SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State Jesse White today joined
Pulitzer Prize winning author Jeffrey Marx on a visit to a local
high school and a book signing at the Illinois State Library.
Marx nearly lost his sister, Wendy, to sudden liver illness.
A liver transplant saved Wendy’s life. Marx has written a book,
It Gets Dark Sometimes about the family’s experiences during the
ordeal.
Secretary White praised Marx for the work he is doing to
bring the cause of organ donation and transplantation to the
public. "We must all work together, the public and private
sectors, to encourage donation and to save lives that might
otherwise be lost," said White.
Marx and Secretary White met with Springfield High School
students Thursday morning. At noon, Marx was the featured author
at the State Library and Illinois Center for the Book’s Booked for
Lunch program where he and Secretary White discussed and signed
books in the library’s Illinois Authors Room. All proceeds from
the book will go to support the Wendy Marx Foundation.
Wendy, her brother Jeffrey and Olympic track and field great
Carl Lewis founded the Wendy Marx Foundation to promote the cause
of organ transplantation.
When Marx visits a city he leaves 500 copies of his books to
school libraries in return for a contribution to the Wendy Marx
Foundation. The state has partnered with two private
organizations to provide these funds. Proceeds from the Second
Annual Darrell Nicholson Memorial Golf Outing will be used and the
Regional Organ Bank of Illinois will make a contribution.
The Regional Organ Bank of Illinois is one of two organ
procurement organizations that serve Illinois residents.
Nicholson was waiting for a lung transplant when he died. His
wife and children have sponsored a golf outing for the past two
years to heighten awareness about the critical need for donated
organs.
