Organ Donation Awareness Personal For 2 Vienna Church Members

VIENNA, VA — United Methodists are one of the faith communities that participate in a national educational campaign about organ and tissue donations in November. This year, the cause is personal for the Church of the Good Shepherd in Vienna.

This year, one member of the church's congregation, Michael Oakes, received a heart transplant, and another, Lay Leader Jim Lovelace, donated a kidney to his sister-in-law. They will be speakers at the church's 10:15 a.m. Organ and Tissue Donor Sunday service on Sunday, Nov. 14.

Organ and Tissue Donor Sunday is part of a national three-day observance of National Donor Sabbath in November. The observance for faith communities seeks to educate the public about organ and tissue donations while encouraging people to register to provide organ, eye and tissue donations. National Donor Sabbath materials from the Washington Regional Transplant Community will also be available at the service.

"Our congregation has seen up close this year that organ and tissue donations save — and change — lives," said Good Shepherd Pastor Eric Song. "And we are filled with thanksgiving for these successful transplants. Across the United States, more than 100,000 men, women and children need lifesaving organ transplants, and each day 20 people will die waiting for transplants that cannot take place."

Oakes and his wife, Marey, of Reston will share their story of Mike's sudden heart attack that revelaed he had congestive heart failure. He received a heart transplant at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

The other speaker, Lovelace, will share his story about donating a kidney to his sister-in-law, Kristen Ames Lovelace, in Oklahoma during June.

The Church of the Good Shepherd is located at 2351 Hunter Mill Road in Vienna. The service will also be available to view online at www.GoodShepherdVA.com or the church's Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/goodshepherdvienna.