June, 2015 - Long Island Trio

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Inside This Edition: Mike  Sosna’s  Legislative  Update Next General Meeting June 10 – Bruce E. Gelb MD Bio-Ethical Concerns in Organ Transplantation

LI TRIO Long Island TRIO is a non-profit all volunteer organization committed to improving the quality of lives touched by the miracle of transplantation through support, advocacy, education, and awareness.

JUNE 2015

Transplant Profile: Martin W. Clarke Jr. I met Martin Clarke Jr. at the North Shore Donate Life Day event on April 21. He shook my hand firmly that afternoon and looked me straight in the eye. When I visited him at his home, he again shook my hand firmly and looked at me in the same direct way. I knew that he had a mission and that he would successfully meet his goals. The fact that he was fifteen years old would not be a factor in limiting his goal of promoting organ donation and moving New York State out of the bottom rung of donation rates for the country. Martin Clarke with his organ donor sign up card

Martin Clarke is a Life Scout of Manhasset Boy Scout Troop 97 and is working industriously to become an Eagle Scout. He does so as a tribute to his grandfather Angelo Stekardis who was a lung transplant recipient and who passed away on December 30, 2014. Martin and his volunteers have signed up over one hundred organ donors, (which has the potential to save as many as 800 lives and improve the lives of 5000) since he began his efforts, and, perhaps more importantly, has some really interesting ideas on how to exponentially increase the rate of donation. He wants to maximize his labors by training Boy Scouts and others to work on behalf of organ donation. He and mom Linda view his efforts as something of value that can be easily duplicated and will also be helpful for those teenagers looking to build up their college resumés with

vital extracurricular activities. Martin aims to further spread the word about organ donation by working with the marketing department of LiveOnNY to create a YouTube video. Martin began to effectuate his strategy of recreating his efforts by training Boy Scouts at the Manhasset Public Library. Martin and his mother maintain binders filled with photographs and documents Martin trains others about organ documenting all of his donation at Manhasset Public Library Scout activities in connection with organ donation. They display the proud accomplishments befitting someone much older but Martin is only on the cusp of even greater actions to benefit others. He wrote skits that he and his fellow Scouts performed to dispel the myths that surround organ donation. He has met with transplant doctors at North Shore University Hospital and spoken on two dates in April at  the  hospital.    North  Shore’s  Dr.   Molmenti has invited Martin to observe surgery at the hospital when he turns 17. Martin, recommended for Honors Science next year, is interested in medical science, astrophysics, and zoology. Martin and his volunteers held organ donor drives at St. Mary's Church Manhasset and the Manhasset Girl Scout Association in April as well as the Plandome Fire Department in May (Martin’s  dad  serves  as   a volunteer there). He was able to speak from the pulpit at St.  Mary’s  to  friends  and  neighbors  about  his  grandfather   and the benefits of transplantation. He even arranged with Anthony’s  Coal  Fire  Pizza  to  donate  20%  on Thursdays to

LONG ISLAND TRIO

JUNE 2015

people who mention his organ donation campaign. Various food chains,  including  Entenmann’s  and  Whole  Foods, gave donations which will go to organ donation organizations. Martin came up with the idea of applying a sticker with his name and affiliation on the organ donor sign-up card so that his contribution to the cause could be tracked. As his mom Linda pointed out, the effort does not stop there. Although he already has 100 sign-ups, people may take the card, consider it, discuss it with others, and send in the card later.

Upcoming Events

At the age of 15, Martin has as full a life as can be imagined. Besides his deep involvement in organ donation activities, he is on the Manhasset Crew team, Manhasset Art Honor Society, and the Sci-Fi Club. He planted flags at Long Island National Cemetery and then led a camping trip as Senior Patrol Leader. As mother Linda  wrote,  “He has a pretty exciting life, I just try to make sure  his  uniform  is  clean  and  I  have  lots  of  food  on  hand.” Martin meets with Drs. Ali, Molmenti and Mailloux at North Shore University Hospital

Based on his concerted effort to sign up organ donors and to have others multiply his efforts, it appears Martin will be successful in whatever he chooses to do At the Plandome Fire Department with is life in the future. His ease and authority with people is very evident in every conversation. His grandfather Angelo Stekardis was himself a staunch advocate for organ donation and he has passed his enthusiasm onto Martin. He would be very proud of his future Eagle Scout and the way in which he deals with people and his efforts to save lives via organ donation. Martin invites every member of Long Island TRIO to copy his methods and raise New York to a higher donation rate. If you need help starting your own Organ Donor Drive honoring a loved one contact Martin Clarke at [email protected]. Howie Pohl

