In September 2000, while attending her hometown's annual parade, Lynn Wingler Livingston donated blood at the blood mobile. The following week, Lynn received a letter from the Indiana Blood Center. It stated that her liver enzymes were highly elevated and she should see her doctor immediately. Lynn was diagnosed with a rare liver disease and would eventually need a liver transplant. On May 26, 2008 she finally received her call that a donor liver was available. Lynn is now three-and-a-half years post-transplant and says, "My life has changed forever!" She is a full-time volunteer for Indiana Organ Procurement Organization and Donate Life Indiana. "It's my mission to educate everyone I meet about the importance of donation," says Lynn.

Lynn's Story

Lynn Wingler Livingston led a normal life teaching in her hometown. She and her husband, Dave, have two girls, Britton and Brooke. In September of 2000, while attending her hometown's annual parade, Lynn donated blood at the blood mobile. Lynn is a huge Indianapolis Colts fan; anyone who gave blood that day received a Colts shirt! Little did Lynn know her eagerness to receive that free t-shirt would result in her life changing forever.

The following week Lynn received a letter from the Indiana Blood Center. It stated that her liver enzymes were highly elevated, they could not accept her donated blood, and she should see her doctor immediately. After months of testing, in October 2001 Lynn was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). She would eventually need a liver transplant. Lynn began educating herself, family and friends about transplants and donation.

At church, Christmas Eve 2007, Lynn told her friend Dana and Dana's daughter, Jordan, that she might one day need their help. Dana had a service called Helping Hands Service that assisted those who were very ill; Lynn knew her daughters and husband would need support as she became sicker. Dana and Jordan were ready to help when needed..

On March 24, 2008, Lynn received a call from Dana. Jordan had been in the hospital since March 1st and was unfortunately not going to survive. Jordan's family wanted to donate Jordan's liver to Lynn. Unfortunately, she and Lynn were not a match. Lynn continued to wait, and on May 26, 2008 she finally received her call.

Lynn is now three-and-a-half years post-transplant and says, "My life has changed forever!" She is a full-time volunteer for Indiana Organ Procurement Organization (IOPO) and Donate Life Indiana. "It's my mission to educate everyone I meet about the importance of donation. I would do anything for IOPO, and I love volunteering with my friend Dana House. We come as a pair!” says Lynn.

Lynn has worked countless hours at more than 130 donation awareness events since her transplant. She speaks to high school and college students, community organizations, church members and other groups. "There is nothing Lynn wouldn't do to help, and she has never met a stranger. Other recipients look up to Lynn because of her passion for IOPO's mission and her enthusiasm to share our message!” says Lynn's volunteer coordinator at IOPO.

Lynn and her friend Dana (mother of Jordan House, 2012 Floragraph Honoree) have spent a great deal of time working with an IOPO partner, Live Nation, at one the world's top five largest ticketed concert venues. They've met several popular artists such as Brad Paisley and Def Leppard, even talking to them about donation. Lynn helped register more donors at a single event than any other IOPO Volunteer. In a state where 71% of licensed drivers are registered, Lynn and Dana registered 109 new donors in one evening.

These women also created a float for their hometown parade this year. They used the 2012 Donate Life Rose Parade theme to honor those in their community who have been affected by donation. With their families, Lynn and Dana walked the parade route and handed out donation information while their recipient and donor family friends were honored as float riders.