. Tell your family.

The most important part of deciding to be a donor is telling your family. Talking about donation doesn't mean talking about death. It is talking about the opportunity to give another person a second chance at life. Even if you have signed a donor card or indicated your wish to donate on your driver's license, you need to tell your family since they will be consulted before donation can take place.

	Important facts about donation:
•	There is no national registry of organ and tissue donors. Even if you have signed something, be sure you have told your family of your wishes as they will be consulted before donation can take place.
•	All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider donation the greatest gift.
•	An open casket funeral is possible for organ and tissue donors.
	•	There is no cost to the donor's family or estate for organ and tissue donation. Funeral costs remain the responsibility of the family.
	•	People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissue can be donated.

Organ Donor Card
You can download and print out an organ donor card. But remember, completing this card alone is not enough. You also need to discuss your wishes with your family.

Click to Download PDF version or Download JPEG version

To find out more about organ donation, visit the web site of the Coalition on Donation: www.shareyourlife.org


Bone Marrow Donation: The Living Gift of Life

Marrow transplants are the only hope for survival for many children and adults with leukemia, aplastic anemia, and other fatal blood diseases and cancers. Unfortunately, nearly 70 percent of these patients cannot find suitably matched marrow donors within their families. They need to find unrelated marrow donors - people who have volunteered to donate marrow if ever matched with any patient in need. A national registry of marrow donors is maintained by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

Because tissue types are inherited, and some tissue types are unique to certain racial or ethnic groups, a patient's best chance of finding a match is within his or her ethnic and racial group. Currently, the majority of the volunteers on the NMDP Registry are Caucasian. While all volunteer donors are welcome, there is a critical need for minority donors to help the many minority patients searching the Registry.

You can become a volunteer donor through your local donor center if you are between the ages of 18 and 60 and are in good health. To find out the center closest to you, and to learn more about the donation process, go to the National Marrow Donor Program Web Site (www.marrow.org) or call 1-800-MARROW-2.

404

National Foundation for Transplants (800) 489-3863 (901) 684-1697 info@transplants.com ©2003 National Foundation for Transplants

[BigWaveBetty]

Is that baby's mother feeding her BBQ for breakfast? ;-)

[mountaineer]

I thought that's what all Texans fed their babies! Makes 'em grow up real big 'n strong.

[Iowa Granny]

That's a red pacifier in the baby's mouth. Not a ketchup smeared mouth.

[daisyscarlett]

And not only was he not identified, he appears to be clapping for Chelsea...Looks like she was introduced. Note how all eyes are on her and she is just soaking it up. Isn't he the biggest wimp, our Mr. Chelsea, hee hee.

[BigWaveBetty]

Having some fun so very far from home.

Two US soldiers dance during a New Year's eve party at their base in former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s hometown of Tikrit north of Baghdad(AFP/Jewel Samad

U.S. soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division play pool in one of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s palaces in the Iraqi town of Tikrit, some 250 km north of Baghdad, January 1, 2004. The palace has been converted into a recreation center and military base. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk

U. S. Army Sgt. Carlos Llanes, left, and Spc. Koki Lane celebrate New Year's Eve dancing to salsa music during a party thrown for soldiers of the 101st Airborne division Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 at their base in Mosul, Iraq (news - web sites). Llanes is from Miami, Fla. and Lane is from Gresham, Ore. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

U.S. Army Sgt. Ben Press of Traverse City, Mich., right, blows a horn while celebrating New Year's Eve with Sgt. Karl McCarn, left, and Spc. Terry Ludwick, center in green hat, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 at their base in Mosul, Iraq (news - web sites). The three soldiers are with the 1438 Engineer unit of the 101st Airborne division. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

Happy New Year from Bagdad.

Two Iraqi girls cross a street in Baghdad in front of a Seasonal Greeting sign. Iraqi Police have taken strict security measures with the approach of the New Year.(AFP/Mauricio Lima)

[BigWaveBetty]

Whoops, time for stronger reading glasses.

[mountaineer]

Hey, Chelsea's accomplished so much in her life, it's only right that she receive the accolades of the masses.

[BigWaveBetty]

You're right about Ben never looking at Jen but instead looking to or for the camera. Get a load of this!

Ben Affleck, shown here getting a kiss from Jennifer Lopez at the 75th Academy Awards (news - web sites), told ABC television that he is still with Lopez, despite the ups and downs since they called off their wedding(AFP/File/John Mabanglo)

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Sir DENIS THATCHER, Bart.
1915-2003
The Prime Minister’s First Gentleman

Denis Thatcher was great company, boozy and politically incorrect. His daughter Carol once recounted to me a story that sums up his approach to the role in which he was cast. During the early days of her wife’s premiership. Denis Thatcher took a late-night train down to the country. Just before it pulled out of Paddington Station, a group of patients from a mental hospital, homeward bound after a day trip to London, piled into Denis's otherwise deserted carriage.

The bossy lady in charge began a head count: ". . . eight, nine, 10 . . ." Coming to Sir Denis, she paused: "Who are you?"

"I'm the prime minister's husband," he said.