Saturday, June 6 – LI TRIO Member Kathy Vliet will be at the organ donor sign-up  table  at  Freeport’s  Nautical  Mile  Festival   – 10:00AM to 6:00PM. Wednesday, June 10 – General Meeting – Bruce E. Gelb MD – Surgical Director of Renal Transplantation NYU Langone Medical Center - Bio-Ethical Considerations in Organ Transplantation - 7:30 PM Saturday, June 27 – LI TRIO Suffolk County Meeting – 1:303:30 – Jordan Slutsky MD, Clinical Assistant Professor Stony Brook Medical Center – Life after Transplant from a Dermatologist Point of View – Stony Brook Transplant Clinic, 24 Research Way Suite 500, East Setauket Saturday, September 26 – Long Island TRIO Rose Garden Ceremony -12:00 PM – Eisenhower Park – Honoring Our Donors and Donor Families – Parking Field 6/6A – The Garden is open, volunteers needed to work in the garden and make the roses grow-contact Dave at [email protected]

June Re-Birthdays Monica Blum

June 7, 2010

Stephen Fisher

June 29, 2011 Kidney

Rich Friedman

June 29, 2012 Kidney/Liver

Bob Geisler

June 28, 2009 Kidney

Janice Gosule

June 6, 2007

Tom Hackett

June 13, 2006 Heart

Jean A. Kelly

June 16, 2005 Liver

Mel Lerner

June 10, 2008 Kidney

Mary Lou Murphy June 1, 2009

Kidney

Kidney

Kidney

Daniel  O’Neill

June 28, 2007 Kidney

Ruth Pohl

June 1, 2003

Sharon Ross

June 10, 1995 Kidney/Pancreas

Anthony Scro

June 24, 1999 Liver

Steven Wolf

June 10, 1998 Kidney

Liver

As of May 25, 2015, there were 123,251 candidates for transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). In New York State, there are 10,259 candidates waiting to receive waiting to receive an organ.

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July Re-Birthdays

types A and O compared to the general population. Diabetes and hypertension are the two most prevalent causes of kidney disease resulting in transplant. Dr. Lee speculated on a recent drop in live kidney donor transplants as possibly caused by changes in deceased organ donations, UNOS regulations, and the recession making living donation less financially viable. The doctor reviewed the new kidney allocation guidelines which utilize a kidney donor profile index (KDPI) to better characterize kidneys and allocation of the highest quality kidneys to the highest estimated post-transplant survival rate. Remaining kidneys are allocated with an eye toward matching the age of donors and recipients within a fifteen-year period. Implementation of the new allocation rules has resulted in a decrease of age-differentiated transplants, more non-local transplants, and a higher incidence of allocations between seemingly incompatible matches.

Beth Chapman

July 11, 2008 Kidney/Pancreas

Waled Chowdhury MD July 21, 2008 Kidney Fred Cohn

July 28, 2011 Liver

Anthony Devivo

July 8, 2007

Anthony DiMaria

July 19, 2007 Heart

Jay Director

July 2, 2000

Joanne Flores

July 13, 2011 Kidney

Purushottam Goyal

July 21, 2011 Kidney

Karen Laferrencia

July 2, 2014

Alan Leavy

July 22, 2010 Kidney

Jennifer Lentini

July 6, 1996

Daniel Letvak

July 18, 2002 Kidney

Jean B. Nassani

July 18, 2011 Kidney

Henry Prins

July 2, 1992

Michael Sosna

July 18, 1995 Kidney #1

Margaret Young

July 28, 1991 Kidney

Liver

Kidney

Liver

Heart

Liver

Living donor transplants have surpassed deceased donor transplants in terms of survival rate, particularly over a 5and 10-year span. Death with a functioning graft is the most common cause of graft loss in kidney transplant recipients beyond the first year after transplantation, and cardiovascular disease the most common cause. Rehospitalizations steadily increase in the first four years following transplant. Incidences of diabetes after kidney transplants has steadily decreased since 2005; diabetes onset has been found related to immunosuppressive therapy and varies with certain risk factors such as obesity, ethnicity, age over 40, and family history of the disease. Dr. Lee reviewed patient kidney exchanges as a source of greater numbers of successful live donor transplants. As immunosuppressive drugs can be toxic, Cornell-Rogosin has experimented with immunosuppression-free renal transplant treatment. The study is ongoing and involves several transplant centers throughout the country.

