Making a Difference

Yesterday I was a volunteer canvasser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. I have volunteered during the annual campaign for 5 or 6 years now. Usually I go from door to door on my route, collect a few bucks, turn it in and feel like it wasn't really worth the effort. Most people aren't willing to give money at the door and
I truly dislike solicitors at my door or calling on the phone. BUT I feel an obligation to do my small part to improve the lives of those dealing with heart disease.

Yesterday went differently than any previous canvassing experience. It may have been becaue of the rain and people were home or it may have been my new spiel. I would introduce myself by name as a neighbour(I canvassed my own street) and then say, "About a year and a half ago my husband had a heart transplant and this is my small way of giving back. Can you donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation -any amount -great or small?" People responded more positively than ever before. Even if it was only $5 I knew that this time it was worth it! Many of my neighbours(who I'd never met) showed genuine concern and suprise that someone in their neighborhood went through a heart transplant.

It is a big deal!! Can you believe that surgeons can take out a weak, inefficient heart then put in a strong, healthy one!? Do you know that, without a transplant, Scott would not be here today. He probably wouldn't have made it to a year ago.
Nineteen months ago Scott was is the hospital with a very weak heart. Every time the doctors tested his heart off the strong IV medication, dopamine, his heart didn't have the strength to get enough blood to his kidneys and his kidneys would gradually fail. He was failing fast.

I know with the research being done today there is so much potential to improve the lives of those living with heart failure, improve the success of transplants and other surgeries and also improve the quality of life after transplant.

I didn't raise millions of dollars for research but my little route donated quadruple the previous record! That is something.