I just received this in an email from DonateLife Hollywood...
Can a single TV show actually save lives? "Three Rivers," a CBS prime-time series on donation and transplantation, did. Sadly, that remarkable fact was not enough to save itself.
As the donation and transplantation community mourns the premature shelving of "Three Rivers," we stand in awe of its achievements. A month ago, a San Antonio, Texas, family donated the corneas of a loved one who had passed away. They said yes because they wanted their family member to help others, just like on "Three Rivers."
Two weeks later, a family on the East Coast donated the organs of their teenage daughter because she had talked to them about donation after watching "Three Rivers" on a Sunday night.
On Thanksgiving weekend, a daughter in Louisiana gave consent for her mother to save three lives. She too was a fan of "Three Rivers," and the coordinator was impressed by how much the family knew about the donation process from watching the show.
For years, the organ and tissue donation community held its breath every time donation was used as a television storyline. Inaccurate and horrific scenarios about black markets and stolen organs made us initiate letter-writing campaigns; even worse, research showed it kept viewers from signing up to be donors.
Finally, one show got it right. "Three Rivers" viewers got something extra with their nightly fare of drama: They had a chance to learn the truth about donation and were challenged to talk about a topic families rarely wish to discuss - death and their wishes at end of life.
Please, take a moment and let CBS know what you think of this illogical decision to cut Three Rivers TV show.
Showing posts with label Three Rivers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three Rivers. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Three Rivers Impact
A good friend of mine forwarded a newspaper article to me a few days ago. The article was a journalist making a brave attempt at tearing down the new CBS show "Three Rivers".
In her article she states that she thought the Dr's in the show looked overworked and constantly on the run, so she decided to ask a few friends of hers if this were true. She actually asked 2 yeah ONLY 2 friends in the transplant field. So this makes her an expert on the importance of promoting organ donation? Much less gives her the authority to criticize a much needed series, that shows what these medical professionals really do to save lives? Oh yeah, and what about those of us who've lived through it? Are dying as I write this hoping for a life saving transplant!
I have steamed over this article for the last 2 days, and wanted to post a link here for you to read. However, if I do post a link it only gives her more readership and credibility, and I apologize that I refuse to do.
If you've had a transplant or are waiting you know first hand how hard our teams work for us. I've witnessed it 3 times now.
I remember waking up in ICU after my first bi-lateral lung transplant in Pittsburgh. It seemed that everyday my surgeon was wheeling in another patient fresh from a transplant. My first words to him after I was extubated(removed from the dreaded respirator) were, "I thank God I was your first in all this". Yes he looked exhausted, yes he needed a shave, but his exhaustion was one of reward. He saved lives.
My 2nd lung transplant, I remember asking Dr. Baz (Shands Gainesville, FL) to please take a day off! The day he came to see me in jeans and a pullover sweater, I knew it was his day off and told him to get out and relax!
These teams take people like me, dying, oxygen sats of 48%. blue fingers, blue circles under my eyes, and make us whole again. I was given a life I never dreamed could happen to me, thanks to my overworked (yes they are), under appreciated, surgeon, physician, coordinator, and nurses on the transplant team. And you know the best part?
THEY STILL CONTINUE TO DO IT!
This journalist, instead of dissing a new show could have made a higher impact by promoting the "message" of the show. Organ transplantation/donation does not have the platform of Breast cancer awareness, diabetes, heart disease. I'm not trying to demean these in anyway. Thank goodness they do have a platform, however we 2-nd timers would like a platform too, to save those waiting.
Only by promoting the meaning of Three Rivers can the message get out and help ease pain and grieving for donor families (they are finally honored for the heroes they are), and those waiting (we can give them hope to keep going), and us recipients (it's up to us to carry that torch to make sure the candidates get that chance too). Too many shows put little tidbits in a story line about transplantation with no follow through. What happens to the recipient later? What about the struggles to pay for meds? And heaven forbid, what if they get sick! How to afford that with our wonderful Medicare system, or private insurance?
