Photo: Mike Fernandez

Dear Friends,

How often do you take a few moments of your day to ponder the events and celebrations you have to look forward to in your life? These are the thoughts that help us get through our more challenging days. My brother, Mike Fernandez, was no different. He looked forward to his retirement, which for him would have included endless days of fishing, hunting, and traveling. Since his death on August 24, 2009, his daughter graduated from her Emergency Medicine residency and two grandchildren were born. He wasn’t here to celebrate when the Saints won their first Super Bowl or when his friend’s horse, Animal Kingdom, won the Kentucky Derby.

When Mike was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, his only chance for life was a lung transplant. His physicians were very optimistic and he was put at the top of the transplant list. Everything was in his favor, except for the reality that there was not a donor. The fact is that while you read this letter, over 116,000 nationwide and nearly 1,600 people in Louisiana alone, desperately await a life saving transplant. Consider this, one single organ donor can save 9 lives, restore sight to 2 people, and enhance the lives of 50 more through tissue donation.

We invite you to participate in the 3rd Annual Mike Fernandez Memorial Golf ‘n Bayou Bash to be held on March 8, 2013 at the Tchefuncta Country Club in Covington, Louisiana. Funds raised from this event support Legacy Donor Foundation’s educational programs. Legacy is dedicated to educating the public on the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation and encouraging donor registration through education, training programs, and awareness campaigns.

Please help us in our quest to save and enhance the lives of our friends, neighbors, and family members here in Louisiana. We ask you to consider sponsoring this event and be an integral part of our mission. You can join our team by using the enclosed sponsorship form or visit www.BayouBashOnline.com for event and sponsorship information.