The Organ/Tissue Donor Programhad a dynamic National DonateLife Month in April — thousandsof Illinoisans heard a positivemessage about organ and tissuedonation. Many individualsthroughout the state made thedonor decision after attendingpresentations explaining theimportance of being a donor.

We are proud to announce theIllinois Donor Registry topped 6million registrants in May.Reaching this milestone was due,in part, to the efforts in April toexpand public awareness aboutdonation. Several individualswith heart-warming donor sto-ries were featured on countertopdisplays in many Driver Servicesfacilities. Sharing a personalstory about donation resonateswith many people who may stillbe unsure about signing up. Also,the 21st statewide Organ/TissueDonor Student Poster Contestwinners were announced in April.See the overall winner’s artworkin this issue.

Remind friends and family toregister at www.LifeGoesOn.com.Together we can make the wait-ing list a little bit shorter forthose who desperately need asecond chance at life.

Jesse WhiteSecretary of State

National Donate Life Month showcased by donor staff

♻ Printed on recycled paper. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois. August 2016 — 2M — EX 34

cyan magenta yellow black

Secretary of State Jesse White • Su

mmer2016

Secretary of State Jesse White (center) addresses the media during the launch of National Donate Life Month April 5 at theJames R. Thompson Center in Chicago. Secretary White is joined by (from left to right) Gunnar Swanson and his twin brothersLuke and Jake, both liver recipients, and their mother Robin Swanson; Kevin Cmunt, CEO of Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue DonorNetwork; Fatrice Austin-Geiger, two-time kidney recipient; Nicholas Lindblad, heart recipient; Jack Lynch, Gift of Hope’sAfrican-American Task Force; and transplant recipient Jose Betancourt.

Illinois Donor Registry tops 6 million The Organ/Tissue Donor Program had a suc-cessful month in April as National DonateLife Month activities showcased the pro-gram. Staff held numerous press confer-ences and public awareness events aroundthe state introducing Secretary of StateJesse White to groups to talk about theimportance of becoming a donor. Many ofthese events were held at Driver Servicesfacilities, hospitals and businesses through-out the state. As a result of the manyevents showcased during National DonateLife Month, the Illinois Donor Registryreached a milestone of 6 million registrantswhen April numbers were reported.

“I was very pleased to be able to addressnot only Driver Services facility staff butalso the public who visited their local facil-ities in April. The chance to talk with staffand reinforce our donor message with visi-tors was wonderful,” said Secretary White.

Secretary White kicked off the month’sevents with a press conference held April 5at the James R. Thompson Center inChicago. Joining Secretary White to sharetheir transplant journeys were Secretary ofState employee and two-time kidney recip-ient Fatrice Austin-Geiger; 14-year-oldheart recipient Nicholas Lindblad; and two7-year-old transplant recipients, Luke andJake Swanson. Kevin Cmunt, CEO of Gift ofHope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, andJack Lynch, director of Community Affairsand Gift of Hope’s African-American TaskForce, also joined Secretary White for thepress conference.

Secretary White also held press conferencesat several Driver Services facilities in Aprilincluding Springfield, Quincy, Peoria,Champaign, Joliet, Chicago Heights andBridgeview. He spoke about donation andpresented facility staff with a countertopdisplay featuring a local resident’s donor

(cont. on pg. 2)

Be the miracle they’re waiting for The Organ/Tissue Donor Program held its21st statewide Organ/Tissue Donor Stu -dent Poster Contest this year. SecretaryWhite honored the winners at a ceremonyin Springfield in April. Allison Davis, 16,from Wheaton Warrenville South HighSchool in Wheaton was selected as theoverall winner for students in grades 9-12 (Category 4). The 10th grader’s art-

work, themed “Be the miracle they’rewaiting for,” has been displayed at manylocations throughout the state. Otherwinners included:

• Grades K-2 (Category 1): ElizabethMerino, 1st grade, Nathanael GreeneElementary School in Chicago.

• Grades 3-5 (Category 2): Cade Graham,5th grade, St. Joseph Catholic Schoolin Freeburg.

• Grades 6-8 (Category 3): Ocean Rein -hardt, 6th grade, Albers ElementarySchool in Albers.

Winners received award certificates pre-sented to them at the poster contest cer-emony from Secretary White. In addition,the winners received gift cards to Barnesand Noble Bookstore, compliments ofDonate Life Illinois.

National Donate Life Month showcased by donor staff (cont. from pg. 3)

Donor Poster Contest winners honored

ABOVE LEFT: Staff at St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur attend a flag-raising event at the hospital in April in honor of National Donate Life Month. ABOVE RIGHT: Kevin Carroll, vice presi -dent of Energy and Logistics for Growmark in Bloomington, is presented with a plaque recognizing the Illinois Farm Bureau of Companies for its effort in promoting donation duringa press conference held in April at the Bloomington company.

