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| Vol. 25, No. 4 |
| March 1, 2003 |
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Remembering Freddie Jefferson, Certified Tissue Bank Specialist, A new plaque is proudly displayed on a wall in Houston’s LifeGift offices with the inscription, “In memory of our friend and colleague Frederick Earl Jefferson, CTBS. It’s been a ‘tissue extravaganza’; Now the genie is back in the bottle.” Pardon the inside joke but Freddie Jefferson would smile at the reference. LifeGift staff members paid respect for their associate following his death of natural causes in February. “Undoubtedly, the halls of LifeGift simply won’t be the same without the joyful enthusiasm of Freddie Jefferson. The personal and professional loss is immense,” said Jeff Orlowski, LifeGift managing director of tissue recovery services. Jefferson, a Galveston native, worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to help provide tissue for individuals needing transplants. After 17 years of dedicated service as a tissue coordinator at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, he came to LifeGift in 1999 and quickly became an integral member of one of the country’s leading tissue recovery agencies. Jefferson, a certified tissue bank specialist, also felt a duty to promote the importance of organ and tissue donation and frequently gave presentations to the community and in-service training for health care professionals. During an informal meeting after being told of his death, Houston-based staff members recalled Jefferson’s exuberance and zest for life. Some recalled his friendly banter, others his penchant for repeating a person’s entire name when he greeted them. They also recalled a person who never complained nor spoke ill of another person. “Even when his health was bad, Freddie never lost his enthusiasm and his drive to work hard and enjoy life,” remarked Sean Conley, manager of tissue recovery and communications. “Freddie always was willing to lend a compassionate ear whether to a co-worker, donor family or complete stranger.” He will be missed. – Catherine Burch Graham
©2006 Texas Medical Center E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/03_01_03/page_17.html |