Without missing a beat, she counted him in -- "11" -- and continued

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

With Bare Escentuals, Ben's face would not look orange compared to his neck.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

How could I have forgotten my yearly topless photo to wish you all a Happy New Year!!

[daisyscarlett]

HLL:Loved the Dennis Thatcher story.

BWB:Thanks for the photos of our military enjoying the New Year's celebrations. I especially loved the one of them playing pool in the Palace on Saddam's very ornate pool table.

The Way To A Happy New Year

To leave the old with a burst of song
To recall the right and forgive the wrong
To forget the things that bind you fast
To the vain regrets of the year that's past.

To have the strength to let go your hold
Of the not worthwhile of the days grown old
To dare go forth with a purpose true
To the unknown task of the year that's new.

To help your brother along the road
To do his work and lift his load
To add your gift to the world's good cheer
Is to have and to give a Happy New Year!

[mountaineer]

I just realized why Chelsea was in the Bahamas - Mummy and Daddy sent her there to check up on the $$$$ they've stashed away in off-shore accounts over the past few decades.

[Endeavor]

In case anyone wants to know, the Pres is in Falfurrias - pronounced, "Fowl-Furious." Good hunting, Mr. President.

[Iowa Granny]

Quail are hard to see, it's going to be a challenge.

[Timeout]

The NY Times unwittingly commits "cognitive dissonance" in today's paper.

In an editorial they wistfully dream of the day those awful Bushies step aside and let the U.N. and international agencies reclaim their rightful place leading the world to a more peaceful tomorrow.

But, in a front page article, it is revealed that Mohamed ElBaradei, the world's top nuke hunter, was not in the loop when he (unhelpfully) visited Libya last week. As you'll recall, ElBaradei pooh pooh'd reports that Libya posed a threat in its development of nuclear weapons. Evidently, the trip wasn't sanctioned by the U.S./British negotiators:

...some senior Bush administration officials have questioned the ability of the International Atomic Energy Agency led by Mohamed ElBaradei to supervise the removal or destruction of Libyan weapons....

The senior official characterized Dr. ElBaradei's visit here this week as a "badly advised"....

"We want to have more conversations in private with the Libyans before doing anything in public," the senior official said this week.

....

"ElBaradei has got a minuscule percentage of the knowledge" about the full assortment of Libya's illicit weapons programs, the official said, and, therefore, "he has a role, but only with the technical aspects" of verifying the dismantling of the Libyan nuclear program.

If I'm not mistaken, that's the diplomatic equivalent of a bitch-slap! The IAEA is trying to insinuate itself into a process where it wasn't invited...and where it has nothing to offer. When will the Times wake up and recognize that, while "the Bushies" are struggling to contain weapons proliferation, those international agents have no serious goals other than publicity and personal power?

Not to mention that headlines this morning reveal that Iran is on the verge of receiving a high-level U.S. delegation, including Elizabeth Dole and an undisclosed member of the Bush family. AND there are reports that North Korea is now willing to allow inspections of it's most suspect nuclear facility within the next few weeks. Looks to me like the Axis of Evil may be buried in a spider hole before this year is out. And the NY Times will find some reason to weep.

[Iowa Granny]

Good Morning.

I question the wisdom of sending a Bush to Iran. I fear kidnapping.

[Timeout]

Maybe they'd like to take Neil off the radar screen during the election........just kidding!

[mountaineer]

The IAEA is trying to insinuate itself into a process where it wasn't invited...and where it has nothing to offer

True of anything even remotely U.N.-related! Impotence, ineptness, and incompetence characterize such organizations that presume to usurp the USA's sovereign right to negotiate and deal with other countries in the way it sees appropriate.

On another topic, is it just here in my neck of the woods, or has anyone noticed the New Year's baby seems to be born to a single mother (with no mention whatsoever of a father), more often than not? Any more, it's a big deal when the child has parents married to one another, it seems.

Another reminder of why we so love the French:

Germany has welcomed a French invite to attend the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which has raised few objections from veterans' groups. A German Government spokesman said the invitation from French President Jacques Chirac was "a sign that the times have indeed changed". full story, BBC

Has Chirac bothered to invite any Americans?

[mountaineer]

Oh my.

It's one thing for rival Democrats to slam Howard Dean's domestic agenda as some "left-wing abandonment" of President Clinton's centrist triumphs; after all, a little demagoguery in the service of winning is what primary politics are about. But in reality, the notion that Dean is somehow radically left on domestic policy, or has "dissed" Bill Clinton, is nonsense. To the extent these charges are serious, they prove how little critics grasp Dean's proposals - and how little they recall Clinton's own domestic vision, which Dean largely seeks to fulfill. ...

What "radical" goals would Dr. Dean urge the party to pursue, in what he now calls a "New Social Contract for Working Families"? Affordable health care for the 44 million uninsured. Affordable child care. Universal preschool for millions of poorer kids who don't have it. A new commitment to make college more affordable. A modest increase in the minimum wage. New efforts to encourage savings for average citizens. These goals aren't radical; they're common sense.

rest of commentary, Matthew Miller

Yessir, ol' Mainstream Dean, that's what he is.