EDMOND MAN TO BE HONORED IN TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE
Oklahoman to Represent Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation at National Event
LifeShare of Oklahoma is honoring Logan Wilke, of Edmond, as a float rider in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade on January 2nd.
Every year, LifeShare helps sponsor the Donate Life Float in the Tournament of Roses Parade to spread the message about organ, eye and tissue donation. As a sponsor, LifeShare is able to send one recipient to ride the float and one donor portrait to be honored on the float. Logan will be honored as a one of 24 riders on the float this year.
In 2011, Logan was competing in a cross country motorcycle race when he lost his balance on a creek crossing. He put his foot down to help with his balance and as soon as he did he felt an extreme pain in his knee as he fell to the ground. Logan knew immediately he had torn his ACL. An MRI the next day confirmed it and he was scheduled for surgery within a week. He chose to receive donor tissue to repair his ACL. Unfortunately, in 2013, he tore his first ACL graft while working around his property. Logan received a second graft in October of 2013 and he is thankful for his donors every day for allowing him to remain active and enjoy the things he loves to do.
Logan is not only a tissue recipient, but also works as an Organ Recovery Coordinator for LifeShare. In his position, he facilitates the recovery of organs for transplant as well as trains new staff.
“The thing I love most about working at LifeShare is the impact we have in people’s lives. It may sound cliché, but this is the reason I became a nurse – to help others,” Logan said. “In my job, I get to meet some of the most amazing families at the worst time in their lives and they seem to still have compassion to help others.”
Logan is also a veteran having served in the United States Army for six years. When he is not busy working as an Organ Recovery Coordinator for LifeShare, he is spending time with his wife and two beautiful daughters, ages 13 and one. He also enjoys riding his dirt bike and he was even featured on ESPN once as one of the best crashes of the weekend during a motorcycle race in southern California.
The 2017 Donate Life float depicts a Polynesian catamaran, which will be propelled by a team of 24 organ, eye and tissue transplant recipients rowing in unison with strength gained from donors. The sails of the vessel will feature 60 floral portraits of donors interwoven with Polynesian designs and patterns.
“We are honored to have Logan represent organ, eye and tissue donation this year at the Rose Parade,” said Jeffrey Orlowski, President and Chief Executive Officer of LifeShare of Oklahoma. “With a U.S. television audience in the tens of millions and a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions, these individuals will not only be representing the importance of donation, they will serve as representatives of Oklahoma and the approximately 800 citizens of the state who are waiting on a lifesaving transplant.”
LifeShare encourages everyone across the state to tune-in to watch the 128thTournament of Roses Parade on January 2.
Every year, LifeShare helps sponsor the Donate Life Float in the Tournament of Roses Parade to spread the message about organ, eye and tissue donation. As a sponsor, LifeShare is able to send one recipient to ride the float and one donor portrait to be honored on the float. Logan will be honored as a one of 24 riders on the float this year.
In 2011, Logan was competing in a cross country motorcycle race when he lost his balance on a creek crossing. He put his foot down to help with his balance and as soon as he did he felt an extreme pain in his knee as he fell to the ground. Logan knew immediately he had torn his ACL. An MRI the next day confirmed it and he was scheduled for surgery within a week. He chose to receive donor tissue to repair his ACL. Unfortunately, in 2013, he tore his first ACL graft while working around his property. Logan received a second graft in October of 2013 and he is thankful for his donors every day for allowing him to remain active and enjoy the things he loves to do.
Logan is not only a tissue recipient, but also works as an Organ Recovery Coordinator for LifeShare. In his position, he facilitates the recovery of organs for transplant as well as trains new staff.
“The thing I love most about working at LifeShare is the impact we have in people’s lives. It may sound cliché, but this is the reason I became a nurse – to help others,” Logan said. “In my job, I get to meet some of the most amazing families at the worst time in their lives and they seem to still have compassion to help others.”
Logan is also a veteran having served in the United States Army for six years. When he is not busy working as an Organ Recovery Coordinator for LifeShare, he is spending time with his wife and two beautiful daughters, ages 13 and one. He also enjoys riding his dirt bike and he was even featured on ESPN once as one of the best crashes of the weekend during a motorcycle race in southern California.
The 2017 Donate Life float depicts a Polynesian catamaran, which will be propelled by a team of 24 organ, eye and tissue transplant recipients rowing in unison with strength gained from donors. The sails of the vessel will feature 60 floral portraits of donors interwoven with Polynesian designs and patterns.
“We are honored to have Logan represent organ, eye and tissue donation this year at the Rose Parade,” said Jeffrey Orlowski, President and Chief Executive Officer of LifeShare of Oklahoma. “With a U.S. television audience in the tens of millions and a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions, these individuals will not only be representing the importance of donation, they will serve as representatives of Oklahoma and the approximately 800 citizens of the state who are waiting on a lifesaving transplant.”
LifeShare encourages everyone across the state to tune-in to watch the 128thTournament of Roses Parade on January 2.
