Honorees Chuck Salter Kidney Transplant Recipient Chuck Salter found out last year that he has polycystic kidney disease. Chuck s mother and uncle also have this disease and have both received kidney transplant, so Chuck knew what to expect. He continued to work as a correctional officer on one of the prison units in Gatesville even after he started dialysis. One of Chuck s cousins had volunteered to be a living donor and was in the process of being tested for this possibility when Chuck got a call from the transplant team saying he was being considered as the recipient of a cadaveric kidney donation. He was called back at 2:00 am the following morning and told to drive to Scott & White Hospital in Temple to prepare for the transplant. Fifteen hours later, Chuck had a new kidney, thanks to the generosity of the donor s family. Benjamin Kraft Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donor I am 20 years old and live in Killeen, Texas. I was going to school in Arlington Texas when we had a bloodmobile come by. I grew up watching my family donate, so I did as well. When I finished my blood donation, one of the nurses asked how I would feel about signing up for the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. I said sure and did not think anything of it. Well, after graduation in August of 09', I was contacted to see if I still wanted to donate and I said yes. For about four months we did tests, info sessions then finally we went up to Dallas in February and I donated Peripheral Blood Stem Cells. It was an amazing experience that changed my life and I hope the best for the recipient. Benjamin Kraft joined the Be The Match Registry in the summer of 2008. He came up as a match for a man with myelodysplastic syndrome last February and donated peripheral blood stem cells shortly after that Gayle Myers Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donor Gayle Myers is a hero in several ways. She is not only an avid blood donor, but she also registered as a potential donor with the Be The Match Registry while at a local blood drive.
She had been on the registry for ten years before she got that special call saying she was a match for a woman with leukemia that needed a transplant. Gayle said yes right away and several weeks later, donated peripheral blood stem cells. She said The whole donation process was fairly simple and pain free. I felt like it was so simple for something so important. I would tell anybody who was interested that it would be one of the most satisfying things a person could do. Whether it is a family member or a stranger, you are offering hope to another person Martha Rivera-Hernandez Marrow Donor Martha Rivera-Hernandez has been on the Be The Match Registry since 2001. A member of her church had cancer and she registered to see if she was a match for her. She did not match her friend, but a year ago, she came up as a possible match for 12 year-old girl with an immune disorder who needed a marrow transplant. It was just before Christmas when Martha found out that she was the best match in the world for this young girl. She was surprised when she got the call saying she was the match and asked to be a donor. She said Some days before the donation, I was praying and asking God and the virgin Mary to send me a sign if I must do it. I told them to send somebody with a gift or arrangement, and ca couple of days after that, a friend came to our house with a beautiful fruit arrangement. I never doubted the decision to be a donor. Martha said she was not afraid of the marrow donation procedure and that it went fast and she felt safe. She went on to add You will feel good about saving a life! Lisa Bocanegra Blood Donor Lisa is a regular blood donor at the Scott & White Killeen Clinic. At her April blood donation, she scheduled her next donations before she deployed in September. She wanted to donate as much as she could before deployment. This dedication to blood donation is truly wonderful. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Advocates for Donation The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is being honored for their outstanding support of donation. Over the past ten years, they have sponsored ten drives for the Be The Match Registry and over 42 blood drives.two former students of The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor have gone on to be marrow donors giving a second chance to two individuals who might not have had a chance without them.
The giving spirit of the Cru is most evident, however, in their outstanding blood donations. In the past several years, over 1633 units of blood have been donated by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and the count continues to climb steadily. The Cru knows how to share life! Austin Ash Hamilton Organ Donor My son, Austin Ash Hamilton served in Iraq as an army scout from 2009-2010. He was killed tragically in May. Ash was a friend to everyone he met. Those that knew him loved him. If you asked someone that was a friend to Ash, they would tell you ash was their best friend. As a son, there could be none better. He will be truly missed. Ash was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraqi Combat Medal for Combat Service, the Combat Action Badge, the Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon. He was an organ donor and was attributed to saving at least five lives within hours of his death. Allison Medrano Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donor Allison is part of a family that understands donation both giving and receiving. Her family has several members who have received kidney transplants from either family, friends or from anonymous donors. Her family has also lost loved ones due to polycystic kidney disease who could not find a donor. Allison joined the Be The Match Registry at a drive in Gatesville when she turned 18 years old. When Allison received a call from the Scott & White Marrow Donor Program this past summer saying she was a possible match for someone needing a transplant. Further testing showed that she was the best match in the world for a woman suffering from leukemia and Allison did not hesitate to agree to donate. We honor Allison for her unselfish gift of life to a stranger. She will join two other members of her family, her Uncle Chuck Salter and her father, Keith Steward are being honored in the tour this year as
