[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 109 (Wednesday, August 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION STAMP CEREMONY IN BARODA, MICHIGAN

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                            HON. FRED UPTON

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 5, 1998

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a special ceremony 
being conducted in my district in the town of Baroda. Today, the 
residents of Baroda are celebrating the issuance of the Organ and 
Tissue Donation stamp. This stamp has long been of extreme interest to 
me, and I am pleased to see it finally released today.
  Last November, I attended the Dedication ceremony in Washington, DC, 
and at that time I was given a large, poster-size copy of the stamp. 
Since that time, I have displayed it in my congressional office, 
providing all visitors with the powerful message of organ and tissue 
donation; it gives me great pleasure to know that this message will now 
be received by the entire country.
  Around our State and Nation, recipients of organ and tissue donation 
can testify to the need for greater public awareness of this issue. 
Although many lives have already been saved, those life-saving numbers 
can certainly go up through greater public involvement, education and 
outreach. The stamp being released today can help greatly in this 
cause.
  I'm pleased that the U.S. Postal Service chose Baroda as the site for 
one of the ``issuance'' ceremonies given the long-time involvement of 
Baroda resident Edward Heyn. For many years, Edward Heyn sought to 
commemorate organ donation with the issuance of a United States postal 
stamp. Through letters to my office and the Postal Service, he and 
thousands of other concerned citizens made a compelling case as to the 
importance of such a stamp. Although Ed passed away 4 years ago, his 
memory and willingness to help his fellow citizen will endure through 
endeavors like today's postage stamp.
  As many of us know, the need for organs is greater than the supply. 
Across the Nation, over 60,000 people are waiting for organs, with over 
2,000 of those in Michigan. Ed Heyn was fortunate to receive an organ, 
and he had the vision to realize that with the issuance of a postal 
stamp the number of donated organs could only increase. Every time 
someone uses a postal stamp with the ``Share Your Life'' image, they 
will think of the importance of organ and tissue donation, and perhaps 
in return they will be more likely to donate themselves.
  Therefore, this postal stamp has a message that is two-fold: first to 
express the true life-giving power of organ and tissue donation, and 
second to raise awareness of medical issues, in hopes that the number 
of donations and lives saved per year will increase. It is wonderful to 
see Edward Heyn's vision manifested today, and it is only fitting to 
have this ceremony in his hometown where many of his family, friends 
and neighbors could share in this wonderful experience. One person can 
make a difference and clearly, Ed made a difference for generations to 
come.

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