Hours of volunteering with Lifeline of Ohio earned Reynoldsburg residents Sue and Mike Murphy recognition from the organization.

During Lifeline’s annual “Ambassador Appreciation” dinner Oct. 19, the two were presented with Infinity and Beyond awards for contributing 75 hours of service, and Sue Murphy was presented a Golden Ambassador Award for serving a total of 127 hours during this past year, the most of any volunteer.

Lifeline of Ohio is a nonprofit organization that promotes and coordinates organ and tissue donation in central and southeastern Ohio.

Community outreach coordinator Terri Louder said the Murphys have been volunteering since 2003, the year their son, Jason, died after being severely injured in a car accident.

Their volunteer work includes visiting hospitals, schools and Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle locations to encourage people to become registered organ donors, she said.

“Sue Murphy has gone with me to hospitals to visit newly transplanted patients,” she said. “We go to do to encourage them to write to their donor families.

“It really means a lot to them, It’s an affirmation É and when they hear from somebody who’s actually received those letters, they understand how important it is to do.”

The Murphys, both retired Reynoldsburg school teachers, have been advocates for organ donation since their son’s death. Jason was an organ donor whose heart went to Russ Guthrie, 55, of Jamestown, in a June 30, 2003, transplant operation. Being in contact with him in the past few years inspired the couple to continue volunteering, Sue Murphy said.

“Especially after being in touch with Russ and seeing how the transplant made a difference in his life, as well as wanting to give back to Lifeline for the support they offered us after Jason passed,” Murphy said.

Louder said Sue Murphy earned a Golden Ambassador Award because among more than 700 volunteers, she devoted the most time over the year to the cause.

As for receiving the Golden Ambassador Award, Murphy said it’s an honor and she feels fortunate since she is retired that she can put in the time to volunteer.

“It’s a way to pay back and get the message out there, like Mike and I and all the other volunteers do,” she said.

She said there are 110,000 people nationally on a waiting list for all types of organ transplants; on average, 18 people die each day waiting for a transplant.

“In the state of Ohio, there’s about 94 percent of the people who agree to organ donations, but we’ve only got around 57 percent that are actually registered, so we’re trying to fill that gap,” Murphy said.

Other than being advocates for organ donation, the couple also started the Jason Murphy Memorial Golf Outing, which takes place at the Willow Run Golf course in Pataskala.

The tournament not only honors their son’s life and love for golf but supports a scholarship set up in Jason’s name. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded each year to a graduating RHS senior who has a learning disability, as Jason did.

More information about organ donation and Lifeline of Ohio is available online at www.lifelineofohio.com.

dowen@thisweeknews.com

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