Donating
Spares Needed!Back in 2023 on TOT 4.5, Lubbock to Baton Rouge, Texas Tech University grad student Michael Ortiz traveled with us for over 30 days conducting interviews and collecting footage for a documentary. The goal was to capture organ donation from many angles but primarily from those whose lives it affects the most, people with kidney failure, looking for a donor, primarily a living donor.
3 fellow students , Logan Whitman, , Sara Weichman, and Gemma Folsom joined Michael on their spring break.
Michael connected with Texas PBS for their “Made in Texas” series of local content which is scheduled to air the documentary on February 16th at 8 CST. Local TV plus national streaming.
Local premiers will be in Stevens Point February 15th at 4:30 at my bicycle shop sponsor the Hostel Shoppe.
March 26th with be at Marian College in Find du Lac, WI at 3pm.
Press Release: Share the Love Event – “The Gift of Life: An Organ Trail Story” Documentary Movie Screening at Hostel Shoppe
STEVENS POINT, WI – “Gift of Life: An Organ Trail Story”, is a new documentary about The Organ Trail, a not-for-profit initiative raising awareness about kidney health and the need for living kidney donors. Hostel Shoppe, a sponsor of The Organ Trail, is excited to share an early premiere of the 28-minute documentary movie at the Hostel Shoppe during our Share the Love Event. Join us for “The Gift of Life: An Organ Trail Story” Documentary Movie Screening, and enjoy pulled pork sandwiches and hors d’oeuvres, beverages and a complimentary swag bag! The event will take place at the Hostel Shoppe, located at 3201 John Joanis Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54482, on Saturday, February 15, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.
The documentary, created by former Texas Tech University students and headed by Michael Ortiz, chronicles the extraordinary journey of Mark and Lynn Scotch, a husband-and-wife duo from Wisconsin, whose happenstance meeting at a bar in Louisiana turned into a cross-country mission to save lives. It all began in 2020 when Mark met Hugh Smith, a retired jockey in desperate need of a kidney. Mark made the life-changing decision to donate his kidney through the National Kidney Registry Voucher Program, sparking a movement to raise awareness about living kidney donations.
In early 2023, Lynn followed in Mark’s footsteps, donating her kidney through the voucher program. Lynn’s kidney went to a recipient in Illinois, and her voucher was given to 2-year-old Cooper from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born with end-stage renal failure, Cooper had been on dialysis since he was only eight months old. Thanks to Lynn’s donation, Cooper received the life-saving transplant he desperately needed.
Why It Matters:
- Nearly 100,000 Americans are on the kidney transplant waiting list, with 3,000 new patients added monthly.
- Every day, 13 people in the U.S. die waiting for a kidney transplant.
- If just 10-15 people out of every 10,000 became living donors, the waiting list could be eradicated.
Since 2020, Mark and Lynn have completed six cross-country rides, logging more than 8,000 miles to raise awareness about the critical need for living kidney donors.
The 2023 ride, when this documentary was filmed, kicked off in Lubbock, TX where local Rotary and Toastmasters members, as well as members of the community welcomed Mark, Lynn and Michael into their homes.
📽 Event Details:
- What: Share the Love Event – “The Gift of Life: An Organ Trail Story” Documentary Movie Screening at Hostel Shoppe
- When: Saturday, February 15, 4:30 to 6:30 PM
- Where: Hostel Shoppe, 3201 John Joanis Dr., Stevens Point, WI 54482
- Media contact: Jessie Bostic at (800) 233-4340 ext. 302
- Movie Trailer: http://tiny.cc/TheGiftOfLifeAnOrganTrail
Come witness this powerful story of endurance, generosity, and hope. Be inspired by Mark and Lynn’s journey and learn how you can help bring life-saving awareness to the need for living kidney donors.
For more information on The Organ Trail, visit: https://www.theorgantrail.org/
About The Organ Trail: The Organ Trail is a not-for-profit initiative founded by Mark and Lynn Scotch to raise awareness about the critical need for living kidney donors. Through ultra-endurance cycling events, they have met with transplant professionals, inspired countless donations, and advocated for better understanding of kidney health across the country.
