Matt Boger speaks to the crowd about registering to be an organ donor surrounded by state and local officials and organ donor recipients.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
CHICOPEE — With the holiday season increasing the mindset of gift-giving, New England Donor Services joined Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, state senators and organ donation recipients at City Hall to celebrate the gift of organ donation on Dec. 23.
New England Donor Services is a leading nonprofit organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, the eastern counties of Vermont and Bermuda.
New England Donor Services Government Relations Director Matt Boger talked about NEDS and the message he wanted everyone to walk away with.
He said, “It is our job each and every day to help save and enhance lives through what I call the miracle of organ transplantation. If you come to the holiday season and you don’t have a gift, my suggestion would be to whip out your driver’s license and then show that heart. The heart that you are a registered donor. The heart that means you are giving gifts and the heart that means if you no longer need an organ, you can save someone else’s life through the miracle of transplantation.”
In 2023, 549 deceased donors donated organs resulting in 1,401 life-saving transplants, which NEDS has already surpassed in 2024.
This record level of clinical activity places NEDS among the nation’s top 4 organ procurement organizations by donor volume. Since 2020, NEDS has increased the annual number of organ donors by 52%.
The event featured the inspirational stories of organ donation recipients, including local recipients, who shared their stories and urged others to register to become an organ donor.
Lauren Meizo from Chicopee also shared her story which included being able to receive three organs, two hearts and a kidney.
She said, “I got my first [heart] right after Christmas, so Christmas is extremely special to me. I got five more Christmases with my family the first time and this year is my sixth Christmas with my family and my friends.”
Meizo also talked about the connection between her donors family and her and said, “I never thought someone that a stranger hundreds of miles away, hours away would be the person that would give me my life back and then a second heart I received with a kidney was from another mother and today I stand in front of you, six years out, engaged, a homeowner and the only thing I want more is to just live a normal life now and because of two strangers checking the box, putting a heart on their license, I’m now in front of you able to celebrate my 11th Christmas with my mother and my fiancé and the rest of my family.”
Heart recipient Hal Etkin from Springfield and liver recipient Glen Wiley from Granby both shared their stories.
Etkin suffered from heart failure for almost 20 years. It wasn’t until he received a heart transplant in 2016 that he was able to live a full and healthy life again.
He shared that he needed a heart transplant in 2016 after realizing he was having a tough time keeping up in the police academy when he was 38.
Etkin’s heart was generously donated by Jack Teehan II, who passed away at 26 years old in 2016.
While holding a frame with multiple photos to make sure to honor Teehan, Etkin made sure to talk about the gift he was given.
Your heart is like the engine in a car, if you take an engine out of a car, car’s not going to go. If your heart doesn’t work, you’re not going to be able to function. Fortunately for me there was a young man from Plymouth who made a decision, and he decided he wanted to become an organ donor. Not only did Jack help me by donating his heart to me to allow me to live, a lot of his other organs, his bone marrow, his liver was used to help others.”
When Etkin met Jack Teehan’s father, Richard Teehan, their two families bonded closely through feelings of grief and hope.
Etkin said, “What I’m suggesting to you is be like Jack, become an organ donor and help others. Give that very, very special gift that can change the lives of others.”
After being diagnosed with liver cancer, Wiley needed a life-saving transplant and in 2015, he received the call that a life-saving liver was available.
Wiley now works as a volunteer for NEDS, helping families of organ donors process their grief and letting them know that their loved one’s last act was to save the lives of others.
He also talked about an important message as well and said, “People ask what was the one thing you want people to know about organ donation and I said share your wishes with your family Whether or not you decide to sign up to be an organ donor, you still want to let your family, loved ones, people that know you know your desire.”
State Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow), who shared he is an organ donor, talked about the importance of registering. He also acknowledged state Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield), who was the recipient of a kidney donation after being on a list for a few years.
Any reader looking to register to become an organ donor can do so at neds.org/register-now.
