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 Alwardt, a double lung and heart transplant
recipient from Springfield, was a "Page for the Day" in the Senate.
She spoke to lawmakers from the Senate's podium to highlight
awareness of April as Donate Life Month. On hand to support her were
students from her government class at Lutheran High School and her
family.
Alwardt had a heart and double lung transplant in
2005 after living with pulmonary hypertension for about three years.
The donor was a young Ohio man named Patrick who had died in an
accident. Patrick's family gave permission for his organs to be
donated, which gave Alwardt and four other people a second chance at
life.
"I'm eternally grateful to Patrick and his family
for my chance to live a full life," Alwardt told lawmakers. "I will
be graduating from high school this year thanks to the support and
prayers I received before and after my transplant from the teachers
and students at Lutheran High. In celebration of Donate Life Month,
I hope you use your positions now and in the future to promote
awareness of organ donation."
"This Donate Life Month, please sign up and ask
others to do the same," said Sen. Larry Bomke. "There's an enormous
need for donors. In Illinois alone, almost 5,000 people are waiting
for organ transplants."
For more information on organ donation, individuals
can go to
http://www.lifegoeson.com/ or visit their local driver's license
facility. Illinois currently has the largest donor registry in the
nation, with more than 6 million names.
[Text from file received]
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