Rare Double Organ Transplant Recipient To Complete 201-Mile Bike Ride At Ochsner’s Front Door

WHAT: Jack Tillery, the recipient of a rare double organ (heart and kidney) transplant at Ochsner's Multi-Organ Transplant Center, will complete a 270-mile bike ride from his hometown of Moss Bluff, LA to Ochsner Medical Center just 16 months after his transplant surgery.

With support from the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) which has helped secure hotel room sponsorships, Tillery and two others are biking between 35 – 55 miles per day over 7 days. Upon arrival tomorrow at Ochsner Medical Center, Tillery will be welcomed by physicians, nurses and employees of Ochsner Health System as well as employees of LOPA and other transplant recipients.

LOPA will be on hand to register people to become organ donors. April is National Organ Donor Awareness Month.

Tillery said his purpose for the ride was to honor his donor, to thank the Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant teams and to promote organ donation and challenge people to register.

Read more about Tillery's ride from Moss Point to New Orleans on his blog: http://www.someonegave.com. To register to become a donor, visit http://www.ochsner.org/savenine.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 27, 2011
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: Ochsner Medical Center 
1514 Jefferson Highway
Hospital's Front Entrance by Flags