Parents of Kaden Robert discussed organ donation with him before his death

BENTON, Mo. -- As parents, it was a question they never wanted to be asked: Is your child an organ donor?

But when their 15-year-old son, Kaden, died in an accidental shooting in June, Aaron and Rhonda Robert of Benton found themselves having to answer just that.

And they knew their son's wishes.

"We were fortunate enough to have had that talk with Kaden," Rhonda Robert said about her son.

Robert said when a young friend of Kaden's died a months before him, she used that as an opportunity to have a conversation with him about organ donation.

Knowing their son wanted to donate his organs and tissue did take off some of the pressure of so many other difficult decisions she and her husband were dealing with at the time of Kaden's death, Robert said.

"Through organ donation, Kaden was able to save the lives of two children and three adults," his mother said.

Jonette Strothcamp of Mid-America Transplant Services in St. Louis said the Roberts knowing their son's wishes regarding organ donation is not the norm.

"People don't want to discuss death," Strothcamp said. "We think we will be here forever, but we won't. We should talk to our loved ones in the event something should happen."

Strothcamp recommended loved ones discuss whether they want to be organ donors as well as end-of-life decisions in general. Having a plan in place can provide comfort for families, she said.

"Whatever your decision, let your loved ones know what you have decided," Strothcamp said. "At the time of your death, your loved ones will be asked a lot of questions, and all you want is for your loved ones to be prepared."

On Monday, the Roberts, along with students at Kelly High School where Kaden attended, organized a "Green Up" game and challenge to raise money for the Baseball Factory Kaden Robert Memorial Scholarship and awareness for Mid-America Transplant Services in St. Louis.

Robert said Kaden had a promising future in baseball and had been invited to attend the prestigious Baseball Factory Under Armour event.

"What Kaden learned on the field gave him the courage to lead and make a difference," Robert said. "Life is like a game. You play it, live it, learn from it, and it does go on. I plan on making this game and scholarship a success, keep this going, and hopefully, change the culture on how we view organ donation and the positive impact of sports in changing lives for the better.

Also as part of the challenge, Kelly Hawks baseball team dumped buckets of green slime on their coaches and challenged 17 area teams to hold their own Green-Up games and raise money for the scholarship in Kaden's honor throughout April, which is National Donate Life Month.

"Our goal is simply to bring awareness for organ donation," Robert said. "We're trying to make a positive out of a negative, and that's exactly what we've gone through and are still going through. It's a journey, but it's very heartwarming to know that all of these people are willing to take that journey with us."

Robert also noted National Donate Life Blue and Green Day is April 17. Almost 124,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

During the national observance, people are encouraged to speard awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation by wearning blue and and green and participating in community events.

"We're hoping green can be the new pink," Robert said.

On Monday, green ribbons were tied around trees and players and community members donned green shirts to show their support. Information about organ and tissue donations also was available for those in attendance.

"This is what he loved," said Aaron Robert about his son, as he looked around thebaseball field. "There's no better way to promote the scholarship in Kaden's honor and organ donation than to do it at a baseball game."

To help support organ donations, visit mtsl.org/learn. To learn more about organ and tissue donation, visit United Network for Organ Sharing's official website at unos.org.