April General Meeting April’s  General  Meeting  was   highlighted by a presentation by Jun B. Lee MD. Dr. Lee is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Clinical Surgery and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at CornellWeill Medical College and an Assistant Attending Physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He specializes in nephrology and kidney transplantation. Dr. Lee observed that the number of patients on dialysis is LI TRIO President Joy Oppedisano with Dr. Jun B. Lee expanding while the transplant rate for those on at April Meeting dialysis is declining. Transplants keep end-stage renal disease patients alive longer and a greater percentage of older patients have increased survival rates due to transplants, especially compared to dialysis patients. The waiting list consists of a greater proportion of blood

American Liver Foundation Re-Birthday Celebration The American Liver Foundation celebrated its yearly rebirthday party at its location in Carle Place on April 11. Transplant recipients ranging in age from 4 to 90, along with family members, shared experiences about what life has been like post-transplant and described the gratitude that they feel toward donors. ALF Greater New York Division Medical Advisory Committee member, David Bernstein, MD, chief of the Division of Hepatology and director of the Center for Liver Disease at North Shore LIJ Health System, spoke about the latest advances in transplantation. The event also honors the people who made the greatest gift possible – the donors and their families.  Coleen  Clark  shared  her  daughter’s  gift  of  life  and   how  she  keeps  her  daughter’s  legacy  alive  through  her   ongoing work with organ donation. Several members of Long Island TRIO were among the celebrants.

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LI TRIO Makes School Visit Inroads Editor’s  Note:    One  of  Long  Island  TRIO’s  most  effective  means  of   spreading the word about organ donation is the School Speaker Program. Through April 2015, LI TRIO members had spoken to 6,871 students at various high schools. The Speaker Program has expanded to Suffolk County and received accolades from students and faculty island-wide. Below are two recent examples from Harborfields and Lindenhurst High Schools: Liver Recipients gather to Celebrate Re-Birthdays at the ALF

Donor Mom Coleen Clark Speaks to Iris Edelson of LI TRIO

Happy Re-Birthday !

Have Things Changed? If you have moved, changed your phone number (home, cell, or work), email address, received a transplant, please let  us  know  so  that  we  may  keep  you  informed  of  LI  TRIO’s   activities on behalf of organ donors and transplant recipients. Also, if you have any news of a personal nature that you with to share with other members, please drop us a line at [email protected].

Dear Dave, Please excuse this late note of appreciation, but I, along with the Physical Education staff and students of Harborfields High School, want to thank you for your recent visit to our school and the invaluable information provided. Your  group’s  presentation  on  organ  donation   and about LI TRIO, educated our students about the tremendous  need  and  benefits  of  this  “Gift  of  Life”.   Most importantly, it helped raise the awareness of the younger generation  that  ensures  they’ll  have  the  facts  needed  to   make this important decision themselves, and perhaps one day save the life of another. Your commitment to volunteering and spending two entire days at the high school is so impressive. Many of our students expressed positive responses to the assembly and its important message. Thanks again to you and the other volunteers who came to Harborfields to tell their personal story of how an organ transplant provided them a new lease on life. We hope to have you at the high school again next year. Best Regards, Joan Verardo, RN School Nurse - Harborfield HS

LUPINACCI ANNOUNCES LIFESAVING LEGISLATION Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (South Huntington) was joined by local legislators and members from Long Island TRIO, Stony Brook Medicine and LiveOnNY on May 1 at his district office to announce legislation that would generate more organ donor and transplant awareness in New York State. Assemblyman Lupinacci speaks with donor Lupinacci is mom Marie Lapersonerie and LI TRIO currently drafting President Joy Oppedisano attending legislation that would require school districts to include organ donor and transplant information into health class curricula. LI TRIO member Marie Lepersonerie shared a heartrending but very inspiring story about how she honored her late son Sean through organ donation. Marie ultimately decided to have Sean’s  organs  donated  so  that  he  may  continue  to  help   others, just as he loved to do during his life.

