Mark La Rose was only 13 years old when he was diagnosed as a diabetic Type 1/ Insulin dependent. Growing up on the picturesque island of Guyana, he did not imagine this disease would cause his kidneys to fail 31 years after he was diagnosed. Mark patiently waited for the life saving transplant for over a year. On September 17, 2005 at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell, Mark received the gift of life with two organs: a kidney and pancreas.

Each day Mark is grateful for the wonderful gift he was given. "Organ donation saved my life," he said. The transplant has allowed Mark to enjoy the life he shares as the single father of a wonderful teenage son Stephen Larose. When Mark is not working as an account specialist for a large insurance company he pursues his other hobby as a photographer and world traveler.

"I am extremely grateful to the donor for this most humble and noble task in becoming an organ donor. I am also grateful to the donor's family for making it possible by fulfilling their wishes to donate organs, which saved lives, including mine. I offer love and respect to them as I continue to enjoy the 'Sweetness of Life' in being alive."

To help the thousands of people like Mark in the New York metropolitan area, please sign up on the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. You can make a difference!

Mark La Rose, who loves to travel, is shown here in London, England