LEFT — Employees at the Diversey Express DriverServices facility celebrate Blue and Green DayApril 15.

RIGHT — Secretary of State Jesse White visitsCrain Communications in Chicago in April to pro-mote Donate Life Month.

LEFT — The 2016 Organ/Tissue Donor ProgramPoster Contest over-all winner Allison Davis, astudent at Wheaton Warrenville South HighSchool in Wheaton, displays her winning artworkand accepts a plaque from Secretary of State JesseWhite in Springfield in April. Pictured with Allisonare State Rep. Jeanne Ives and State Sen. MichaelConnelly.

RIGHT — Visitors to the Ray and Joan KrocCommunity Center in Chicago show support fororgan and tissue donation in April.

LGO Summer 16.qxp_Life Goes On Summer 2007 8/9/16 1:19 PM Page 1

cyan magenta yellow black

LIFE GOES ON. BE AN ORGAN/TISSUE DONOR.

story. At the Joliet Driver Services facility,liver recipient Jen Klouse was showcasedon a countertop display. Jen participated in the Transplant Games, an Olympic-styleathletic event for transplant recipients inJune. Also at the Joliet facil ity, LewisUniversity nursing students were honoredfor having many donor registration driveson their Romeoville campus.

Frank Veach’s kidney transplant story wasfeatured at the Champaign facility. At theChicago Heights facility, nursing studentsfrom Prairie State College in ChicagoHeights received awards for holding manydonor registration drives on their campus,and liver recipient Frank Costello’s storywas recognized on a countertop display.At the Bridgeview facility, heart recipientPaul Hughes was featured on a counter-top display for his long-standing effortsat promoting organ and tissue donation

at the facility. Chuck Scholz’s and JacksonWepler’s donor stories were featured atthe Quincy facility. Nicholas Rogers’donor story was spotlighted at the Peoriafacility, and Stacy Butler’s story was high-lighted in Springfield. Many other facili-ties including Sparta, Belleville, Jersey -ville, Centralia, Rockford and DiverseyExpress promoted donor awareness dur-ing April and participated in NationalBlue and Green Day on April 15.

Secretary White and members of theChicago White Sox organization held anautograph session April 22 at theThompson Center in Chicago. BroadcasterEd Farmer, who received a kidney from hisbrother 25 years ago; White Sox Hall ofFame member Harold Baines; White Soxpinch hitter Jerry Sands; and team mas-cot “Southpaw” was joined by SecretaryWhite. Secretary White honored medical

personnel, transplant surgeons, staff anddonor families at a flag-raising event atHSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. OnApril 19 at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, the critical care unit staffaccepted an award from Secretary White.On April 24, Secretary White honoreddonor families at the Organ TransplantSupport’s annual donor dedication andtree-planting ceremony at Naper Settle -ment in Naperville.

The Secretary held a press conference inconjunction with the Illinois Farm BureauFamily of Companies April 26 at Grow -mark in Bloomington. Members of theMcLean County Life Goes On Committee,recipients, donor family members, andemployees of Growmark, Country Finan -cial and the IAA Credit Union participatedin bringing attention to organ and tissuedonation.

National Donate Life Month showcased by donor staff (cont. from pg. 1; cont. on pgs. 3 and 4)

4

5 6

7 8

9 10

11 12

1

2 3

PHOTO 1 — Joliet Driver Services facility employees anddonor advocates surround Secretary White during hisvisit to the facility on Blue and Green Day April 15. Manyfacility staff members sport Donate Life Joliet shirts forthe occasion.

PHOTO 2 — Nursing students from Lewis University inRomeoville join Secretary White at the Joliet DriverServices facility for Blue and Green Day April 15.

PHOTO 3 — Recipient Frank Veach helps Secretary Whitepresent his donor story in a countertop display at theChampaign Driver Services facility in April.

PHOTO 4 — Employees at the Belleville Driver Servicesfacility celebrate Blue and Green Day April 15 at thefacility by hanging balloons and wearing Donate LifeIllinois shirts.

PHOTO 5 — Recipient Frank Costello (left) is featured in

a countertop display presented to the ChicagoHeights Driver Services facility by Secretary Whiteon Blue and Green Day April 15. Frank’s brother,Sam Costello, is the facility’s assistant manager.

