Local PR Agencies Ask for Help to Save Life of Colleague in Dire Need of Liver Transplant; 31-Year-Old Shari Kurzrok Will Die Unless She Receives Complete Liver Within Days
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 20, 2005--Shari Kurzrok is two months away from her wedding. The 31-year-old PR executive recently spearheaded the largest-ever national blood drive. Today, she is fighting for her life. Her doctors say she will not live if she doesn't receive a complete liver transplant within days, and her colleagues in the PR industry are urgently mobilizing to help her.
"I just pray that what Shari has loved to do for a living comes back to help her," says her fiancee Robby Schnall, 35, a marketing executive at Cole Haan. Their wedding is planned for October 15 at Woodbury Jewish Center in Long Island.
Shari's sudden illness has taken her family, friends and doctors by surprise. She was admitted to New York University Medical Center last weekend, and within 24 hours she was told she needed a liver transplant to save her life. Her illness is still unexplained.
Kym White, managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, says the news has shaken Shari's colleagues and friends, as well as the extended communications industry. All are quickly rallying to spread the word through PR and advertising in order to draw attention to Shari's plight. "Shari is a phenomenal friend and colleague, and it is hard to imagine that someone who only recently led the largest-ever blood donor initiative for the American Red Cross with such energy and enthusiasm, is now in vital need of a liver donation."
Shari led the 345-city Save-a-Life-Tour, which featured two convoys that traveled across the country to raise awareness about the importance of regular blood donation and to attract new donors including a younger and more ethnically diverse demographic. The campaign collected more than 3.2 million pints of blood and registered more than 38,000 new potential donors. Kamenna Lee, Director, Sales & Marketing for the American Red Cross, said, "Shari poured her heart, soul and life into one of our largest initiatives and truly helped save lives. I urge the public to help Shari the way she helped so many people."
Shari is a native of Great Neck, Long Island, and the daughter of Gloria and Mort Kurzrok. Her father says, "This is a race against time. We want to draw attention not only to Shari's cause, but also to the urgent, ongoing need that challenge families like us every day."
Potential donors must be Type A or Type O blood. Anyone wanting to help Shari with a liver transplant referral should call: 877-223-3386 or email:
[email protected]
