Step By Step: How it began

In 1995, Fitness Promoter, George Marcello received a life saving liver transplant with 2 days left to live.

It was a known fact that Canada had one of the lowest rates of organ and tissue donations in the entire world. George wanted to change this. He created Step By Step.

Step by Step Organ Transplant Association, a non-profit organization received its charitable status October 25 1999. Step By Step’s mission is to empower student participation.

Their role is to promote the importance of organ and tissue donations throughout the world by inspiring the public, media and the 3 levels of government.

CommunityStudent Flyer

CommunityPress Release

CommunityAgenda

It gives me great pleasure to introduce Step by Step, a non-profit charitable organization. We are committed to promote Organ and Tissue donations, so that more people who are desperately waiting for these precious gifts can have their lives saved and restored. People from all walks of life have been and are continuing to receive diagnoses of terminal organ diseases and tissue damage. They now have an opportunity to get on the waiting list to receive a life saving organ transplant and restoration of tissues. Countless people throughout the world have received organ & tissue transplants and as a result have led healthy and active lives. Before organ & tissue transplants, these people would have likely died or have been disabled. Clearly we have a cure on our hands A lot of credit goes to the researchers, hospital staff, and agencies that facilitate the process. The most important person is the organ & tissue donor, without them the process would not exist. For organs alone, Canada has over 4,000 people on the waiting list; the United States has over 90,000. The unfortunate comment in this picture is that many of these people will not receive their transplants and many more thousands will not have the opportunity to get on the waiting list. In fact every day someone is passing away while waiting in Canada and almost every hour someone passes away in America. Many precious organs are going to waste in both countries. The problem is a shortage of donations. Clearly we must do more, and more can be done. Please join us in this worthy cause.

With Kinds RegardsGeorge Marcello CEO/Founder Step By Step

Step By Step How it began:In 1995, Fitness Promoter, George Marcello received a life saving liver transplant with 2 days left to live.

Canada had one of the lowest rates of organ and tissue donations in the entire world.George wanted to change this. He created Step By Step.Step by Step Organ Transplant Association, a non-profit organization received its charitable status October 25 1999.

Step By Step’s Mission Throughout the world, empower student participation by carrying the Torch Of Life and promote the importance of organ and tissue by inspiring the public, media and all levels of government in their respective communities.

Step By Step’s VisionCollectively the students voice & passion will inspire the world

7 Campaigns1st Campaign: Toronto/Ottawa Walk(Can’t sing or dance, so why not walk)George Marcello wanted to thank his anonymous donor family. George and his friend Sam Vinci walked from Toronto to Ottawa. The public was amazed that an organ recipient was able to accomplish this feat. The 400 mile campaign raised local & national attention to the issue of organ & tissue.

2nd Campaign: Ontario WalkIn 1999 Step By Step recruited the YMCA, Salvation Army and many other organizations as George walked 2,500 kilometers around the province of Ontario. He walked under the watchful eye of his road manager Joe Camara. This campaign raised Provincial attention and inspired Premier Harris to allocate 120 million dollars towards this issue and as well, created a new organ agency. (Presently called the Trillium Gift of Life Network) George was recognized in the 37th Parliamentary Throne Speech

7 Campaigns3rd Campaign: Canada 769 Day WalkIn 2000, Step By Step continued to recruit more organizations and individuals and organized a 500 community tour across Canada. George walked over 12,000 kilometers for 769 days and received national and world attention. His holiness Pope John Paul II granted George an audience and proclaimed organ and tissue a genuine act of love.

4th Campaign: Kristopher’s WishIn 2004, Step By Step arranged a 200 community tour across Canada for Kristopher Knowles, a 14 year old boy that needed a liver transplant. This campaign was called Kristophers Wish and as he made his way across Canada, he touched the hearts of many Canadians and recruited hundreds of thousands of students along the way.

7 Campaigns5th Campaign: European TourIn 2005, Step By Step and Multimedia Nova arranged the European Tour for George Marcello. The purpose for this tour was to gather important information from the world’s leading organ donor countries and use it to help solve Canada’s organ shortage

6th Campaign: SOS4000On October 1, 2007, St. Johns NL, Kristopher Knowles officially passed the Torch of Life to Student Torch Champion Samantha Elton Taite. The Torch was relayed to over 100 students through Canada until the final destination in Yellowknife, North West Territories where student Torch Champions Kathleen O'Brien and Derick Polakoff carried the Torch to the finish line.