(left to right) Joan Verardo-school nurse, Kathie Gerlach-kidney recipient, Liz Maffe-kidney/pancreas with guide dog, Suzanne Leggephys. education , Dave Rodgers-liver

Dear Mr. Rodgers, During LHS Global Ambassadors' Week, March 23-27, 2015, our students tackled issues that are profoundly impacting our planet (environment, social injustice, health, economics, etc.). They facilitated workshops, held debates, took political action, designed and crafted projects, pledged to volunteer, took virtual field trips, and partnered with schools around the world.

LONG ISLAND TRIO

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to LHS Global Ambassadors ' Week and for helping cultivate our students' love of learning. Sincerely, Linda Flannelly Assistant Principal

Figure (left to right) George Smawley – health teacher, Linda Flannelly-asst. principal, Bobby Seeback-heart, Janice Gosule-kidney, Dave Rodgers-liver

.President’s  Corner It has been an amazing first month as President of Long Island TRIO. I joined fellow board members, volunteers, friends, and colleagues as we celebrated the gifts of life through organ and tissue donation. Press conferences and flag raisings were impressive as we united reaffirming our dedication. We met wonderful individuals that have been touched by transplantation and have made commitments to help others. We look forward to learning more about and seeing more of these new friends of LI TRIO. In the meantime I also look forward to hearing more from our members. Any suggestions and comments for our chapter to incorporate are welcomed. Each month, except for July and August, we hold our General Meeting. We gather enjoy home-made  cookies,  made  by  our  very  own  “Cookie   Lady”,  Beth  Chapman,  hear  dynamic  speakers,  and  simply   enjoy  each  other’s  company.   The warmth and friendship is rather astounding. Each event and each meeting is planned with our members in mind; so please feel free to contact me with any suggestions.

JUNE 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: Dick Harrington & Kathy Vliet! Editor’s  Note:    Dick  Harrington  and  daughter  Kathy  Vliet  are   long-standing volunteers on behalf of organ donation. Dick and Kathy have been active LI TRIO members for over a decade; Kathy is a kidney and pancreas recipient. They were recently recognized by LiveOnNY.

Kathy Vliet & Dick Harrington

HOMETOWN: Freeport, Long Island WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY VOLUNTEERING WITH LiveOnNY? One of our first tries at volunteering for enrollments was at Mount Sinai Hospital, in the cafeteria entrance. We asked one of the employees (in a white lab coat) if he would like to sign up as an organ donor and he shied away from us as if we were going to take the organs right then and there. We could not believe that someone working in a transplant center could be so uninformed. It makes us realize just how important it is to volunteer and spread the word to EVERYONE about organ donation.

May General Meeting Long  Island  TRIO’s  May  General   Meeting was a double bonanza. Jennifer Lentini, a heart recipient at the age of thirteen and now an adult, told of her dramatic meeting with the family of her donor in Tampa.    Jennifer’s  story  became   a viral hit on the Internet, covered by major media throughout the world (The story of the meeting appears in the April 2015 edition of the LI TRIO Newsletter). She related in very emotional terms

We are also in the midst of forming as well as expanding committees. If you are interested in joining a committee please do not hesitate to contact me. LI TRIO is about you. I am excited to continuing working with you and each one of our members. My enthusiasm has been multiplied by many members who have reached out to me all ready. I am buoyed by the kind words and support expressed. Thank you.

Joy Oppedisano

how she came to meet her donor’s  mother  at  the  Tampa   airport  and  how  she  was  able  to  hear  her  late  son’s   heartbeat beating in Jennifer. Jennifer Lentini

LONG ISLAND TRIO

The  meeting’s  keynote  speaker  was  David C. Wolf MD. Dr. Wolf is the Medical Director of Liver Transplantation at Westchester Medical Center and Professor of Clinical Medicine at New York Medical College in Valhalla NY. Dr.  Wolf’s   presentation employed a profile of a fictitious post-transplant patient as a vehicle to discuss many issues that are involved in the survivability of liver transplant patients. He discussed in detail the issues surrounding rejection, which he described as an assault of a foreign body on the immune David C. Wolf MD system, and the necessity of close Westchester Medical follow-ups in order to minimize Center rejections. Follow-ups include frequent routine blood tests, assuring that medications are taken as prescribed, notification of new medications to prevent harmful drug interactions, and carrying a list of all current medications. Dr. Wolf discussed many of the complications that can arise after liver transplant, such as the reoccurrence of the hepatitis C virus, the possibility of hepatitis A appearing, infection caused by immunosuppressant drugs, the development of cancers, and harmful drinking patterns in cirrhosis patients. He stressed  three  points  as  assuring  one’s  chance  for  success:  Inform coordinator of any hospitalizations;  Inform coordinator of any change in medical condition;  Alert coordinator of any lymph gland swelling. After  Dr.  Wolf’s  presentation,  there   followed a lively series of questions and answers from the audience.

