I added a couple of new links to my "Blogs of Interest" area over on the right hand side of the page. Brent messaged me after he saw my blog on Becky's "Chopped Liver" to tell me about his blog. Brent is a guy who tried to become a living liver donor to his father-in-law but was denied for medical reasons.
Since then, he has developed a project to raise organ donation awareness. His project, One-A-Day 2007, consists of him going up to a complete stranger every day of 2007 and starting a conversation about organ donation. He is then going to try to get them to let him take a picture of them to place on his photoblog. (Quite an undertaking seeing that he will have to get each of these people to sign a release.) He says that the project is not to change people's minds about organ donation (though I am sure he wouldn't mind), but to raise awareness and to get people thinking about organ donation. There is a major shortage of organs in the United States, and the list grows every day. I was one of the fortunate ones to receive an organ. I believe that it is my job to help bring organ donation awareness to the forefront.
The other link, Casual Effect, is his blog that primarily discusses living organ donation. There are some great stories and insight on his blog from the point of view of a living donor. Check out his links.
Brent has gotten me thinking about what I can do to help out with a project of my own or to help out with his. If you have any suggestions, leave me a comment. I have been thinking about maybe starting a smaller scale project like Brent's, but you all know how hard that would be for this extreme introvert!
About Me
- Josh Carpenter
- I am a 27 year old 5th grade teacher. I had a liver transplant on March 26, 2006. I love to be outdoors whether it is fishing, gardening, hiking, or any other thing that I can do in the sunshine. I live in the North Georgia Mountains, otherwise known as God's Country.
2 comments:
My suggestion...go with what you feel. If you feel like you should get involved DO IT! I think joining up with a current project is sometimes better because then you've got each other to bounce ideas off of, and to spur each other on. Not that you wouldn't if you did your own project. But if you believe in what Brett is doing, and see value in that, then do it. God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called. So, don't think about if you "can" do it. You CAN -- believe me...it's more a matter of Will I do it? Just do it! What could it hurt? Love ya, Janine
Josh,
Thank you so much for the promo.
As a hobbiest photographer, and an extrovert the project is a result of what I already know and who I am as a person. I am already involved in other civic activities so it gave me a sense of what it would take.
Don't get me wrong, in many respects, I am still challenged with this project.
I do however have another documentary photographer, David Farmerie giving me a little guidance with writing and creative ideas. Of course there is Becky who gives me a little motivation every now and then.
Seeing my father in law nearly every day allows me to go out and bring about more awareness. Knowing that it's people like you Josh that have a second chance at life.
I don't do it for him, or you.
It's not about ONE PERSON.
It's about the 95,000 people on the list.
It's about the 6,000 that die every year waiting.
Brent
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