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Lawnmower Service ( c p r iT ^ S fiQ DO IT NOW ! from ^ parts CURRENT POWER MACHINERY INC. 1 6 6 1 Lakeshore Rd. W. Mississauga 822-4211 I'M'I N t? W K I )N I L SI ).\Y . A1 'I <11.2 4 . 2( X )2 the story by saying, "Isn't that cool. Mom ?" Organ donation became a dinner table topic of discussion. " Mike had told us how strongly he felt about donating his organs. He said. 'What good are they in the ground?'" Debbie says it helps her to speak publicly about Mike's death. " Our son Mike died yesterday - at least that is how I feel in my heart," said Debbie at a memori al service held a year ago at St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto. It was organized by M O R E - Multiple Organ Retrieval & Exchange. Debbie is now a volunteer and spokesperson for this organization that is encouraging those who wish to donate their organs to sign their `donor cards.' " Every time the phone rings, for a split second, my thoughts bring us back to the phone call telling us to answer our front door. It's the police.' They told us our son had a tragic accident in his home and he was in critical condition at the hospital. " When we (Debbie and her husband Butch) arrived, the doctor told us that Mike had died and the paramedics revived him. but he was probably brain dead. "The doctor asked us if we would consider organ donation. "M y husband and I both said yes at the same time - it's probably the first time we agreed about a situation involving our two sons - without hav ing to discuss it first." Mike was transferred to IC U where it was learned he had suffered severe brain damage and although he was not yet declared brain dead, the Blagojevics were told he would likely not survive. "As time ticked away at the hospital, we prayed for our `miracle.' especially because (his brother) Andrew's first wedding anniversary was the next day. " Please God, don't let our son die. Two days went by and Mike was hooked up to every machine possible, his brain activity continued to worsen. It was only a matter of time. `The next thing we knew, more testing was being done and the hospital chaplain was by our side when the doctor told us how sorry he was. Mike was in fact brain dead. Mike was now gone. OAKVILLE. O NTA RIO L6I 2 Z 4 Glen O aks Memorial Gardens A bourifel lam k u ik ccmctcrv offering i full ranee o f srro c c indiKfin^ traditional enxind interment, indoor mausolca and Oakville's only cremation an trc. Forjurther injormJtton cull or visit Ninth Line at [Xindo St, OdmBc H i Official Media Sponsor 905-257-1100 Editor: Wilma Blokhuis Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 250) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: blokhuis@haltonsearch.com Mike Blagojevics organs have helped save 32 lives By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER F O C U S E D IT O R Gifts of life in death I i seems like only yesterday when Debbie Blagojevic lost her son Mike, but she takes comfort that his organs have helped save the lives of 32 people. Mike Blagojevic died on June 20. 2000, three days following a serious fall at his home during Father s Day weekend. He was 26 years old, and the father of Gabrielle Frank, now 8 . (The little girl's last name was changed following her father's death.) " He suffered a terrible fall." Debbie remem bered. "Paramedics revived him. but he ended up in the hospital where he died." Mike's liver, kidneys, eyes and bones were donated. His heart and lungs could not be used because they were damaged during the attempt to revive him. Debbie visited the ambulance station that received the call to personally thank the para medics for their efforts. " I informed the paramedics there that because of their gallant efforts, our son lived for two and a half days. " We were able "As time ticked away at to face the inevitable. A ll of the hospital, we prayed friends, for our `miracle'. Please M ike's family and his little God, don't let our son girl were able to die. It was only a mat say their good byes and see him so ter of time ..." peaceful. And. ·Debbie Blagojevic because of them. Mike was able to donate his organs and tissues." Mike had never regained consciousness, how ever he had always been vocal about donating his organs to help others live - should anything hap pen to him. " Mike was always very vocal," said Debbie. " He saw a story that one of his friends he grew up with, and played on the same hockey team, had donated bone marrow to a young woman with can cer." That was four years ago. and the recipient is "doing well." Debbie remembered Mike reacted to Ron Kuzyk · Oakville Beaver Butch and Debbie Blagojevic and granddaughter, Gabrielle Frank. 8. looking at a poster of George Marcello who will bring his Canada 769 Day W alk to Oakville June 20 in honor of their late son. Michael. But because he lived those two and a half days, they were able to replenish and revitalize his organs. Mike's wish would come true - he would become an organ donor." Shortly after the Blagojevics agreed, tests were done to find matches for Mike's organs. His liver matched a recipient, a middle-aged man. waiting at another hospital. In the space of about a day, Mike's organs had helped five people - two of them receiving his corneas. This gift is particular ly poignant to Debbie. "M y grandfather was blind, so that especially made me happy." Mike's kidneys saved the lives of two people both of them suffering from end-stage renal dis eases. freeing them from dialysis. His bones and bone marrow helped 20 people, including a young girl with Cerebral Palsy, two women with bone cancer, a middle-aged man who (See ' D onors' page C3) Liver transplant recipient takes life Step By Step Liver transpI3hl recipient George Marcello is bringing his Canada 769 Day Walk to Oakville June 20 - on the 731st day. and second anniversary, of his trek. That day will be `Michael's Day' in honour of Oakville resident, Mike Blagojevic, whose organs and tissues have helped 32 people. He died June 20. 2000. On the same day, Marcello started walking to promote the importance of organ and tissue donation. His visit in Oakville will be co-ordi nated by Debbie Blagojevic, Mike's mom. and a volunteer with M O R E Multiple Organ Retrieval and Exchange. Marcello is scheduled to visit Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital at 12:30 p.m.; Trafalgar Village at I p.m.: Oakville Place. 1:30 p.m.: Sheridan College main entrance. 2- 2:15 p.m.; meet local school representatives at Upper Middle Road and Grosvenor Street. 3:15 p.m.: and finish at the Iroquois Ridge Community Centre at 4 p.m., where he will present the Torch of Life to Mayor Ann Mulvale. Marcello started his walk on June 20. 2000, in Toronto and walked to Victoria. B.C. On Sept. 5. 2001. he was invited to the Vatican to have an audience with Pope John Paul who encouraged him never to give up his mission. From there, he Hew to St. John's, Newfoundland., to complete the other half of walk west ward. arriving in Toronto on July 27. Marcello, who is carrying the Torch of Life, hopes to have visited 600 com munities at the completion of his walk. His aim is to convince the federal gov ernment to create the `Precious Consent' system for organ and tissue donation. There are about 4,(XX) people wailing for transplants in Canada which ranks low in organ donations. " This dismal rate is not a reflection on the Canadian public but of the cur rent organ donor system," states Step by Step. "Canada is holding on to a primitive system and we've been missing too many opportunities. Debbie Blagojevic said the " idea behind the `Precious Consent' system is that everyone automatically is an organ and tissue donor, unless asked to be taken off the list. 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