MEDIA RELEASES
A Thrill of a Lifetime – Citrus Heights Transplant Recipient to Ride on Rose Bowl Parade Float
Mother of Two Says She’s Practicing “the Wave”
(Sacramento) Fifty-five year old Lyda Kroenig of Citrus Heights never thought she’d see her oldest son graduate from college… or see another Christmas – when she was diagnosed with end-stage liver disease two years ago. But, a life-saving transplant on January 10, 2004 changed all that.
Thanks to the kindness of a stranger who donated her organs, Lyda is now set to mark another milestone in her life. On Monday, January 2, Lyda will ride in front of a worldwide audience on the 2006 Donate Life Rose Parade Float, themed "Life Transformed," in celebration of those unique individuals whose lives have been touched by transplantation.
“Without question, I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world,” says Lyda. “My donor’s example serves as a lesson I hope to teach others. Each day is a renewed blessing.”
Lyda was one of five winners of the Ride of a Lifetime contest - a contest that asked transplant recipients to submit a short essay summarizing how their transplant experience transformed their life. The contest entries were distributed at transplant centers across the country, and were also made available online at www.transplantlife.com.
Lyda will leave for the Rose Bowl parade in Southern California from Sacramento International Airport on United Express/Skywest (Terminal B) at 12:12 p.m. on December 29 th. The media is invited to see her off. Lyda says she and the others will be treated to first class accommodations, including a limo ride to the hotel, receptions, parties and even a “wave” lesson during the orientation.
“I will take my donor’s picture with me – and bring it on the float with me,” Lyda said. “She was younger than me – just 22 years old, and died of complications from pregnancy. .I feel such a strong attachment to her. I respect and admire her for acting upon her belief in organ donation. The importance to me and my family was profound. Although I didn’t know her, I deeply admire and respect her. I will continue to promote organ donation in her honor.”
Lyda urges everyone to consider giving the gift of life this holiday season, and sign up to become an organ and tissue donor at: www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org. She points out it takes just minutes – and could mean years of life for someone else.
The online statewide Donate Life California Registry was launched earlier this year in April, allowing anyone aged 13 or older to sign up so that there can be no possible doubt about their wishes. So far, nearly 200,000 Californians have signed up to give life.
In October, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill which will allow drivers to sign on to the new registry at the DMV as they apply for or renew a driver's license or ID card. That law, which will allow accessibility to all Californians, not just those who have Internet capability, goes into effect on July 1, 2006.
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*GSDS is a private, nonprofit agency facilitating organ donation and transplantation in Sacramento and 10 surrounding counties, as well as Santa Rosa.
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