Rare Triple Transplant Recipient Comes to Colorado to Premiere Film & Connect with Colorado Transplant Recipients
Loveland, CO, 9 April 2015—Jim Stavis, father of three and CEO of Paragon Steel in California, will premiere a documentary chronicling his heart, kidney and pancreas transplants at the Lifetree Film Festival April 18, 2015 (http://lifetreefilms.com/).
The short film, Source of Hope, introduces audiences to Stavis and his friends and family, as well as the family of Brice Fabing, whose tragic death in a car accident a decade ago provided life-saving gifts of organ transplant to Stavis.
In coming to Colorado, Stavis aims to increase awareness of the vital choice of organ donation during National Donate Life Month (http://donatelife.net/ndlm/), as well as connect with other multiple transplant recipients. Multi-organ transplants are exceptionally rare, constituting less than two percent of all transplants. Of the 622,135 transplants performed in the U.S. since 1988, only 9,074 (1.5%) have been for multiple organ recipients (http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/).
“It puts us in a unique club,” says Stavis. “Once you receive the gift of organ donation, life just becomes that much more precious. I hope my story inspires Coloradans to make the life-saving choice to say yes, be a hero, and donate life. My hero Brice said yes!”
During his stay, Stavis will connect with Coloradans who are fellow triple transplant recipients. Donor Alliance, the federally designated nonprofit that facilitates organ and tissue donation in Colorado and most of Wyoming, will have volunteers and a registration booth at Lifetree Film Festival to support Source Of Hope.
“National Donate Life Month is a wonderful time to remind Coloradans of the need for more registered organ, eye and tissue donors,” said Andrea Smith, Director of PR/Communications with Donor Alliance. “We are thrilled that Jim Stavis is bringing his powerful story of survival to Colorado this month. And we encourage all residents moved by his documentary to say ‘yes’ to organ eye and tissue donation at the Driver’s License Office or online at www.donatelifecolorado.org."