DFF Focus: Fertile Ground for 5K

Darling wife has been incredibly supportive throughout this journey with Amyloidosis, kidney failure and need for a transplant. But even the brown-eyed beauty ain’t buying the latest endeavor. “You need to lower your expectations. You should shoot for 50, maybe 500 live donors, not 5,000.” Dang. The Illinois native is far more practical than her dreaming doofus (me) known to always respond affirmatively to what seems to be a loving phrase, “He’s a goofball, but he’s my goofball.”

5,000 living donors? The "Drive for Five"“ (DFF) campaign targeting 45-60 year-olds who are physically fit, past child-rearing ages and looking for purpose as they kickoff the fourth quarter of life? Nationwide? Globally? I gotta believe, and great organizations like "Kidney Donor Athletes" are proof,? there’s a market for folks in this demographic to embrace, “Share your spare, Save a life, Leave a priceless Legacy.” We call it “SSLL” for short. It’s better than gold and silver!

Relationships. Networking. Raising awareness. That’s where alums of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity bubble to the surface. Back in 1976 your scribe headed off to the University of Missouri on a full-ride scholarship intent on playing football and baseball for the Tigers. However, injuries quickly curtailed any dreams of future success in competitive athletics.

The injuries relegated an athletic southpaw to representing the “Tau Hut” in about every sport imaginable from obvious strengths in football, basketball and softball to handball, racquetball and other endeavors. Anything to help the ATO’s beat arch rivals, especially the Betas, for the Greek system’s overall “Sports Champions.”

Fraternal relationships established in four years of undergraduate education at Mizzou have lasted ever since and have now become an integral part of the strategy to prove wifey incorrect - she’s never wrong - about DFF’s audacious goal of recruiting live organ donors.

Nick Jianas attended Mizzou and was an ATO long after this ol’ knucklehead departed. The successful business executive is also a living kidney donor. “My wife, who I met at Mizzou started having trouble with consistent UTI’s while in college. We discovered she had chronic kidney disease (CKD) and needed a transplant. More than 1,500 candidates emerged through a data research. It ended up, I was the best match.” Jordan Jianas picks up the story from here: “I was in complete shock. I was 22 years old and finishing my senior year of college and was only experiencing fatigue – which I thought was normal for a busy college student working two jobs and involved in many organizations.”

Now 26, a year or so after the procedure the health care professional and former Alpha Phi member is thriving. “Today, I live life to the fullest and do things that push me out of my comfort zone. I am filled with gratitude and thankfulness everyday for this second chance at life.” Amen sister.

Three Confederate Army soldiers started her hubby’s fraternity in 1864 seeking ways after the Civil War to bring men together in reconciliation. Considering the state of America today, who says sharing something most have in abundance can’t become a similar gesture of reconciliation to a fractured nation? A lot of lives will be saved.

Mizzou’s ATO chapter was founded in the early 1900’s. Each year young men arrive, build relationships with one another and pledge to “Bind together.” There’s thousands of ATO alums who fit the age range DFF’s targeting to raise awareness about the relative ease of live organ donation for kidney, liver and bone marrow. Wanna explore? Frat boy or compassionate soul? Here’s how:

Jianas is younger but eager to encourage older brothers to consider leaving a priceless legacy. The leader of a family business providing food services to our nation’s military, the DFF team member is a devoted Kansas City Chiefs fan. Many are these days including your scribe who worshipped the Chiefs as a freckled-faced dreamer long ago. Jianis has walked the talk and eager to work with others in raising awareness and igniting enthusiasm for live organ donation. Interested? Start here.

Relationships. Fraternities. Sororities. Civic groups. Athletic departments. Churches, mosques and synagogues.? Folks from all walks of life coming together with a collective purpose to elevate the human condition. Fertile ground for 5K!