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Local survivor raises more than $70,000
Published on Saturday, Aug 18, 2007
Joanne Bruegman knows better than most the importance and urgency of organ/tissue donation.
For many good reasons, she wishes others would get on board.
''We are very fortunate, as both of my sisters are successful transplant recipients my older sister receiving a kidney seven years ago, and my younger sister, bone marrow from my oldest brother 17 years ago,'' Bruegman wrote.
''Of the six siblings, only two still have (all of) their original organs!''
Following is a breakdown of those gifts of life:
''My oldest brother Joe Skinner Jr. of Strongsville donated bone marrow to my youngest sister Jenny Skinner of Akron in 1990.
''I donated a kidney to my older sister Julie Skinner of Hopkinton, N.H. (soon moving to Connecticut) on April 26, 2000.
''My brothers Jerry Skinner (Dimock, Pa.) and John Skinner (Houston) still have all their original organs, with no extras added!
''All siblings are healthy and doing well, with no lasting repercussions from surgeries.''
Bruegman, who is public relations director for the local law firm Brennan, Manna & Diamond, also is registered, as am I, with the National Bone Marrow Foundation.
Like so many others in her family, Bruegman's daughter, 11-year-old Evie (Evelyn) Bruegman, also is committed to doing what she can to improve a person's quality of life.
She has donated on two occasions 10 inches of her hair to Locks for Love Inc., to be fashioned into wigs for children who have experienced medical hair loss.
A sister's kidney
Alisa Anderson not only feels good all over, but also free for the first time in years.
Mostly, however, the 43-year-old Akron woman just feels blessed to have her sister, 38-year-old Maria Laramore, also of Akron.
On Tuesday, Maria donated a kidney to long-suffering Alisa, who was diagnosed with kidney disease of unknown origin in 1995. Alisa had been on dialysis for seven years. ''But I was getting sicker and sicker,'' she said.
Alisa is a conveyor loader with Chrysler. Her sister works in the international department at FirstMerit Bank.
Their brother Hermaine Drake who also was diagnosed with kidney disease of unknown origin and had been on dialysis for more than 15 years died in 1989. He was 33.
A 60-mile walk
Among the many walkers in this weekend's Cleveland Breast Cancer 3-Day (walk) event will be the Pink Witnesses a six-person team that has raised $19,000 to participate in the 60-mile walk. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.
The six team members are Ellie and Jay Minkin of Copley Township, Dr. Mark and Tammy Gersman of Bath Township, and Marc and Cindy Wolf of Moreland Hills. The minimum each had to raise was $2,200.
''Breast cancer has touched many of us . . . be it a family member, friend or someone who has made you stop and want to do something,'' Jay Minkin wrote. ''That's why we're walking 60 miles to do something bold about breast cancer, raising money and awareness. Up to 25 percent of the net proceeds will come back to the NE Ohio Chapter and will be provided to the communities to support outreach programs.''
One of the Pink Witnesses' fundraisers was the recent Covers for the Cure benefit
concert at the Lime Spider, which brought in more than $1,200.
Male breast-cancer survivor Lee S. Giller, 50, of Akron who also is walking in the 3-Day event with his wife, Kathy, and two of their three children has raised more than $70,000 for the cause. Giller's family has donated that amount since joining the walk campaign last year.
Artwork, boat on display
Local artists who also are breast-cancer survivors are uniting to present In the Pink a display of their artwork from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Hudson Fine Art Framing Co., 9 Aurora St., Hudson.
Featured will be sculptor Gail Chavenelle, still-life painter Patricia Rohrbacker, painter Jessica Mader and artist Rita Orr.
Ohio's first Dragon Boat team all breast-cancer survivors also will be on hand to showcase their new boat in front of Brewster Mansion. Mader, the vision behind the boat, will share information about the wisdom of rowing after breast surgery.
In addition, the inspiring linocut Woman Protecting Her Spirit will be raffled off to benefit Akron General Medical Center's Muffins for Mammograms program, which provides free mammograms for women who are uninsured or underinsured. Since its 1992 inception, the program has funded more than 5,000 mammograms.
Refreshments served.
Camp Paradise auction
The Society for Handicapped Citizens, which provides residential, recreation, advocacy and transportation services to people with disabilities, is sponsoring its fourth annual benefit auction for Camp Paradise at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the camp lodge, 4279 Paradise Road, Montville Township.
Up for auction?
Kitchenware, furniture, golf clubs, fishing equipment, hand-made doll houses, holiday decor, lamps, collectible toys, china, pottery, etc.
Auctioneer Linda Vinecourt, who is donating her time, also promises more free ''outhouse prizes.'' You have to be there to learn what that's about.
For information, please call 330-722-1900, 330-336-2045 or 330-225-4202.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Joanne Bruegman knows better than most the importance and urgency of organ/tissue donation.
Get the full article here.
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