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7th Annual Laci Taquino Dance for a Life logo
Please visit the Dance for a Life website. www.lopa.org/dance, to obtain more information about event day, as well as registration forms.

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Dear Sponsors, Coaches and Cheerleaders,
“Dance for a Life” has been a vision of my family for many years. As a family faced far too early with the decision of organ donation, we know firsthand how important it is to know the wishes of our family members. Through volunteering with LOPA (Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency), it is our mission to help educate students and their families about organ donation and the importance of discussing. My daughter, Laci Michelle Taquino was a very active and outgoing 15-year old who was known for her humble and quiet personality. She was a dancer, a cheerleader, and maintained a 4.0 GPA as an honor student at Comeaux High School. In August 2006, Laci passed away suddenly from a massive intracerebral hemorrhage caused by an undiagnosed Arteriovenus Malformation (AVM). It was then, that our family faced the difficult decision of organ donation. Thankfully, Laci and I had a discussion about organ donation just one month prior. It was a conversation I didn’t want to have or even think about, but today, I am so thankful for it! When faced with the decision to donate Laci’s organs, I knew her wishes! Laci saved the lives of six people. The national organ transplant waiting list currently has 114,000 people waiting on life saving organs. Over 1,800 of these waiting are from Louisiana. Up to 50 people can benefit from the gifts of only one donor. Donated organs can potentially save 9 lives, corneas can restore sight to 2 recipients, and recovered tissues can enhance up to 50, primarily through reconstructive surgeries. Honoring Laci’s wish by saying "Yes” to organ donation is the one positive outcome from such a devastating situation. It is our hope that “Dance for a Life” will not only raise funds for LOPA to continue educating about organ donation, but will open the door to that all important family conversation. We would love to have you join us in celebrating Laci’s love of dance and cheer. Please consider participating in this friendly and informative competition, honoring donor heroes, and organ and tissue
recipients.
Sincerely,
Lisa Taquino
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In Support of LOPA Foundation

About the LOPA Foundation: With a core purpose of Working for Hope, Working in Honor and Working to Heal, the LOPA Foundation solicits and receives donations to support LOPA’s efforts to educate and celebrate the everlasting gift of organ and tissue donation.  Gifts made to the LOPA Foundation help increase LOPA’s capacity and honor the thousands of Louisianians impacted by donation each year. The LOPA Foundation has been designated as a 501(c)3 charitable and tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service and is treated by the IRS as a supporting foundation to LOPA.

About LOPA: Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) was established on April 1, 1988 as an independent, not-for-profit organ and tissue recovery agency. LOPA is federally designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid as the organ procurement organization (OPO) responsible for servicing the state of Louisiana. LOPA is tasked with two main objectives; housing and maintaining the Louisiana Donor Registry, and recovering organs and tissue for transplant. LOPA partners with professionals throughout the state, including eye banks and all hospitals within Louisiana, to accomplish its life saving and enhancing goals. Education is key to this process, and our staff offers a variety of educational opportunities for the public and professionals within our state. 


LOPA's Core Purpose is MAKING LIFE HAPPEN.