PHOTO 6 — (From left to right) Heart recipient andBridgeview resident Paul Hughes; Secretary ofState Jesse White; Bridgeview Driver Servicesfacility employee Brenda Griffin; two-time heartrecipient Reverend Stephen Richardson; and facil-ity employee and cornea recipient Ron Hayes wel-come Secretary White during his visit to the facil-ity on Blue and Green Day April 15.

PHOTO 7 — Secretary of State Jesse White holds apress conference at the Peoria Driver Servicesfacility. White is joined by (from left to right) KevinCmunt, CEO of Gift of Hope Organ and TissueDonor Network; Secretary White; and Gift of Hopestaff Ron Skolek, Gina Martin, Michelle Reed andLisa Dodson.

PHOTO 8 — Secretary White presents a plaque toRockford Central Driver Services facility staffmembers in April for their ongoing support oforgan and tissue donation. (From left to right) BobJakeway, kidney recipient; Mary Caccatori, assis-tant facility manager; Secretary White; Lori Cass,facility manager; and Kelvin Martin, heart recipi-ent and countertop display feature story.

PHOTO 9 — Organ Transplant Support’s annualdonor family dedication featured the planting of atree on the grounds of Naper Settlement April 24in Naperville in honor of the lifesaving gift ofdonors. From left: Kevin Cmunt, CEO of Gift ofHope Organ and Tissue Donor Network; donorfamily member Patsy Ann Tracy; Secretary of StateJesse White; donor family member Anita Tracy;Mayor Pro Tem of Naperville Kevin Coyne; andSusan English, liver recipient and president ofOrgan Transplant Support.

PHOTO 10 — Secretary White honors critical careunit nurses from Swedish American Hospital inRockford for their dedication to organ and tissuedonation in April at the medical facility.

PHOTO 11 — Secretary of State Jesse White isjoined by members of the Chicago White Soxorganization at an autograph signing at the JamesR. Thompson Center April 22. (From left to right)White Sox mascot “Southpaw,” Secretary White,White Sox Hall of Fame member Harold Baines,White Sox announcer and kidney recipient EdFarmer, and White Sox pinch hitter Jerry Sands.

PHOTO 12 — Eight-year-old bone marrow recipientKane Schertz is shown with his family andSecretary of State Jesse White at the Illinois FarmBureau Family of Companies press conference inApril in Bloomington.

LGO Summer 16.qxp_Life Goes On Summer 2007 8/9/16 1:19 PM Page 2

cyan magenta yellow black

LIFE GOES ON. BE AN ORGAN/TISSUE DONOR.

story. At the Joliet Driver Services facility,liver recipient Jen Klouse was showcasedon a countertop display. Jen participated in the Transplant Games, an Olympic-styleathletic event for transplant recipients inJune. Also at the Joliet facil ity, LewisUniversity nursing students were honoredfor having many donor registration driveson their Romeoville campus.

Frank Veach’s kidney transplant story wasfeatured at the Champaign facility. At theChicago Heights facility, nursing studentsfrom Prairie State College in ChicagoHeights received awards for holding manydonor registration drives on their campus,and liver recipient Frank Costello’s storywas recognized on a countertop display.At the Bridgeview facility, heart recipientPaul Hughes was featured on a counter-top display for his long-standing effortsat promoting organ and tissue donation

at the facility. Chuck Scholz’s and JacksonWepler’s donor stories were featured atthe Quincy facility. Nicholas Rogers’donor story was spotlighted at the Peoriafacility, and Stacy Butler’s story was high-lighted in Springfield. Many other facili-ties including Sparta, Belleville, Jersey -ville, Centralia, Rockford and DiverseyExpress promoted donor awareness dur-ing April and participated in NationalBlue and Green Day on April 15.

Secretary White and members of theChicago White Sox organization held anautograph session April 22 at theThompson Center in Chicago. BroadcasterEd Farmer, who received a kidney from hisbrother 25 years ago; White Sox Hall ofFame member Harold Baines; White Soxpinch hitter Jerry Sands; and team mas-cot “Southpaw” was joined by SecretaryWhite. Secretary White honored medical

personnel, transplant surgeons, staff anddonor families at a flag-raising event atHSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. OnApril 19 at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, the critical care unit staffaccepted an award from Secretary White.On April 24, Secretary White honoreddonor families at the Organ TransplantSupport’s annual donor dedication andtree-planting ceremony at Naper Settle -ment in Naperville.

The Secretary held a press conference inconjunction with the Illinois Farm BureauFamily of Companies April 26 at Grow -mark in Bloomington. Members of theMcLean County Life Goes On Committee,recipients, donor family members, andemployees of Growmark, Country Finan -cial and the IAA Credit Union participatedin bringing attention to organ and tissuedonation.

