| In the fall of 2011 I was named Most Inspirational Senior Athlete in the Tennessee Senior Olympics in a statewide vote on facebook. There were a lot of inspirational athletes and stories and it was humbling to be honored. About a dozen of us also appeared in TV commercials for the Games’ lead sponsor: Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN. Below is the vignette they put together on me for the introduction of the nominees for this contest called “Choose Your Champ.” | 
|
Funny story: After auditions they neglected to tell me I would be “the cyclist” and I showed up ready for basketball since that’s how I dressed for the audition. At the shoot that Friday it was 5:30 AM, the first scene in a tight schedule. Fortunately a crew member had this bike but it was fixed gear. After 20 or so takes I was exhausted. Oh, and that’s a borrowed shirt from costumes. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention I had no cycling shorts with me so I’m only wearing some very shear and tight compression shorts I had worn under my basketball uniform.
Like I said: Very humbling!
Forget London; Senior Olympics get under way Friday |
|||||
 |
|||||||
| Posted: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 10:53 pm | |||||||
Almost 2000 athletes will compete right here By NIKKI KOCINA Williamson County Parks and Recreation athletics department, Battleground Academy and sponsors BlueCross BlueShield and Walgreens are providing over 300 volunteers to facilitate the Games. Brentwood will play an important role in the games, hosting a variety of the events which include swimming, track and field, horseshoes, table tennis, bowling, badminton, tennis, basketball, archery, racquetball, cycling, volleyball, softball, shuffleboard, golf, pickleball, 10K and 5K races, a fitness walk, and a one-mile power walk. For the first time ever, the state games include a 50-meter dash heat in track. Approximately 100 participants signed up to take part in it. Brentwood’s Indoor Sports Complex and the Maryland Farms YMCA will serve as competition venues. Other venues include Battle Ground Academy, Franklin Recreational Center, Franklin Entertainment Center, Fieldstone Farms, the Academy Park, the Ag Expo Center, College Grove Recreational Center, Christ Church at Arrington, and Pine Creek Golf Course. The Tennessee Senior Olympics strives to “promote a healthy lifestyle among seniors through fitness, sports, and an active involvement in life.” TSO’s Executive Director Christine Dewbre says watching the participants compete is “very inspirational.” One example of such inspiration is Williamson County’s very own Steve Baum. Baum, 57, battled liver and kidney disease for eight years until he received a transplant for both organs in November 2009. Until his surgery, everyday tasks like walking half a mile were unbearable.
After the two transplants, Baum faced a couple significant challenges: rebuilding his deteriorated muscles and learning to combat his obstructed breathing caused by the 21-inch scar across his stomach. Instead of focusing on his past obstacles, however, Baum set his sights on the future with the goal of playing basketball at the 2010 Transplant Games. He met that goal a mere nine months after his surgery. Last year was Baum’s first year to participate in the Tennessee Senior Olympics. He entered in three open events and brought home bronze medals in each. This year, he signed up for a grand total of 10 events, but a recent injury to his right elbow, however, will limit his ability to compete in all of them. When asked what the Tennessee Senior Olympics means to him, Baum summed it up in one word: joy. “I’ve gone from dying to winning a bronze in the triple jump. It’s just pure joy.” For more information, download the “2012 State Finals Athlete Program” at http://www.tnseniorolympics.com/ |
|||||||
Thank You to The Tennessean for this article:
Here’s WHAT’S NEWS from the recipient page at the National Kidney Foundation:
Special “Thanks!” to Joe Biddle, TN’s top sports columnist, for his kind remarks:
Thank you Leah and Franklin Life for bringing attention to our cause!
CURRENT MEDIA:
Conversations Today With Victor Bright 12 min. version
The Road to the US Transplant Games
Follow-up:
8/14 One of our team managers from Team Alabama shared more information about Vivian and Brooke at my request:
Hi SteveHope you are feeling well–how is the leg?
