FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: October 3, 2012

Contact: Michele Mehaffy, 566-3937

mmehaffy@unyts.org (day of event)

Celebrating the Gift of Life

Honoring those who make a difference in Organ, Eye, Tissue and Blood Donation

WHO: Unyts, along with our blood donors, organ donor families and supporters

WHAT: A fundraiser dinner to recognize pioneers in the field of transplantation and medical care. All proceeds will go toward the purchase of a new blood donation bus.

WHEN: Thursday, October 4th, 2012 from 6-9PM

WHERE: Kleinhans Music Hall, Mary Seaton Room, 3 Symphony Circle, Buffalo, NY 14201

The Donate Life Foundation will honor:

Dr. James Reidy

Medical Director of Unyts’ Eye & Tissue Services Department and long-time board member. Currently, Dr. Reidy is the chief of Cornea & External Disease Service and Clinical Director of Ophthalmology at ECMC, an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at UB and a cornea and external disease specialist at the Ira G. Ross Eye Institute.

Rev. Dr. James A. Lewis III

Senior Certified Chaplain of the Buffalo Police Department, Director of Pastoral Care at ECMC since 1990 and Spiritual Care Director for Unyts since 2006.

The James H. Cummings Foundation

A charitable foundation that serves to advance medical science, research and education. The Cummings Foundation has invested over a quarter million dollars in Unyts’ medical and capital needs.

Donor Families

Accepting this award on behalf of all donor families is Dale & Lori Gramza, whose 21 year old son, Andrew, gave the gift of life through donation. In his memory, Andrew’s Army was born and has raised over $19,000 and collected over 300 units of blood for Unyts in just 2 years.

Become an Organ, Eye, Tissue and Community Blood Donor Today!

www.Unyts.org

*Unyts now operates under d/b/a Unyts. We are no longer Upstate NY Transplant Services