Another great year!  2013 brought some really exciting, new events that helped Donate Life Connecticut share our life-giving message to a broader audience!  Thank you for your dedication and volunteerism with Donate Life Connecticut!  Please take a look back with us to see what good we have accomplished this year!  Enjoy the rest of your 2013 holidays...and enjoy a happy & healthy 2014!

Donate Life CT teamed up with the UCONN Women's Basketball team for the 1st Annual Donate Life Day with the UCONN Huskies!  Donate Life CT brought 650 fans to the game!  Each fan was issued a Donate Life Connecticut green tee-shirt sponsored by Hartford Hospital!  It looked like a sea of green in the stands!  During the half-time Medical Staff from Hartford Hospital Transplant Team, UCONN Medical and Yale-New Haven Hospital Transplant Team tipped off against their own transplant patients, living donors and donor families!  The 5 minute scrimmage on center court was enjoyed by all the fans - complete with commentary from the UCONN announcers - and resulting a tie with one basket each!  When the Women's Basketball team ran back on court following half time, they were high-fived by 20 Donate Life fans in the High-Five Tunnel!  What a night!  We hope you join us on Sunday, January 26th at noon in the XL Center for our 2nd Annual Donate Life Night with the UCONN Women's Huskies!  Tickets on sale here: CLICK

The 3nd Annual Donate Life Day was hosted by the University of Bridgeport Women's Basketball on February 16th. Head coach, Stephanie Del Preore created the day to bring awareness to a cause that helped lengthen her father's life by seven years following a liver and kidney transplant.  The players wore green Donate Life tees in warm up and the  cheerleaders tossed frisbees and bracets to the crowd! Stephanie and her team raised over $3000 for organ and tissue donation awareness!  Go Knights!  *Coach Stephanie has left UBridgeport and taken a job as Women's Basketball Coach at Seton Hall!  Good Luck, Stephanie!  We miss you! 

Donate Life Connecticut hosted our annual Volunteer Summit at Park Central Tavern in Hamden.  The half-day event was attended by forty-five individuals who were taught how to best communicate their personal transplant or donation story to inspire and educate their audience to register as organ and tissue donors. Attendees enjoyed a delicious hot lunch and left with a Donate Life fleece vest.  Join us for the 2014 Summit -March 8th 10-2pm at Wallingford Parks and Recreation. Food by J. Christians.  Sign up Starts soon. Limited space. 

Donate Life Connecticut's 2013 Special Guest speaker at the state capitol event Kicking-Off National Donate Life Month was Jaime Lazarus. Ms. Lazarus spoke to the audience about how she became involved with organ and tissue donation outreach following her mother's passing while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant.  Jaime's mother, Barbara suffered from Polycystic Kidney Disease.  Jaime suffers from this disease also.  Jaime, not much older than some of her audience, inspired and spoke to them directly.  The organ shortage does not affect older people - it affects ALL people.

Following the annual kick-off, Donate Life Connecticut hosts the annual High School Art Contest Awards Ceremony.  This

2013 Poster Contest winner

annual event is attended by
legislators, community

Donate Life CT was part of a local unprecedented collaboration between the CT Department of Motor Vehicles, Hartford Hospital, LifeChoice Donor Services, New England Organ Bank, St. Francis Medical Center, Yale-New Haven Hospital and Us!  This collaboration allowed the team to create and broadcast a Donate Life media campaign with CT's Fox from the end of March through October.  To watch the videos - please watch here.  Initial results are pointing to an increase of donor registrations during this campaign!  The entire campaign kicked off with a press event where Lt. Governor Wyman joined the team members illustrated her support of the campaign by registering as an organ and tissue donor herself!

Donate Life Connecticut held it's 5th Annual Toast to Life event at Gouveia Vineyards in June. The sold out event was attended by 200 Donate Life CT supporters who allowed the event to raise over $24,000!    Thank you to all that attended or contributed items to the fabulous silent auction.  A special award was given to the Shwidock Family...in memory of their late husband/father and his dedication to donation education.  We also acknowledged the dedication and ongoing collaboration efforts the DMV has shown in support of the cause.  Thank you for all that attended the event and support our cause!  Thank you to our premier event sponsor, Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center.

 Mark your calendar for Wednesday, May 21st for the 6th Annual Toast to Life event.  Tickets will go on sale in March.

Join us Sunday, January 26th at 12pm for the second annual Donate Life UCONN Game. Watch the UCONN Women's Basketball team play the University of Southern Florida at the XL Center in Hartford. Purchase your tickets soon!    

Donate Life Connecticut is planning a new event to be held November 21st at the newest, premier banquet facility in Connecticut: Aria.  The event promises to be deliciously funny including the stand-up comedy of a nationally known comedian who won NBC's reality show, Last Comic Standing...stay tuned!!!

We are thankful for you...