Donate Life Night at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids experienced its largest attendance yet. More than 1,400 donor family members, living donors, transplant recipients, patients on the waiting list and other supporters from across West Michigan came out for the exclusive after-hours event honoring organ, eye and tissue donation.
A Celebration of Life Trail featured 230 beautiful poster tributes to donors, living donors, recipients and those patiently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Guests making their way from the entrance up to the exhibits paused to reflect. Families and friends gathered in matching t-shirts, stopped when they spotted their loved ones to take photos and share their stories.
It was a night of connection.
WOOD-TV anchor, Teresa Weakley served as the evening’s emcee and spoke of her own connection as a living kidney donor. Guest speaker Natalie Frias joined her to talk about her experience as a kidney recipient.
Natalie received a kidney from her husband just three months before their wedding. An artist, mother, fitness trainer, author and advocate, Natalie has detailed the challenges she’s overcome in her book “Fighting Failure.”
“Stories are important,” Natalie said. “Even though statistics matter, we are not just a statistic. We are a face. We are a name. We have people that love us and it’s all about quality of life, not just quantity.”
Guests were able to visit with the animals, stop by one of the many community resource booths, have their face painted, enjoy free Dippin’ Dots and of course, get a photo with Hartley T. Heart, Gift of Life Michigan’s mascot
Donate Life Night at the Zoo was sponsored by Corewell Health, Trinity Health of Michigan and Lucky’s Self-Serve Auto.
More than 4.5 million Michigan residents are on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. About 2,500 Michigan patients are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. The best way to save lives is by joining the Donor Registry. To register or learn more about the donation process, visit giftoflifemichigan.org.