7th Campaign: SOS THE AMERICAS

Student Torch Relay of the Americas, On October 24, 2009, the Torch of Life will start a two year journey that will include over 500 different Students Torch Champions from 36 countries from the Americas.

The Torch Of Life The Legacy

The Torch of Life has been empowered by millions of people and has become a symbol of love and hope.

It is the major focus of Step By Step.

Canada 769 Day WalkJune 20 2000

The famous Torch Of Life was first lit up at the start of the Canada 769 Day Walk in memory of Legendary World & Olympic Champion Swimmer Victor Davis.

Victor tragically died and saved 6 people with his donated organs.

His dad Mel proudly received the Torch of Life and passed it to someone waiting for a liver transplant.

This tradition continued thousands of times over and the Torch was empowered by millions of people.

Throughout the course of 12 years and 20,000 kilometers and future journeys, the Torch of Life will be keeping Victor Davis’s legacy alive forever.

Canada Walk September 5 2001

Pope John Paul II blessed the Torch Of Life

The Torch has been empowered by millions of people, including Pope John Paul II on September 5th, 2001. His Holiness proclaimed that that organ and tissue donation is a genuine act of love, and encouraged students to become the voice and to continue to bring inspiration to the world by carrying the

Torch.

Kristopher’s WishJanuary 8 2004 – December 17 2004

The Torch was passed to Sarnia Canadian Student Kristopher Knowles

14 Year Old Kristopher needed a liver transplant.

He walked across Canada carrying the Torch.

The modern day Pied Piper recruited over 100,000 students

SOS4000October 1 2007 – June 11 2008

Kristopher passed the Torch to over 100 students selected from his army of Canadian schools

These Students called Torch Champions, relayed the Torch across Canada and became young ambassadors in their respective communities

Their collective passion inspired the media, public & government about the importance of organ & tissue donation. They set the stage for other nations and SOS THE AMERICAS

This is why we are currently organizing over 500 students in 36 countries in the Americas in Step By Step’s seventh campaign, SOSTHEAMERICAS. These student’s roles include carrying the Torch, talking to the public, media interviews and participating in photo ops.2 YEAR JOURNEY

Start: Wasilla, Alaska October 24 2009 Finish: Ushuaia, Argentina October 24 2011

277 Press Conferences36 Cities in Canada159 Cities in USA28 Cities in Mexico7 Cities in Central America14 Cities in the Caribbeans13 Cities in South America

Inspiring Presidents, Prime Ministers, Government Officials, Media, Celebrities & the Public about the importance of organ & tissue donations in 36 countries of the AmericasThroughout all these countries in the Western Hemisphere, human compassion and kindness will triumph and many lives will be saved.

Working each and every communityDuring our stops, in each community across the Americas, many people will be participating, including:

• Schools, • Police Agencies, • Service & Organ related Groups & families, • Dignitaries & Celebrities, • Government officials• Sporting Events, • Festivals, • Media,

Community Student FlyerCommunity AgendaCommunity Press Release

Community Information Kits

USACANADA

SCHEDULEOCT 24-DEC 16 2009

CANADASCHEDULEJAN 11 - 29 2010

USASCHEDULE

FEB 1– MAR 15 2010

USASCHEDULE

MAR 17-MAY 17 2010

USASCHEDULE

MAY 17-SEP 9 2010

USASCHEDULE

SEP 10-NOV 5 2010

USASCHEDULE

NOV 8-DEC 20 2010

USASCHEDULEJAN 7-MAR 4 2011

USASCHEDULE

MAR 7-APR 20 2011

MEXICOSCHEDULE

APR 22-JUN 17 2011

MEXICOSCHEDULEJUN 19-28 2011

CENTRALAMERICA

SCHEDULEJUN 30-JUL 12 2011

CARIBBEANSCHEDULE

JUL 14-AUG 15 2011

USASCHEDULEAUG 18-22 2011

SOUTHAMERICA

SCHEDULEAUG 25-OCT 24 2011

Contact InfoGeorge Marcello

CEO/FOUNDER

Tel : 416-651-6154 Email : gmarcello@rogers.com

www.sostheamericas.comwww.youtube.com/stepbystep.com

www.kristopherswish.cawww.sos4000.comwww.stepbystep.ca