4/30/08 -- Following Governor Ted Strickland’s declaration that April was Donate Life Ohio Month, over 200 participants walked in the fourth annual Hero's Walk for Organ Donation Awareness on Market Street from St. Rita's Medical Center. to the Forest Park United Methodist Church's Family Life Center, two blocks past Lima Memorial Health System in Lima, OH.
Walkers included (pictured from left to right) kidney transplant recipient Steve Roush and his wife and living donor Missy Roush; Stacy, Vickie and Bob Sunderland, whose brother and son was an organ donor in 1998; and heart transplant recipient Tim Garlock.
Prior to the start of the walk, balloons with attached notes were released into the sunny skies in honor of the heroes of organ and tissue donation, and in remembrance of those individuals that died waiting for transplant.
A reception was held in the Church's Family Life Center where the Roush's, Bob Sunderland, and Mr. Garlock shared their stories. Additionally, Lima Mayor David Berger attended the reception and presented Lifeline of Ohio with a proclamation recognizing April as Donate Life Month in Lima as well.