Plus, the pitfalls of going back to work. That's a story in itself.
Here we have a show with follow through...... It's about us, for us, and we can relate to it. No tidbits, just solid promotion.
If she had checked further this journalist would have found a wonderful story to tell. How CBS partnered with DonateLife Hollywood to make the stories as real as possible (we know there has to be drama). Also how Alex O'Loughlin became a DonateLife spokesperson because the cause is so great. This is the line she should have taken. Then she would have made a great journalist, not just mediocre.
My reply to my friend Merv (he has a transplant blog too, check him out) MervSheppard.blogspot.com, "And she thinks she's an expert on transplantation? I'm still spreading the word to watch the show, give it great ratings and keep it on the air! We'll show her!"
In her article she states that she thought the Dr's in the show looked overworked and constantly on the run, so she decided to ask a few friends of hers if this were true. She actually asked 2 yeah ONLY 2 friends in the transplant field. So this makes her an expert on the importance of promoting organ donation? Much less gives her the authority to criticize a much needed series, that shows what these medical professionals really do to save lives? Oh yeah, and what about those of us who've lived through it? Are dying as I write this hoping for a life saving transplant!
I have steamed over this article for the last 2 days, and wanted to post a link here for you to read. However, if I do post a link it only gives her more readership and credibility, and I apologize that I refuse to do.
If you've had a transplant or are waiting you know first hand how hard our teams work for us. I've witnessed it 3 times now.
I remember waking up in ICU after my first bi-lateral lung transplant in Pittsburgh. It seemed that everyday my surgeon was wheeling in another patient fresh from a transplant. My first words to him after I was extubated(removed from the dreaded respirator) were, "I thank God I was your first in all this". Yes he looked exhausted, yes he needed a shave, but his exhaustion was one of reward. He saved lives.
My 2nd lung transplant, I remember asking Dr. Baz (Shands Gainesville, FL) to please take a day off! The day he came to see me in jeans and a pullover sweater, I knew it was his day off and told him to get out and relax!
These teams take people like me, dying, oxygen sats of 48%. blue fingers, blue circles under my eyes, and make us whole again. I was given a life I never dreamed could happen to me, thanks to my overworked (yes they are), under appreciated, surgeon, physician, coordinator, and nurses on the transplant team. And you know the best part?
THEY STILL CONTINUE TO DO IT!
This journalist, instead of dissing a new show could have made a higher impact by promoting the "message" of the show. Organ transplantation/donation does not have the platform of Breast cancer awareness, diabetes, heart disease. I'm not trying to demean these in anyway. Thank goodness they do have a platform, however we 2-nd timers would like a platform too, to save those waiting.
Only by promoting the meaning of Three Rivers can the message get out and help ease pain and grieving for donor families (they are finally honored for the heroes they are), and those waiting (we can give them hope to keep going), and us recipients (it's up to us to carry that torch to make sure the candidates get that chance too). Too many shows put little tidbits in a story line about transplantation with no follow through. What happens to the recipient later? What about the struggles to pay for meds? And heaven forbid, what if they get sick! How to afford that with our wonderful Medicare system, or private insurance?
Plus, the pitfalls of going back to work. That's a story in itself.
Here we have a show with follow through...... It's about us, for us, and we can relate to it. No tidbits, just solid promotion.
If she had checked further this journalist would have found a wonderful story to tell. How CBS partnered with DonateLife Hollywood to make the stories as real as possible (we know there has to be drama). Also how Alex O'Loughlin became a DonateLife spokesperson because the cause is so great. This is the line she should have taken. Then she would have made a great journalist, not just mediocre.
My reply to my friend Merv (he has a transplant blog too, check him out) MervSheppard.blogspot.com, "And she thinks she's an expert on transplantation? I'm still spreading the word to watch the show, give it great ratings and keep it on the air! We'll show her!"
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