Lone Star Circle of Life Bike Tour

The Event

This fall, a very special event will be held that will undoubtedly result in many Texans' lives being changed. Through a cooperative effort of Texas' donor centers, a bike tour called the "Lone Star Circle of Life" will be held the Third week in September to raise the awareness of the need for life-saving donations of blood, marrow, organs and tissues.

Non-professional riders will be chosen for the tour. Each has a personal reason for wanting to participate in this unique event. Most have had their lives touched by blood, marrow, organ or tissue transplantation either as a donor, a recipient or a family member of a donor, or patient in need. Each day of the tour, the participants will ride in honor of a Texan in need of a transplant. Local areas will choose their honorees.

The tour will begin in Houston and will end eight days later in San Antonio. Local events in each town or city are planned to give the community a chance to participate in blood donation, register for the National Marrow Donor Program and sign an organ and tissue donation card. Recipients, donors and donor families will also be on hand to share their experiences and answer questions.

Many organizations, companies and businesses are helping, offering sponsorships to underwrite the cost of the tour and donating much-needed funds to help with tissue typing expenses.

Communities throughout the route are encouraged to take this opportunity to learn more about life-saving donations and support their neighbors searching for a life-saving gift.

Did you Know...

• One out of every 20 Texans will need blood at some point of their lives.
• Each year, over 30,000 new patients are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease that may be cured with a marrow transplant.
• It takes eight whole blood donations to provide the effective dose of one apheresis blood donation.
• Each day, an average of 17 people die while waiting for an organ.
• There are over 77 organs and tissues that can be transplanted.
• Each year 20 million blood components are transfused.
• There are currently 87,000 people awaiting a life-saving organ transplant — 5,800 of those are in Texas!

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