First Quarter Feature: LifeQuest Ambassadors of the Month
Beginning in 2020, LifeQuest Organ Recovery Services began to recognize Ambassadors of the Month to bring more attention to those who generously volunteer much of their time to organ donation outreach. In this blog, we showcase our three ambassadors for the first quarter of the year and ask each of them questions related to their time volunteering.
January Ambassador of the Month: Jaye Hamblet
1) What caused you to become an ambassador?
Realizing the life-changing gift of organ donation after watching a friend’s transformation from debilitating grief following the death of a grandchild to life again upon learning that her granddaughter’s organs had saved four people – two of them children themselves.
2) Why do you find being an ambassador important?
Organ donation is not something easily discussed, and there is a lot of misinformation out there. Educating others, especially teenagers, about organ donation and providing the facts results in more lives saved.
3) What do you enjoy about volunteering?
Giving back to the community is important to me, and this is one way I can do that. Being retired allows me more time for volunteer work.
4) Why would you encourage others to become LifeQuest Ambassadors?
You can volunteer as much or as little as you want and choose how you want to volunteer, whether it’s public speaking, office assistance or working a table. It’s easy and rewarding. It saves lives.
5) Why do you encourage others to register as organ donors?
In my extended family, there are three organ donors, one living donor and one recipient. I’ve seen first-hand that organ donation saves lives.
February Ambassador of the Month: Kevin Jacques
1) What caused you to become an ambassador? 
Learning I would need a life-saving liver transplant is what made me start volunteering with LifeQuest.
2) What do you enjoy about volunteering?
I love being able to share my story with everyone. It is my way of putting a “face” on organ donation. Many people don’t know think they anyone who has received a transplant, so by telling my story I am able to make a connection with them. Then, organ donation becomes more real.
Also, my story is pretty interesting. Up until I was 21 years old, I assumed I was healthy. It was not until I had blood work done that I found out that I had a problem with my liver. After years of tests, I learned the reality that I would eventually need a liver transplant. A lot of people find it interesting that I was on the transplant list for five years before getting my transplant.
3) What has surprised you about volunteering?
A lot of people believe the myths that they hear about becoming an organ donor. Several people have mentioned that they feel that if they are an organ donor, doctors will not try hard to save their life. However, a first responder or medical professional’s main priority is making sure that they do everything possible to make sure that people survive.
4) Have you developed new friendships through our Donate Life community?
Yes, I have made quite a few new friends from all across Florida’s Panhandle. I have made friends with several liver transplant recipients. It has been great to connect with them and share stories. I find it interesting that everyone’s story is so different, but we are connected by the fact that we are recipients of the amazing Gift of Life.
5) Why do you encourage people to register as organ donors?
Everyone is important to someone, and I know without my transplant my daughter, who is now nine, would have had to grow up without a father. It is a difficult thing to think about, but the reality is that you could make a decision that could greatly affect someone’s life in the greatest way possible.
March Ambassador of the Month: Terry Rooks
1) What caused you to become an ambassador?
My brother, Timothy Gregg Rooks, was an organ donor in April of 2014. I became an ambassador to honor Tim and tell others his story.
2) Why do you find being an ambassador important?
Being a LifeQuest Ambassador has brought me healing, peace and joy as I process Tim’s death. It has also brought me the opportunity to meet other donor families and transplant recipients. I listen to their stories and realize the impact organ donation has on others.
3) Why would you encourage others to become ambassadors?
I encourage donor families and recipients to become ambassadors because of the healing it brings to you. It honors the loved one that gave the Gift of Life.
4) Have you developed any new friendships through our Donate Life community?
I have acquired many friendships with LifeQuest members. As a member of LifeQuest’s Advisory Board, I have met the directors and some transplant doctors. Their passion for their work fills my heart with joy. I have a new “chosen” daughter in Coral Denton, the LifeQuest Senior Public Education Coordinator. Coral and Tim have the kindred spirit for the love of travel and adventure. She has honored him by writing his initials in places she has visited. Coral has brought healing into my life. We have developed a friendship and passion for donation as we spread the word to register to become an organ donor.
5) Why do you encourage people to register as organ donors?
The Gift of Life is so important! Organ, tissue and eye donation impacts many people. You never know what life has in store for you and your loved ones. Perhaps they might need an organ for a second chance on life. It could be you! It takes more people registering to make a life-saving difference.
