(Richmond, VA; New York, NY—October 3, 2017)–Donate Life America and Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books are partnering to launch the Donate Life #MyEncore Challenge. The Donate Life #MyEncore Challenge seeks to channel attention from the release of The Encore, by Charity Tillemann-Dick, toward a movement that expands the reach of the Donate Life cause and helps save and heal lives.
The Encore (Atria Books) is the remarkable true story of a young opera singer, Charity Tillemann-Dick, who underwent not one, but two double lung transplants, and continued to become a top-selling Billboard classical artist and sing all over the world.
The Donate Life #MyEncore Challenge will engage national and local community partnerships and events to bring attention from The Encore to the amazing encores – second chances at life – taking place every day in communities across America, and to empower individuals to register their decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor and give an encore to the 117,000 people waiting for a second chance at life.
The Donate Life #MyEncore Challenge will ask individuals to do 3 things:
- Share their Donate Life encore/second chance stories on social media using #MyEncore.
- Register as an organ, eye and tissue donor at DonateLife.net/MyEncore.
- Tag five friends to do the same.
In The Encore, Charity describes an encore as, “standing triumphant, then bowing in gratitude.” The Donate Life #MyEncore Challenge will invite individuals sharing their story to share a photo of their arms in the air or taking a bow – and/or wearing opera gloves (or whatever gloves they have – doctor, nurse, baseball, riding, winter!) Group photos including all who made LIFE possible for the recipient are also encouraged – the full ensemble cast taking the encore bow!
Charity Tillemann-Dick will be discussing the Donate Life #MyEncore Challenge on NPR Weekend Edition with Scott Simon (September 30th) and launching the Challenge on the new Megyn Kelly Today on NBC (October 3rd). Charity will also be appearing across the country on her national book tour and at Donate Life events.
Currently, 117,000 people are waiting for their transplant, waiting for their encore. On average, 22 people die each day because the organ they need is not donated in time. That is almost one person dying every hour, and 8,000 every year. You can help. Registering your decision to become a donor is the most effective way to save lives through donation, and is a sign of hope and support to those who continue to wait. Sharing the encores of those who “stand triumphant, then bow in gratitude,’ uses the power of storytelling to bring attention to the cause of donation and to save and heal lives.
*Data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) as of September 12, 2017
About Donate Life America
Donate Life America (DLA) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization leading its national partners and Donate Life State Teams to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissue available to save and heal lives. DLA manages and promotes Donate Life℠, the national brand for the cause of donation; motivates the public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors; provides education about living donation; manages the National Donate Life Registry at RegisterMe.org; and develops and executes effective multi-media campaigns to promote donation.
About Atria Books
Atria Books is an imprint of Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation. Simon & Schuster is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. For more information about Atria, visit our website at http://imprints.simonandschuster.biz/atria.
CONTACT:
Milena Brown
Simon & Schuster
212.698.2289
milena.brown@simonandschuster.com
Hilary Czarda
Donate Life America
804-377-3584