Legislative Update Editor’s  Note:  We  asked  our  Legislative  Initiatives  and   Public Policy Expert Mike Sosna to provide us with the latest updates to legislation affecting organ donation and transplants. His report follows. We visited the New York Senate and the Assembly in Albany  on  Senator  John  Flanagan’s  first  day  as  Senate   Leader on May 12, 2015. Senator Flanagan became one of

JUNE 2015 three elected officials who help control the New York State budget and direct the flow of legislation in Albany. Our meetings were constructive and fruitful both at the district offices and in Albany. We offer special thanks to Senator Kemp Hannon, Senator John Flanagan, Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci, Assemblyman Andrew Raia, Assemblyman Philip Palmesano, Assemblyman David McDonough and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein for taking the time to consult with us and for being willing to act on the important lifesaving needs of those who are waiting for The Gift Of Life. These are elected officials who are open to effective communication, truly listen and who really care about saving lives. We would like to especially thank Senator Hannon for taking time to communicate in person with members of Long Island TRIO and for taking action so consistently once a need is found and where legislation can help resolve issues. The full update is published at our chapter's website. You can find Legislative Initiatives at www.litrio.org click and then click . New York State Senate Bill S5313 A new bill S5313 was read in the New York Senate and was officially introduced to the Health committee on 13 May, 2015, the day after we had multiple meetings with the Senate Health Chair Senator Kemp Hannon and his professional legislative team in Albany. This bill allows New Yorkers age 16 or older who wish to consent to donate the ability to enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry, while preserving the parent's ability to give final authorization should the individual who is under 18 be considered for organ, eye or tissue donation. Senator Kemp Hannon sponsored this legislation and has been a huge help with introducing and supporting legislation that is necessary with respect to organ donation and transplantation in New York State. It's important to note that 44 other states allow individuals under the age of 18 to decide whether or not they would like to enroll in a donor registry. The bill in New York State makes it mandatory that parents make the final determination with regard to whether or not donation would take place. This bill was built upon last year's first attempt. LI TRIO was represented at meetings with New York State Legislators and the bill we discussed at our LI TRIO meeting has now been rewritten. The original bill authorized 15-17 year olds to  enroll  in  New  York  State’s  Donate  Life  Registry.  Thanks   to input from LI TRIO members and others, it was suggested that the original bill be amended and/or reintroduced stating that 16-17 year olds (not 15 year olds) would be allowed to enroll in New York  State’s  Donate  Life   Registry. Now, there is a new bill that so far has at least (in principle) more widespread support. The bill was referred to Health on 13 May and an important meeting was scheduled for 19 May, 2015.

LONG ISLAND TRIO New York State Assembly Bill 7282 This bill is about instruction regarding organ donation and authorizes the commissioner of education to make materials providing information on organ donation available to all secondary school pupils in New York State. The bill authorizes instruction on organ donation to be taught to secondary school pupils. Special thanks go to Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci for sponsoring this legislation and for inviting LI TRIO to participate in the New York State Assembly preliminary meetings while Assemblyman Lupinacci stated that he wished to continue the work of our friend, the late Assemblyman Jim Conte. It was a pleasure spending time once again on the floor in the Assembly with Assemblyman Lupinacci where we met with additional members of the Assembly with personal connections to organ donation and transplantation. Status: 1 May, 2015-- referred to Education committee Senate- S5101-2015 and Assembly A7431-2015-Fixing Lauren's Law The purpose of these two bills is to amend the law so as to ensure that when people are applying for a New York State drivers’ license they complete the section of the application relating to making an anatomical gift which requires them to check either "yes" or "skip this question." There was a huge problem with implementation. Now, Section 1 amends section 4310 of the Public Health Law to remove language which allows an application for a driver's license to be processed even if neither the "yes" or "skip this question" box is checked in the section relating to signing up as a organ donor. Lauren's Law was named after our friend and LI TRIO member Lauren Shields whose life was saved by a heart transplant. The law passed three years ago with the intent to require driver license applicants to actively choose whether they would like to become a registered organ, eye and tissue donor on the New York State Donate Life Registry. The statute, however (and text on the DMV form), did not invalidate an application that left the organ and tissue donation section blank. These bills fix the implementation of Lauren's Law with amendments to public health law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to registration of consent to make an anatomical gift. The Senate bill was sponsored by Senator Hannon with co-sponsors as follows: Senators Carlucci, Gallican and Latimer. The Assembly version of this bill was referred to the Health committee on 12 May, 2015 while we were in the New York State Assembly. The bill was sponsored by Assemblyman Ortiz with the following co-sponsors: Assemblymans Palmesano, Jaffee, McDonald and Galef. We thank NYAD for their advocacy with respect to this failed implementation and subsequent fix of an important law. This act will take effect immediately.

