ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Students in the southern tier exploring a difficult but life-saving topic Friday, organ donation. Ellicottville Central School District hosted a Donate Life Day to encourage students to become organ donors.
7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley learned this cause is close to home for several members of the school community.
“It's something very noble that I think there definitely needs to be more of more people willing to do this,” remarked Liam McGuire, student.
Ellicottville Central School students gathered around a representative from connect life who explained how they can become organ donors.
Ellicottville school students learning about organ donation and life saving transplants from @weconnectlife during #NationalDonateLifeMonth #DonateLife @WKBW pic.twitter.com/4d1bec4ZzD
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) April 28, 2023
Teacher Tamara Peters invited me to check out the school's Donate Life Day to teach students how they could help save a life with this selfless act.
“It's hard because no one wants to think of their own mortality and I think it's a hard discussion to have with kids,” Peters explained. “It's a great target audience because this is the time when kids are getting licenses and they're thinking about signing up as organ donors."
But Peters has a personal story. Eight years ago a fellow teacher donated part of her liver to Peters.
“She was able to be a living donor and she donated half of her liver to me. Two months after surgery, we were both healthy. Our livers had regenerated to their original size and we were back to doing — what we had originally done before the surgery, so she truly saved my life through organ donation,” reflected Peters.
And within this tight-knit school community, they've had examples of students who have needed those life-saving transplants.
“Happy to be back in school, not having to worry,” noted Camden Palmatier, student. “You're up on your one-year anniversary already. How does that feel?” Buckley asked. “It feels pretty good because I went through a year without any complications,” replied Palmatier.
15-year-old student Camden had a liver transplant one year ago. Both he and his older brother, 23-year-old Evan, were born with liver disease.
Evan had his transplant three years ago and hopes their story encourages organ donors.
“Donating life can save up to eight lives. A whole lot of lives you can save. It’s a it's a box you check it doesn't it's nothing that's you know, really affecting you other than you're saving someone's life when — you go to the other side,” responded Evan Palmatier.
Their parents hope sharing their story is a teachable moment for others.
“And being able to put faces to donate life — we say donate life, a lot of people don't really know what it's all about. so being able to put faces to make that personal connection to donate life and our stories. I think kids can do that with that much, much easier,” commented Shannon Palmatier, teacher, and parent. “I feel like it's part of my mission in life now to spread the word and to hopefully save other people.”
“I can't even put it into words what it means to our family and it's just I get choked up, but I'm sorry. It’s — these two are my heroes and I'm just thankful that they're here,” declared Todd Palmatier, father. “I'm just happy that they're here and I'm blessed that they're here, and very thankful to the families that donated life to my children."