Here is some information about Brooke and Vivian, hope it helps–it is a little “rambly” background but you will be able to pull what you need: Brooke is 14 years old and had her heart transplant as an infant. She lives in Mississippi but when Kim and Will–her Mom and Dad decided to get her involved with the Transplant Games they only wanted to come with Alabama–so we got permission from Mississippi and they have been Team Members since 2002. Brooke has won countless medals over the years in cycling, track and field, swimming, basketball,bowling and others. She has works hard to carry the message of Organ Donation–as a brownies scout and a girl scout she and her Mom worked to have an Organ Donation Awareness badge part of the merit badge system–she has organized bike rallies to ride and race money for organ awareness and speaks at local schools and churches telling her story and why people should be organ donors. Not only has she overcome and is thriving with her heart transplant but a few years ago she defeated cancer–cause they believe by her meds. We nominated her for this award because it would be easy for her to shrink back and try to “be like other kids” but instead she embraces her gift of life and shows how grateful she is but talking about it to all who will listen. Her Mom and Dad and brother Blake are all so supportive–they are a beautiful family that believes in giving back. She truly deserved to be recognized. She was awarded the Wendy Marx award for Organ Donor Awareness.Vivian Herren earned her college degree at the age of 40. She had raised two kids as a single Mom and was determined to make her life better. When she found out she had diabetes and later advanced kidney disease–her grown son Joe Odeneal ( who has also come to the Games with us but was unable to this year) gave her one of his kidneys. She thrived–speaking at churches and community groups all around Blount County.She first joined Team Alabama in 2004. She has had a colorful career as a transplant athlete–competing in cycling, swimming, track and field, and several other events. Her first Games her bicycle malfunctioned during her race and she crashed into a parked car–but not just any parked car–a police car!
She was okay and went on to win a medal in cycling. She also is a multi-medalist in several sports over the years. An active volunteer in the Transplant community–Vivian is a part of the UAB Transplant Picnic Committee and worked as Camp Volunteer at Camp Bridges for transplant kids and their families. In 2006 she was volunteering and fell while walking on the lakefront and broke her ankle. Over the next few weeks due to diabetes and the way her ankle was wrapped she suffered tremendously as her leg got infected and continually worse. This resulted in an amputation from the knee down. It did not stop her for a minute. As soon as she was able she began to train for the 2008 Games. She was determined to swim and to throw the shot put and discus. The pool proved to be a bit much and after swallowing water and exhausting herself she was taken to the University of Pittsburgh hospital and kept overnight for observation. She kicked up a fuss telling the Doctors that they could observe her but she was fine and she had three events the next morning. Not only did they release her but her ER Docs and two nurses came to cheer her on as she won the Gold in the shot and discus–all on one leg. She was awarded the Astellas Courage award for her unfailing attitude and efforts to carry the message of Organ Donation no matter what sort of personal crisis she is facing.
Here is some information about Brooke and Vivian, hope it helps–it is a little “rambly” background but you will be able to pull what you need: Brooke is 14 years old and had her heart transplant as an infant. She lives in Mississippi but when Kim and Will–her Mom and Dad decided to get her involved with the Transplant Games they only wanted to come with Alabama–so we got permission from Mississippi and they have been Team Members since 2002. Brooke has won countless medals over the years in cycling, track and field, swimming, basketball,bowling and others. She has works hard to carry the message of Organ Donation–as a brownies scout and a girl scout she and her Mom worked to have an Organ Donation Awareness badge part of the merit badge system–she has organized bike rallies to ride and race money for organ awareness and speaks at local schools and churches telling her story and why people should be organ donors. Not only has she overcome and is thriving with her heart transplant but a few years ago she defeated cancer–cause they believe by her meds. We nominated her for this award because it would be easy for her to shrink back and try to “be like other kids” but instead she embraces her gift of life and shows how grateful she is but talking about it to all who will listen. Her Mom and Dad and brother Blake are all so supportive–they are a beautiful family that believes in giving back. She truly deserved to be recognized. She was awarded the Wendy Marx award for Organ Donor Awareness.Vivian Herren earned her college degree at the age of 40. She had raised two kids as a single Mom and was determined to make her life better. When she found out she had diabetes and later advanced kidney disease–her grown son Joe Odeneal ( who has also come to the Games with us but was unable to this year) gave her one of his kidneys. She thrived–speaking at churches and community groups all around Blount County.She first joined Team Alabama in 2004. She has had a colorful career as a transplant athlete–competing in cycling, swimming, track and field, and several other events. Her first Games her bicycle malfunctioned during her race and she crashed into a parked car–but not just any parked car–a police car!