recipients and advocates of donation. Jeremy Hempel Blood Recipient I believe it is vital for everyone who is able to donate blood or anything they are capable of donating. Every person (that I know anyways) thinks the unthinkable will never happen to them. I was one of those people for the majority of my life, which has not been very long (27 years). On November 3rd, 2009 my mind was changed forever. I was in a serious car accident and needed a substantial amount of life saving blood. During the accident an artery in my abdomen area was severed, along with other areas of concern and I was bleeding to death internally. On that day, and in the days to come, I would realize how serious it is for strong, healthy people to sacrifice a few minutes of the busy day to save a life. You may never know the life or lives you saved with just those few minutes of relaxing. The person receiving the blood could be a friend, a family member, or even a total stranger, but always know the person receiving your donation will be changed forever. I know I am. I am not sure how much blood I actually received or from how many people, but I do know my two beautiful children have their Daddy for a little while longer and my amazing wife has her best friend because of some people sacrificed a few moments. That person may never know my name, what I look like, or what I do for a living, but in the back of their mind they can know it does make a difference, even if not to them. I TRULY owe my life to people who have donated and I thank them from the bottom of my heart, they have no idea how much of a blessing they have been to me and my family. Shelby Baker Transplant Recipient On September 11th of last year, Shelby had surgery to remove her gall bladder. Within hours after the surgery, she became very ill. She was taken back to the hospital and days later went into liver failure. She was immediately put on the transplant list to find a donor. After being on the list only four days, Shelby was transplanted. She was also on dialysis for six weeks after the transplant, but is now recovered. Shelby has never met the family of her liver donor, and knows only that she is a young woman from Texas. She says someday she would like to meet this woman s family to thank them for the wonderful gift of life given to her.
Chuck Lucko Cancer Survivor and Blood Donation Advocate As we continue to see high-profile people every day in the news that are struggling with Cancer, I have decided that it is long overdue for me to use my situation and Cancer experience in a positive way that would honor my former business partner, Robert Love. Robert Love and I had both graduated from Temple High School in 1978 and both had entered the Professional Land Surveying industry. Robert passed away after battling Liposarcoma (abdominal tumors) for almost nine years. His courage and continued good attitude and smile, was a tremendous example for us all. I also suffered with Testicular Cancer. In 1996, I experienced some discomfort near my groin, and made a visit to my family physician at Scott & White. My doctor indicated that he thought this problem was serious and most likely Testicular Cancer. The Big C word devastated me. Robert was there for me during the entire situation. The surgery was performed, and after a few weeks of healing from the surgery, I began Radiation. During my surgeries, I was given several units of blood. After the Radiation, I was told "most likely, you're cured". This was exactly what I needed, and wanted to hear. After a three month checkup, however, a CT scan revealed that a tumor had returned and was high in my chest. An operation called a Mediostenoscopy was performed the week before Christmas, 1997. Robert was there for me and my family, and we made it through Christmas week. I was blessed to have Robert and my wife Melinda to keep our business going. It definitely was a struggle. I am so thankful to have had Robert and Melinda there for me, as well as my friends and family. In April, 2010, I was 12 years Cancer-Free. Robert, however, was not as fortunate. I can't explain the feelings I have every day with him not being here. He became not only a business partner, but my best friend. In his honor, I started the LOVE CURES ROBERT S. LOVE FOUNDATION, which will be committed to finding a cure for cancer by supporting the Scott & White Cancer Research Institute. Education and research is the key. Medical science has only scratched the surface on many types of cancer. I want to help make a difference Robert Love Blood Recipient Robert passed away on August 27, 2002 after battling Liposarcoma (abdominal tumors) for almost nine years. Robert s courage and continued good attitude and smile, was a tremendous example for us all. Robert began having some abdominal pains in 1993. His condition was diagnosed as Liposarcoma, a very deadly and aggressive form of cancer manifested by tumors that grow very large within your body. Robert worked closely with some really great physicians at Scott & White, but it seems the only known method to deal with this type of cancer is surgery. Each time Robert would have a surgery, it was always the hope that the tumors would not return. He had a major surgery to remove these tumors, and usually
any organ or tissue in contact with the tumors, on the average of every 10 months for eight years. Each surgery would last anywhere from 5 to 8 hours! As you could imagine, these surgeries would also require a great deal of blood. Eventually, Robert's body could not take this anymore. During Robert's ordeal, he continued to drive when he could, and to be "Super-Dad" to his three children. He fathered his youngest daughter, Jacey, who was born about the time I was getting back to normal. Jacey was four years old when her father passed away. Robert never lost hope. He studied and searched for some medical help for his terrible disease. I can't explain the feelings I have every day with him not being here. He became not only a business partner, but my best friend. I found out that we had a whole lot in common and we respected one another greatly. Robert and I did not always agree on things in our business, but we yielded to one another quite often and respected each other's opinion, or direction they thought our company should be going at the time. We never had a serious argument. ~ Chuck Lucko