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With A Thankful Heart, Retiree Advocates For Organ Donation

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By MARY SHEDDEN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 25, 2008

Bill Ismer could be an imposing figure.

After all, he's a retired sheriff's captain and the successful recipient of a heart transplant eight years ago. He's a man who's faced death and won — over and over again.

But he's a gentle-giant sort, blown away by his blessings and passionate about his faith — and the hospital and organ donor community that gave him a new life.

"It changes all your priorities," he says of his 1999 transplant.

This tough cop turned compassionate volunteer for the organ donor organization LifeLink and Tampa General Hospital often can be found playing piano for the critically ill and their caretakers. His time making music is an inspiration: The staff rarely gets to see such a vibrant, healthy result of their critical care, nurse supervisor Kassie Bassnight says.

"It's nice for the nurses to see the fruits of their labor," she says.

Ismer preaches about the value of organ donation because he knows firsthand what it is like to be among the 3,470 Floridians, and more than 94,000 Americans, waiting for a healthy organ to transform their body.

Most recently, his passion stretched to Pasadena, Calif., where Ismer rode aboard a float in the world famous Tournament of Roses Parade. He was one of five transplant recipient winners of the Astellas Ride of a Lifetime essay contest, sponsored by the Astellas pharmaceutical company.

"It's a very humbling experience, waving to a million people," Ismer says.

The float featured the faces of organ donors on colorful hot air balloons, with people walking alongside holding the balloon tethers. Those marchers were relatives and friends of people who donated organs at the time of death.

That symbolism wasn't lost on Ismer, or his wife, Debbie, whom he met when she was his heart transplant nurse at Tampa General.

"He would catch people's eyes, and they would realize he was a recipient," Debbie says of his opportunity to promote organ donation on a national stage. "It was a good way to get the message out there."

According to Donate Life America, there were 28,108 organ transplants in the United States in 2005. The life-giving miracles were possible because of 7,593 deceased people and 6,895 living organ donors. Still, 18 people a day die waiting for a transplant.

At Tampa General, 5,562 transplants have been performed since 1974. Today, it offers transplants of adult and pediatric kidneys, hearts, livers, the pancreas, and lungs, says Sjonne Abbott, the hospital's transplant director.

Ismer, one of Tampa General's 829 heart transplant recipients, knows more organ donor education is needed. Donate Life America estimates 90 percent of Americans support organ donation, but 60 percent don't know how to sign up.

It's not hard. Visit a Web site for a program such as LifeLink, www.lifelinkfound.org/florida, or the Florida Coalition on Donation, www.fcod.org. The Florida Organ and Tissue Donor Education Program includes donor signup as part of getting your driver's license. Most programs require you to sign a statement with two witnesses.

Ismer is so grateful someone signed up as a donor eight years ago and saved his life. His hope now is that his story can somehow save a few more like him.

"It's a tremendous blessing to go from being a patient to be giving back to people in need."

Want to share your health and fitness idea? Contact me at (813) 259-7365 or mshedden@tampatrib.com.

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