Karen Kline

Hometown: Cato

Age: 48

Occupation: Special education aid at BOCES, Receptionist at Cato Meridian Community Recreation Center

Interests: Educating student and community members about organ donation

Each Tuesday, The

Citizen features a health professional from the

Finger Lakes community

in The Banks:

This week, we spotlight Karen Kline.

Q: What has driven your desire to educate people about organ donation?

A: Probably through my personal experience, when my daughter had heart failure in her sleep. The paramedics were able to bring her heart back, but she was brain dead from lack of oxygen. We as a family decided to donate her organs, and we thought her organs would help out children. But as it is, we helped out three adults.

Q: You are very involved in educating local people about organ donation. What is the most rewarding aspect of that activity?

A: Meeting other people. I have met so many other people through my daughter. And also, I have had a chance to talk with so many other donor moms. If I can talk to other people about it, it might help them think about it in a different way.

Q: What is the biggest challenge?

A: If I see someone I know really well who knew my daughter that is sitting in the room listening and they might have tears rolling down their eyes, I always have to look away.

Q: How have you been involved with education for organ donation?

A: I am part of an organization called Donor Moms Network. It was a support group for donor moms. We used to do golf tournaments and raise money. And we also spoke at schools, businesses, churches and more.

Q: What tends to be the most common question you hear?

A: People are afraid that if you are in a car accident and you said you wanted to donate your organs, if you are in a car accident, they are not going to help save your life because you are a donor. That is very false. Another false concept is that you can't have a regular funeral.

Q: You were nominated to have your daughter's photo on a float dedicated to organ donation in the next Rose Parade in California. How did that all come to fruition?

A: A friend of mine told me that there was a form where you had to fill out three questions, and you also had to write an essay on why do you promote organ donation. I've done it through many different things like Donate Life, and I've gone to churches, schools and other places to talk about donation and how it has affected my life through my daughter. A couple others nominated me, also. I was told a few weeks ago that I was nominated to represent New York state.