The Five Points of Life Blood Apheresis

Sharing Life With Others Through Donation

The Five Points of Life

• Blood

• Apheresis

• Marrow

• Cord blood

• Organ/tissue

The Five Points of Life

• Developed by LifeSouth in 1997

• International program increasing awareness of the five ways we can share life with others.

• First and only program bringing together all lifesaving donations into one message.

• Promotes coordinated participation by organizations dedicated to all types of donation.

Events

• Five Points of Life Ride

• Five Points of Life Race Weekend

• Saturn National Donor Day

The Five Points of Life Ride

• A team of 10-15 amateur cyclists, each with a personal connection to one of the five points rides across country

• Daily events hosted by organizations along the route

• Focus on both national and local needs

Former Riders

• 53 different riders from 22 states and South Africa

• 3 heart recipients & 1 father whose son received a heart

• 1 mother whose son died because he didn’t receive a heart

• 3 kidney donors, 1 kidney recipient

• 3 parents who donated their children’s organs

• 4 marrow donors, 1 marrow recipient

• 1 liver recipient

• Blood recipients & donors

• Tissue recipients & donors

• Apheresis recipients &donors

• Multi-gallon blood & apheresis donors

Previous Routes

• 1997: San Diego, Ca., to Gainesville, Fla.

• 1998: Los Angeles, Ca., to St. Augustine, Fla.

• 2000: Bar Harbor, Maine, to Key West, Fla.

• 2002: International Falls, Minn., to St. Petersburg, Fla.

• 2004: Seattle, Wash., to Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

• 2006: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to South Beach, Fla.

2008 Ride

• Kick off in Mobile, Alabama at the USS Alabama on October 1, 2008

• Ride through the Southeastern U.S.

• Estimated 30 days on the road

• 30 cities visited

• Closing ceremonies in Cedar Key tentatively scheduled for October 30th

• Alabama

• Albertville

• Auburn/Opelika

• Birmingham

• Florence

• Huntsville

• Mobile

• Montgomery

• Selma

• Tuscaloosa

• Florida

• Cedar Key

• Fernandina Beach

• Gainesville

• St. Augustine

The Riders

• Richard Brinker, 62, Palatka, Fla., apheresis donor and first time rider.

• Paul “Skip” Choate, 59, Gainesville, Fla., platelet recipient, first time rider.

• Tom Colombi, 49, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, family member received blood and a first time rider.

• Rodney Ford, 47, Brandon, Fla., blood donor, platelet donor, on National Marrow Registry and making his seventh ride.

Nancy Ireland, 47, Denver, Colo., transplant coordinator, blood donor and first time rider.

• Nancy Ireland, 47, Denver, Colo., transplant coordinator, blood donor and first time rider.

• Cindy Johnson, 50, Winston-Salem, N.C., blood donor, late son received marrow and she rode in 2004.

• Perry McGriff, 70, Gainesville, Fla., 50-gallon blood donor making his seventh ride.

• Gary Smith, 56, Schellsburg, Pa. donates blood and apheresis, donated marrow and rode in 2002 and assisted in 2006.

• Bruce Stechmiller, 62, Gainesville, Fla., an oncologist and hematologist and a first-time rider.

• Tracy Walker, 49, Gainesville, Fla., organ recipient, transplant coordinator at Shands, and a first-time rider.

• Bob Wise, 56, Tampa, Fla., recently donated his 37th gallon of blood and rode in 2004 and 2006.

• Dawn Wolf, 44, Indianapolis, Ind., a donor, blood banker and a first-time rider.

Five Points of Life Race Weekend

• Held in Gainesville, Fla. and is a fundraiser for the program and also continues the mission of raising awareness for donations.

• Race Weekend events:

• Fitness EXPO
• Kids Marathon
• 5 Points 5K (3.1 miles)
• Half Marathon (13.1 miles)
• Marathon (26.2 miles)

Race Weekend Cont.

• 2008 Race Weekend:

• 2,200 participants for all events
• More than 20 media hits

• 2009 Race Weekend

• February 21 & 22

How can you help?

• Incorporate an inclusive FPOL donation message in your center

• Posters from your Organ and Tissue agencies
• Posters from NMDP
• Use FPOL bullets in media fact sheets
• Invite your area’s donor organizations to participate in center promotions-and ask them to donate blood
• Refer people to the FPOL website at www.fivepointsoflife.org

Contact Information

• Brite Whitaker

• x41728
• [e-mail]

• Mary Kate Flynn

• x41623
• [e-mail]