New York, NY, March 1, 2004: New York -- Margaret (Peggy) Estella LeGrande, Ph.D., RN, who retired from the New York Organ Donor Network in May 2003 after devoting 13 years to increasing organ and tissue donation in the African-American and religious communities, died in New York City on December 14, 2003 at the age of 72. A memorial service for Dr. LeGrande took place at the Interchurch Center in Manhattan on February 27, 2004 .

“We are deeply saddened by Peggy 's death,” said Elaine Berg , president and CEO of the New York Organ Donor Network. “Peggy was the first person to retire from our organization. She was one of the most enthusiastic, spirited and energetic people we have ever known. If a project had to be completed to promote donation, Peggy was there, no matter the day of the week or the time of day. As we celebrate 50 years of organ transplantation, it is important to note that Peggy played a major role in promoting organ and tissue donation in the black community. She was a highly respected, much loved individual, and she will be sorely missed.”

As a Donor Network Community Affairs Specialist, Dr. LeGrande made major contributions to demystifying issues surrounding organ donation. In conjunction with black cultural, political and religious organizations, she encouraged people of African descent to become organ and tissue donors. She often emphasized the fact that African-Americans experience a high level of kidney and other diseases, and that, as a result, thousands of them await organ transplants each year.

Dr. LeGrande fostered trust among religious congregations across the New York metropolitan area, assuring them that all major religions approve of organ donation as being a gift of the highest order. She co-authored a resource manual entitled Beyond the Traditional Boundaries of the Gospel – Extending Life by Setting Trends: Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness. Dr. LeGrande was a regular guest speaker at houses of worship, and she especially placed a great deal of importance in reaching out to religious organizations and communities each February during Black History Month and during November for the nationally recognized Donor Sabbath weekend.

On April 11, 2000 , Dr. LeGrande was inducted into the National Minority Transplant Hall of Fame. This was in recognition of her pioneering efforts with African-American clergy which impacted donation across the United States .

Over the years, Dr. LeGrande was affiliated with a multitude of organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha (where she had been a member for 50 years), Chi Eta Phi, the International Platform Association, Community Council of Greater New York and Harlem Teams for Self-Help, Inc.

Prior to joining the Donor Network, Dr. LeGrande was an instructor in Health Occupations and Health Sciences at Rosewood High School in East Elmhurst, New York . At that time, she was also an adjunct lecturer in the department of Physical Education, Health, Recreation and Dance at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York.

In the early to late 1980s, Dr. LeGrande served as an instructor of nursing and then as a teacher and coordinator in the Licensed Practical Nursing program at the Mid-Manhattan Adult Training Center, which was overseen by the New York City Board of Education. She spent the latter years of the 1970s as the Director of Nursing at the Concord Nursing Home in Brooklyn .

Dr. LeGrande received her Ph.D. from the City University of Los Angeles and, before that, a post graduate degree in Gerontological Studies at Yeshiva University Gerontological Institute in Manhattan. She received her MPS in Health Service Administration from The New School for Social Research, Graduate School of Management/Urban Professions. Dr. LeGrande completed her bachelor's degree in nursing at Virginia Union University.

Dr. LeGrande, who for many years lived on Riverside Drive in Manhattan, is survived by her husband, a son and a daughter.

For more information, contact Martin Woolf, 212-870-3960 or mwoolf@nyodn.org