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A New Lease on Life One man’s story of a life changing illness By Lauren Bolado PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD WHITE According to the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, one person’s donation can save up to EIGHT LIVES S cott Crossett, family man and business owner, discusses with {Austin MD} his experiences with a health crisis and gives insight into a cause some may not consider. Scott, owner of Apple Leasing, a local vehicle leasing company that has been in business for more than 25 years, lived with hepatitis C but unbeknownst to him was the damage it was doing to his liver. Scott explains that many the hepatitis C live their lives without complication, but when he suddenly came down with a terrible stomach bug in May 2007, the damage to the liver was beyond treatment and he was told he would have to have a liver transplant. is was the beginning to a long journey he and his family would face to get Scott’s health back. It took many months of visiting to doctors to get the full understanding of what would need to happen in order to get a transplant, meanwhile Scott’s health deteriorated slowly but surely. Scott endured many painful trips to the ER before his symptoms were so bad, he was finally added to the transplant list. e donated organ must meet specifications to the patient, including blood type and size, to be used in a transplant procedure. Being on the list, however, does not guarantee that a transplant will be available in time. In fact, approximately 18 people die each day because of the drastic organ shortage. e situation changed frequently, with Scott’s health going from stable to life threatening frequently, worrying his family. ey knew time was of the essence so they began calling Baylor Health Care System to get Scott admitted. It took time to get him admitted, but finally they were one step closer to getting Scott back to health when he was airliſted to Baylor in Dallas. It was a tough time for the family, but finally a miracle happened- there was a liver for Scott. Aſter a long night of drawing blood and doing tests, on January 27 he received his transplant. [For more information on TOSA:] Visit TOSA at www.txorgansharing.org. More information on Donate Life Texas can be found at www.donatelifetexas.org. Making the car buying and leasing experience as easy and stress free as possible is the main priority for the company. At Apple Leasing, you can find a lease with the best service and price, as well as off- lease vehicles that can be purchased at a great price. Scott Crossett and the Apple Leasing staff can get you a lease for any make and model, and ultimately satisfy all of your vehicle leasing and purchasing needs. Apple Leasing has two locations in Austin, including a leasing center at 12205 Hunters Chase and a pre-owned lot at 12205 Hunters Chase. Visit Apple Leasing’s website, www.appleleasing.com, or call (512) 371-6070. ere are always worries with transplants that the body will reject the new organ, but in Scott’s case the surgery went well and his body accepted the new liver. Aſter his six month long recovery, Scott says life returned to normal. He has cut drinking alcohol out of his life, and now five years aſter his transplant Scott says his lifestyle is very active and healthy. Scott says transplants are something he never put much thought into prior to his health scare. “I was indifferent because it didn’t affect me. But when I knew I would need a transplant, I started looking into the subject- how it saves people’s lives.” e transplant changed Scott’s life, giving him a chance to live his life and opening his eyes to a cause he had never considered. “[Organ donation] is the greatest giſt you can give. It saves lives,” Scott says. According to the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, one person’s donation can save up to eight lives. TOSA’s mission is to educate Central and South Texans about the importance of being a registered donor. All Texans are encouraged to register their decision to save lives at www.DonateLifeTexas.org. Scott now supports the cause of increasing awareness of the benefits of organ donation. Apple Leasing, Scott’s vehicle leasing and pre-owned car lot, does fundraisers to support the organ donation cause. Such fundraisers include donations for new likes on Apple Leasing’s facebook page (www.facebook.com/AppleLeasing) given to Donate Life Texas. Apple Leasing was also a sponsor of the 5th Annual Horn Celebrity Golf Classic, which benefitted Donate Life Texas. Apple Leasing has given $10,000 to Donate Life Texas this year alone. Scott says the donations to the non-profit are used to educate Central Texans about organ donation. He says he’s not sure if the fundraisers provide any extra business for Apple Leasing but, “I don’t do it to help my business, I do it for Donate Life. It’s the cause of my choice, and I want to help.”
