STEPBYSTEPSOS4000

Uploaded videos

Favorite videos

7th Campaign PRE SOS THE AMERICAS SOS4000 STUDENT AWARDS

PRE SOS THE AMERICAS
2008-2009
SOS4000 STUDENT TORCH AWARDS

On April 6 2009, celebrities, performers, athletics, and schools across Canada will honour these Students for their great work and their combined feat will set an example for other countries. This event sets the stage for the next chapter of the Torch Of Life to continue its journey as 500 students from 34 countries will carry the Torch from Canada to Argentina by 2011

STEP BY STEP SHORT DOCS

STEP BY STEP
ORGAN TRANSPLANT ASSOC.

Background

Spring of 1992- After a routine medical checkup, fitness promoter and Toronto native George Marcello was told he had 2 years left to live as a result of a virus infecting his liver.

Aug 2, 1995 George was rushed to the hospital and was told he had 2 days left to live. He received a liver transplant the next day

George wanted to passionately acknowledge this gift in the most profound and respectful manner to the family that saved his life. And created a charity called Step By Step. His mission which became revealed; was to address Canada and the worlds organ shortage.

I cant sing or dance
So why not walk
And walk he did by completing 6 high profile campaigns

1997 He Completed 500 km Toronto Ottawa Walk (14 days)

1999 He Completed 2,500 km Ontario Walk (96 days)

2000-2002 Completed 12,000 km, 500 cities/towns, 769 day walk across Canada 9 seasons

2004-2005 He brought a 14 year old year old boy who was waiting for liver transplant across 200 cities Kristophers Wish (365 days)

2005 2006 He Completed European Tour (5 countries)
Nov 1 2006, after a 2nd liver transplant He Completed Toronto Ottawa Walk again

Oct. 2007-June 2008-organized and supervised a 100 student torch relay across Canada

George Marcello and his charity Step By Step have brought organ and tissue donations to the forefront in Canada and parts of the world. He has relentlessly challenged our country in many ways to rise to the top when it comes to organ and tissue donations. In the past 10 years, he Inspired/Created
Over 4000 positive media stories
Over a million people to touch the Torch of Life
Over 1000 members from 3 levels of Government
Over 1000 consultations with the public
Over 4,000 events
Premier Harris to allocate 120 million dollars towards provincial organ programs
Prime Minister Chretien to allocate 20 million dollars towards federal organ programs
Pope John Paul II to have audience with George and promote organ donations worldwide
Federal and Provincial legislators to improve the organ system in many ways
Health groups to medically improve the rate of organ donation
Thousands of government officials across Canada

Some memorable quotes from the media

From the back alleys to Vatican City The Italian Terry Fox Inspired a nation, inspired the world
Most travelled person in Canada A mothers biggest worry to a mothers biggest joy Yes he can
Politics, bureaucracies and George from one humble step to Pope JP2 to Obama a story that has to be told on the doorstep of the worlds next biggest health and social issue step by step anything is possible from a dream to a reality

3rd Campaign CANADA WALK PT 2 JAN 1 2001-DEC 31 2001

3rd CAMPAIGN
CANADA 769 DAY WALK
June 20, 2000 August 9, 2002

This was Step By Step 3rd Campaign, the Canada 769 Day Walk. Liver Transplant Recipient George Marcello continued his journey of addressing Canadas organ & tissue shortage. He carried an Olympic style Torch called the Torch Of Life in memory of Victor Davis. His goal was to wake up Canada by inspiring the media, public & 3 levels of Government. Mr. Marcello continued to conduct thousands of consultations and gathered invaluable information that expanded and confirmed his previous campaign, the Ontario Walk.
Pope John Paul 2 asked George to join him at Vatican City. On September 5 2001, his holiness blessed the Torch and proclaimed to the world, that organ & tissue donations, is a Genuine Act of Love. He also urged George to pass the Torch to the Youth, who would eventually become the voice of Step By Step.
CANADA 769 DAY WALK BEGINS
Torch of Life is born

June 20 2000: Toronto Canada
Step By Step launched the Canada 769 Day Walk. We started at Danforth Collegiate Technical Institute that morning and made our way to Queens Park. After getting blessed by Ontario Parliament we made our way to Toronto City Hall. It started as the Canada 500 Day Walk; it soon became the Canada 600 Day Walk, only to eventually become the Canada 769 Day Walk. During the period before our Kickoff, the Step-By-Step team was working around the clock to raise $750,000.oo to meet the budget for the entire Walk Campaign. Things looked very optimistic, several large corporations made promises; government grants seemed attainable, especially after the positive impact and recognition Step By Step received by the entire Province of Ontario. On kickoff day, we had exciting activities planned throughout the city of Toronto. This including stops at the City Hall, Parliament Building, and different ethnic neighborhoods. All the media outlets were covering our activities, along with notable Politicians, celebrities, athletes, and many people. Everyone showed up enthusiastically, except for the people who were going to present the cheques. It seemed like we had all the eggs in one basket and the basket didnt appear. The Step-By-Step team was devastated. With no foreseeable funds coming in and with only $5,000.00 in our budget, everyone panicked and collapsed and the majority of people resigned. The dream that had so much hope, so much glory, was turning into a nightmare on Day 1. During the campaign leading up to the kickoff, over 90 cities and towns on the Canada 769 Day Walk schedule had worked very hard preparing activities and were very excited to have Step By Step visit them. George was prepared not to let them down; he was not going to let his mom down, and all those people who still believed in the dream. With a dismal budget of $5,000.oo, a borrowed vehicle and no permanent road crew, George marched on under the divine inspiration of Whitney Houstons song Step By Step.




Torch Of Life gets lit
It was here that the Torch of Life was officially lit by Mayor Mel Davis. He then passed the Torch to a Donor family member who then passed it onto a person waiting for an organ transplant. That day Step By Step had a mere $6000.00 in the budget. We organized 500 communities and over 100,000 individuals to participate in over 4,000 events. In every community we coordinated activities with the media, members from all 3 levels o9f government, schools, churches, malls, festivals, service clubs, cultural groups, sports events, army - police - firefighters - and ambulance forces. We invited people from all walks of life and different agencies and organizations. We conducted over 1000 press conferences and consultations. Discussions, debates, and workshops became a daily activity. We had no permanent road team. We had to recruit road team members 27 times during this campaign. I suffered physically with e-coli, influenza, infections, and something new hypothermia. I was stalked by a cougar and came face to face with a black bear. Dogs would chase me once a week. I felt the roar of many transport trucks in 9 different seasons on many roads and highways. I wanted to give up 113 times. On the road we would beg for food and shelter. We distributed hundreds of thousands of donor cards. We met and inspired health officials in each province. Our goal was to wake up Canada.

5th Campaign EUROPEAN TOUR JAN 2005-NOV 2006

STEP BY STEP
ORGAN TRANSPLANT ASSOC.

5th Campaign
European Tour
Jan 2005-Nov 2006

Sponsored by Multimedia Nova, Step By Step organized a 5 country European Tour which included Spain, Italy, France, Austria & England. Many activities & meetings were hosted by each country's heath & predominant leading officials. Step By Step CEO George Marcello travelled to each of these countries and gathered important information and footage from the world's leading organ donor countries, specifically Spain. Mr Marcello ironically was stricken with the deadly disease Thrombosis and was in desperate need of a liver transplnt. While in Paris hospitals kept him alive, long enough for George to fly back to Canada where he recieved his second liver transplant on his 50th birthday.