She was okay and went on to win a medal in cycling. She also is a multi-medalist in several sports over the years. An active volunteer in the Transplant community–Vivian is a part of the UAB Transplant Picnic Committee and worked as Camp Volunteer at Camp Bridges for transplant kids and their families. In 2006 she was volunteering and fell while walking on the lakefront and broke her ankle. Over the next few weeks due to diabetes and the way her ankle was wrapped she suffered tremendously as her leg got infected and continually worse. This resulted in an amputation from the knee down. It did not stop her for a minute. As soon as she was able she began to train for the 2008 Games. She was determined to swim and to throw the shot put and discus. The pool proved to be a bit much and after swallowing water and exhausting herself she was taken to the University of Pittsburgh hospital and kept overnight for observation. She kicked up a fuss telling the Doctors that they could observe her but she was fine and she had three events the next morning. Not only did they release her but her ER Docs and two nurses came to cheer her on as she won the Gold in the shot and discus–all on one leg. She was awarded the Astellas Courage award for her unfailing attitude and efforts to carry the message of Organ Donation no matter what sort of personal crisis she is facing.
– Joanne McGuire-Baxley
4/16 Here is an email response that was especially moving. Please think of/pray for this man that he can receive the treatment he needs and he has the strength to get there.
Hi Steve, I am a ____ employee working at ______________ in West Virginia and read your Give the Gift of Life story. I have a brother that is 38, and he has Cirrhosis of the Liver and failing kidneys – He lives with me because his wife has divorced him. He has no income and he just applied for and receives Medicaid. He has hit his rock bottom and wants to make a come back. I have also learned a lot from this journey that we are traveling. I understand that some people don’t want to treat him as a “sick” individual because a lot of his illness was self-inflicted. He wants to turn his life around and has not drank anything since Jan. 3rd. I feel that if he wants to turn his life around – he deserves the chance. I have been an organ donor for a few years now and have tried to give blood quite a few times but am unable due to low iron. I have tried to get my brother on a waiting list for a liver and kidney but he has to be sober for 6 months before they will consider him, which is ok because he will have proved himself by then. I have asked about his Medicaid paying and it seems that Out of State Hospitals don’t want to take on WV state Medicaid. He cannot afford a supplemental insurance. I really haven’t had the chance to talk with anyone with these kind of issues and when I read your story and all of the comments, I felt it was there for me for a reason. I am wanting to know when your book will be out about your experience. I am hoping that it will answer some of the questions that I have. I know that you probably have insurance through your job which is quite different from what my brother has and both of your illnesses were brought on by two totally different reasons, but the bottom line is that you both want to live & organ donation has made this happen for you and hopefully it will work for my brother too. My brother has not had the energy to do much and the swelling is un-real – yes, he too looks like a “b” only with elephant feet! A lot of his medicines make him sick too, but he has to get used to this kind of thing because from now until whenever he will be taking medicine. The doctor’s are juggling and trying to just make him more comfortable for the time being. I really appreciate your story and thank you for promoting the Gift of Life.
I responded to _________ on 4/9 and also forwarded the unedited email to our Donate Life TN HQ for forwarding to the appropriate agency. Again, please think of/pray for this man that he receives the treatment he needs and has the strength to get there. To Life!
The following appears on the U.S. Department of the Treasury intranet website:
Give the gift of life |
|||
April is Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Month. Consider becoming a donor!
The U.S. Department of the Treasury participates in the Workplace Partnership for Life initiative sponsored by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You can learn more about organ and tissue donation by visiting the ERC. Organ donation saves lives, and no one knows that better than Steve Baum, W&I Accounts Management in Nashville. In 1973, we learned my family carried the gene for polycystic kidney disease. Symptoms started showing in me in 1990, and my liver was covered in cysts as well. These are exclusive conditions and rare. I learned in 2006 that my kidneys were failing quickly and all three organs were becoming “massively enlarged” and having a negative affect on all the organ functions around them. The swelling began to increase rapidly, and I was placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing transplant list in January 2009. I like to joke that in profile I looked like a small letter “b” with feet. Because of my rare blood type, I was lucky and got the call to go to the hospital on Nov. 11, 2009. The wait could just as easily have been three times as long. My donor suffered brain death following a motorcycle accident. His identity will never be known to me. The liver they removed from me weighed 30 pounds and the one kidney, nine pounds. I left the hospital on Dec. 12, 40 pounds lighter, and I still carry the other enlarged kidney. That Thanksgiving, in the hospital surrounded by family, was the best Thanksgiving ever! Because of excellent doctors and a lot of prayer and support from family, friends and neighbors, I was able to return to work as scheduled on Jan. 4, 2010. I have a lot of energy and only require limited accommodation. I am completing a book about the experience that will be used in fundraising, and I volunteer and do public presentations for Donate Life Tennessee. Register to be a donor today!
Contributed by Tracey Babcock Posted: Thursday, April 1, 2010 Last updated: Thursday, April 1, 2010 |
|||
33 Comments Posted:
Oldest First Newest First
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
stevebaum.org 