JUNE 2015 Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act of 2015 This bill extends the time period when a private health insurer, in determining benefits, cannot consider a group health  insurance  enrollee’s  ESRD  or  entitlement  to   Medicare coverage due to ESRD and allows individuals with ESRD to be eligible for Medicare Advantage. The bill also allows dialysis facilities to provide kidney disease education services. I wrote to members of Congress stating the following: "…This  bill  allows  for  choice  and  it’s  important  to  note  that   Medicare Advantage actually has caps on the amount that those on dialysis are required to pay out of pocket." In New York State-The Emergency Services & Surprise Bills law The Emergency Services and Surprise Bills law protects those who receive care from out of network physicians while at a participating hospital or ambulatory surgery center and/or emergency services. As of March 31, 2015, the law provides protections for those who must go out of network for a specialist or procedure  not  available  within  their  insurer’s network. The Living Donor Protection Act- (reintroduction) Approximately 11% of our heroes; living organ donors giving the gift of life actually find themselves having challenges securing or paying for insurance after the surgery due to discrimination on the part of insurance carriers. I  wrote  to  members  of  Congress  stating  the  following:  “It’s   important to note that FMLA-The Family and Medical Leave Act does not state that living organ donors are able to take time to recover from their donation. Currently, living donors have no assurance and are not promised that their job will be  there  after  their  recovery  from  surgery.”   This bill will protect living donors from insurance discrimination. The bill also has provisions for the promotion of education with respect to living donation. Additionally, the bill clarifies that living organ donors may use time granted through FMLA-The Family and Medical Leave Act to recover from the surgery. The Hope Act-HIV Organ Policy Equity Act-S. 330 HIV Organ Policy Equity Act The goal of our advocacy and our desire to help show our support for the original bills was to actually overturn a federal ban on organ transplants from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients. Previously, as per a 1988 amendment to federal law (PL 98-507) regarding organ transplants, performing transplants among HIV positive people was prohibited. The original bill aimed to increase the availability of up to 500 or high quality organs for HIVpositive patients each year. Those deceased donor organs would have otherwise been discarded. Mike Sosna

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Chapter Officers President: Joy Oppedisano Treasurer: Walter Ruzek Secretary: Jo Michaels Immediate Past President: Dave Rodgers Board of Directors: Ed Burki, Jeff Fenn, Mel Lerner, Jo Michaels, Howie Pohl, Walter Ruzek, Florence Sosna, Jerry Sosna, Mike Sosna

Database Manager Howie Pohl 631-884-0482 School Speakers Jeff Fenn 516-382-4678 Ways and Means Committee Florence and Jerry Sosna 516-482-2908 Publicity Mel Lerner 516-484-2417 Volunteer Coordinator Joy Oppedisano 516-232-3151

Newsletter Howie Pohl - Editor

The content of this publication including text, graphics, images, and other material contained herein is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice, tax advice, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any medical questions you may have. LI TRIO Main Number/Hotline Jerry Sosna 516-620-5900 Welcome Committee Call Hotline E-Mail Tree -Outgoing email Joe LaBarbera [email protected] Corresponding Secretary Ruth Pohl 631-884-0482 Website Design, Legislative Initiatives and Public Policy Mike.Sosna 516-902-8111 Special Projects Ed Burki 516-620-3700 Rose Garden Logistics Dave Rodgers 516-449-1421 Rose Garden Program Jo Michaels 516-798-8411 Donor Families and Social Secretary Barbara Musto 516-314-3285

Long Island TRIO PO Box 81 Garden City NY 11530

Address all correspondence to: LI TRIO PO Box 81 Garden City NY 11530   

Visit www.litrio.org for more information and articles about transplantation. Become a friend of TRIO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TRIOgroup/ Call our hotline: (516) 620-5900