REGISTER TODAY TO BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR, PLEASE!
Hi everyone,
First, thanks for visiting our website! We are getting close to spring and I am super excited as my motorbike will be out before I can say, ‘SPRING!’
I’ve been asked by my partner to post a response I wrote today to a woman inquiring about the mission of DNR and this is what I sent her to clarify what we are about. I’m posting this in case anyone is unclear. I tried to sum it up quickly. Here it is:
I was forwarded your email regarding your concern about DNR. I am the creator of the company, Pamela Lubell and I would like to tell you in brief how the company got started and what our mission is.
I was visiting my friend Scott in Los Angeles a few years ago, who’s dad had both heart and kidney transplants. When Scott told me the story of how his dad had a heart attack and then wound up on life support then was put on a waiting list for a heart transplant, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
A waiting list? I never even knew there was such a thing as I never knew anyone in this situation before. While waiting helplessly for his match, his had kidney failure and needed a transplant for that too. Thankfully he received both body parts and to this day, is doing super and has 6 grandchildren!
Scott then continued with his dad’s story: To make this more intense, Scott’s dad’s cardiologist said, ‘You’re going to have to wait for a 3 day weekend because that’s when donorcyclists get hit and more parts become available’, which is exactly what happened. This is when I realized, I WAS THAT PERSON the doctor was referring to as I am a motorbike rider and I wasn’t a registered organ donor. I immediately had a brainstorm which is how DNR came into fruition.
I flew back to NYC, while on the plane, I sketched out graphics, wrote down dozens of quotes (I thought were clever for reaching the masses with my message in a quirky, fun way) presented the idea to my now partners, became a registered organ donor and we incorporated DNR NYC, INC.
As I have been in the entertainment industry and well connected to Hollywood, I wanted to take time off of my usual career for something I thought would be much more meaningful and I also thought, I could make a real difference as I am a visionary, an artist and have a proven track record of success. My mission: To help eliminate the waiting list for people in need of organs.
Please do not judge me or my partners for trying our best to spread the word of organ donor awareness through a fashion brand. I think our message is loud, clear and we are going about it in an unconventional way which gets people’s attention. If motor vehicles and the NY Health Dept were able to get the word out better, there would be no reason to spread the word.
The reason our tees are as you say, ‘pricey’ is because we only had a small budget to get the company going and had to do it grass roots and manufactured tees with premium cottons and the minimum quantities were expensive and small. We are doing our best.
I have three other partners who, like me, have not been personally affected by this, but understand the difference we can make if we work hard, diligently and productively. I think outside the box and really feel like DNR’s products could make people understand the importance of registering to become OD’s. Like other for-profit companies, they pick and choose where they contribute to charities. Ours happen to be charities affiliated with organ donation.
I hope I have answered any questions you had as I want to make sure you understand what this company’s goals are. It’s a for-profit company that is trying really hard to get the word out for people to register to become OD. We are just getting our products out there and any exposure we have (right now it’s in movies/tv/politics) is good exposure. Any press we get, is great. It gets people’s attention.
I have compromised my career to get this off the ground in hopes that one day my friends, family as well as strangers like you, would not have to wait for an organ if they need one. I appreciate you reaching out and I hope I have given you some insight into DNR and it’s message/mission.
As far as organizations, we work with the NEW YORK ORGAN DONOR NETWORK pretty closely and are doing our best to get DNR up and running. The bigger DNR gets, the more awareness we get across to the public. I have meetings set up next week with college kids who I think will be able to spread the word across campuses about the importance to register to become OD.
I wish you the best.
With respect,
Pamela (Excuse any typos as I wrote this quickly while working : )