National Donate Life Month showcased by donor staff (cont. from pg. 1; cont. on pgs. 3 and 4)

4

5 6

7 8

9 10

11 12

1

2 3

PHOTO 1 — Joliet Driver Services facility employees anddonor advocates surround Secretary White during hisvisit to the facility on Blue and Green Day April 15. Manyfacility staff members sport Donate Life Joliet shirts forthe occasion.

PHOTO 2 — Nursing students from Lewis University inRomeoville join Secretary White at the Joliet DriverServices facility for Blue and Green Day April 15.

PHOTO 3 — Recipient Frank Veach helps Secretary Whitepresent his donor story in a countertop display at theChampaign Driver Services facility in April.

PHOTO 4 — Employees at the Belleville Driver Servicesfacility celebrate Blue and Green Day April 15 at thefacility by hanging balloons and wearing Donate LifeIllinois shirts.

PHOTO 5 — Recipient Frank Costello (left) is featured in

a countertop display presented to the ChicagoHeights Driver Services facility by Secretary Whiteon Blue and Green Day April 15. Frank’s brother,Sam Costello, is the facility’s assistant manager.

PHOTO 6 — (From left to right) Heart recipient andBridgeview resident Paul Hughes; Secretary ofState Jesse White; Bridgeview Driver Servicesfacility employee Brenda Griffin; two-time heartrecipient Reverend Stephen Richardson; and facil-ity employee and cornea recipient Ron Hayes wel-come Secretary White during his visit to the facil-ity on Blue and Green Day April 15.

PHOTO 7 — Secretary of State Jesse White holds apress conference at the Peoria Driver Servicesfacility. White is joined by (from left to right) KevinCmunt, CEO of Gift of Hope Organ and TissueDonor Network; Secretary White; and Gift of Hopestaff Ron Skolek, Gina Martin, Michelle Reed andLisa Dodson.

PHOTO 8 — Secretary White presents a plaque toRockford Central Driver Services facility staffmembers in April for their ongoing support oforgan and tissue donation. (From left to right) BobJakeway, kidney recipient; Mary Caccatori, assis-tant facility manager; Secretary White; Lori Cass,facility manager; and Kelvin Martin, heart recipi-ent and countertop display feature story.

PHOTO 9 — Organ Transplant Support’s annualdonor family dedication featured the planting of atree on the grounds of Naper Settlement April 24in Naperville in honor of the lifesaving gift ofdonors. From left: Kevin Cmunt, CEO of Gift ofHope Organ and Tissue Donor Network; donorfamily member Patsy Ann Tracy; Secretary of StateJesse White; donor family member Anita Tracy;Mayor Pro Tem of Naperville Kevin Coyne; andSusan English, liver recipient and president ofOrgan Transplant Support.

PHOTO 10 — Secretary White honors critical careunit nurses from Swedish American Hospital inRockford for their dedication to organ and tissuedonation in April at the medical facility.

PHOTO 11 — Secretary of State Jesse White isjoined by members of the Chicago White Soxorganization at an autograph signing at the JamesR. Thompson Center April 22. (From left to right)White Sox mascot “Southpaw,” Secretary White,White Sox Hall of Fame member Harold Baines,White Sox announcer and kidney recipient EdFarmer, and White Sox pinch hitter Jerry Sands.

PHOTO 12 — Eight-year-old bone marrow recipientKane Schertz is shown with his family andSecretary of State Jesse White at the Illinois FarmBureau Family of Companies press conference inApril in Bloomington.

LGO Summer 16.qxp_Life Goes On Summer 2007 8/9/16 1:19 PM Page 2

The Organ/Tissue Donor Programhad a dynamic National DonateLife Month in April — thousandsof Illinoisans heard a positivemessage about organ and tissuedonation. Many individualsthroughout the state made thedonor decision after attendingpresentations explaining theimportance of being a donor.

We are proud to announce theIllinois Donor Registry topped 6million registrants in May.Reaching this milestone was due,in part, to the efforts in April toexpand public awareness aboutdonation. Several individualswith heart-warming donor sto-ries were featured on countertopdisplays in many Driver Servicesfacilities. Sharing a personalstory about donation resonateswith many people who may stillbe unsure about signing up. Also,the 21st statewide Organ/TissueDonor Student Poster Contestwinners were announced in April.See the overall winner’s artworkin this issue.

Remind friends and family toregister at www.LifeGoesOn.com.Together we can make the wait-ing list a little bit shorter forthose who desperately need asecond chance at life.

Jesse WhiteSecretary of State

National Donate Life Month showcased by donor staff

♻ Printed on recycled paper. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois. August 2016 — 2M — EX 34

cyan magenta yellow black

Secretary of State Jesse White • Su

mmer2016

Secretary of State Jesse White (center) addresses the media during the launch of National Donate Life Month April 5 at theJames R. Thompson Center in Chicago. Secretary White is joined by (from left to right) Gunnar Swanson and his twin brothersLuke and Jake, both liver recipients, and their mother Robin Swanson; Kevin Cmunt, CEO of Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue DonorNetwork; Fatrice Austin-Geiger, two-time kidney recipient; Nicholas Lindblad, heart recipient; Jack Lynch, Gift of Hope’sAfrican-American Task Force; and transplant recipient Jose Betancourt.

Illinois Donor Registry tops 6 million The Organ/Tissue Donor Program had a suc-cessful month in April as National DonateLife Month activities showcased the pro-gram. Staff held numerous press confer-ences and public awareness events aroundthe state introducing Secretary of StateJesse White to groups to talk about theimportance of becoming a donor. Many ofthese events were held at Driver Servicesfacilities, hospitals and businesses through-out the state. As a result of the manyevents showcased during National DonateLife Month, the Illinois Donor Registryreached a milestone of 6 million registrantswhen April numbers were reported.

“I was very pleased to be able to addressnot only Driver Services facility staff butalso the public who visited their local facil-ities in April. The chance to talk with staffand reinforce our donor message with visi-tors was wonderful,” said Secretary White.

Secretary White kicked off the month’sevents with a press conference held April 5at the James R. Thompson Center inChicago. Joining Secretary White to sharetheir transplant journeys were Secretary ofState employee and two-time kidney recip-ient Fatrice Austin-Geiger; 14-year-oldheart recipient Nicholas Lindblad; and two7-year-old transplant recipients, Luke andJake Swanson. Kevin Cmunt, CEO of Gift ofHope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, andJack Lynch, director of Community Affairsand Gift of Hope’s African-American TaskForce, also joined Secretary White for thepress conference.

Secretary White also held press conferencesat several Driver Services facilities in Aprilincluding Springfield, Quincy, Peoria,Champaign, Joliet, Chicago Heights andBridgeview. He spoke about donation andpresented facility staff with a countertopdisplay featuring a local resident’s donor

(cont. on pg. 2)

Be the miracle they’re waiting for The Organ/Tissue Donor Program held its21st statewide Organ/Tissue Donor Stu -dent Poster Contest this year. SecretaryWhite honored the winners at a ceremonyin Springfield in April. Allison Davis, 16,from Wheaton Warrenville South HighSchool in Wheaton was selected as theoverall winner for students in grades 9-12 (Category 4). The 10th grader’s art-

work, themed “Be the miracle they’rewaiting for,” has been displayed at manylocations throughout the state. Otherwinners included:

• Grades K-2 (Category 1): ElizabethMerino, 1st grade, Nathanael GreeneElementary School in Chicago.

• Grades 3-5 (Category 2): Cade Graham,5th grade, St. Joseph Catholic Schoolin Freeburg.

• Grades 6-8 (Category 3): Ocean Rein -hardt, 6th grade, Albers ElementarySchool in Albers.

Winners received award certificates pre-sented to them at the poster contest cer-emony from Secretary White. In addition,the winners received gift cards to Barnesand Noble Bookstore, compliments ofDonate Life Illinois.

National Donate Life Month showcased by donor staff (cont. from pg. 3)

Donor Poster Contest winners honored

ABOVE LEFT: Staff at St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur attend a flag-raising event at the hospital in April in honor of National Donate Life Month. ABOVE RIGHT: Kevin Carroll, vice presi -dent of Energy and Logistics for Growmark in Bloomington, is presented with a plaque recognizing the Illinois Farm Bureau of Companies for its effort in promoting donation duringa press conference held in April at the Bloomington company.

LEFT — Employees at the Diversey Express DriverServices facility celebrate Blue and Green DayApril 15.

RIGHT — Secretary of State Jesse White visitsCrain Communications in Chicago in April to pro-mote Donate Life Month.

LEFT — The 2016 Organ/Tissue Donor ProgramPoster Contest over-all winner Allison Davis, astudent at Wheaton Warrenville South HighSchool in Wheaton, displays her winning artworkand accepts a plaque from Secretary of State JesseWhite in Springfield in April. Pictured with Allisonare State Rep. Jeanne Ives and State Sen. MichaelConnelly.

RIGHT — Visitors to the Ray and Joan KrocCommunity Center in Chicago show support fororgan and tissue donation in April.

LGO Summer 16.qxp_Life Goes On Summer 2007 8/9/16 1:19 PM Page 1