The Gift of Life: Listen, Watch and Learn!
Gift of Life Donor Program works with our multimedia partners to share the extraordinary power of organ and tissue donation through personal stories that inspire more people to sign up as donors.
Audio
30 Seconds to Second Chances – short interviews on KYW showcasing organ donation’s transformative power
Alin Gragossian, DO, MPH
Alin abruptly went from doctor-in-training to critically ill patient when she experienced sudden heart failure at age 30. As a heart transplant recipient, she uses her blog and social media to raise awareness about organ donation.
Arlinda Griffin and Mary Smith
Arlinda received a kidney and pancreas transplant that saved her life. Her donor hero Eric’s mother, Mary, has become like family.
Listen to Arlinda and Mary’s story.
Hear more from Arlinda and Mary.
Baksy Family
The Baksy family traveled 250 miles to find life-saving care for their baby son who needed a liver transplant. They also found a haven of comfort, hope and healing at Gift of Life Howie’s House.
Beatriz and Sebastian Foster
Beatriz’s son Sebastian was born with a lower urinary tract obstruction that affected his kidney function. He began dialysis at age 4, and his daily treatments could last up to 11 hours. That all changed in 2020 when Sebastian received a life-saving kidney transplant at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Bill Soloway
Bill’s life-saving heart transplant fueled a return to his passion for cycling along with tireless advocacy to help others receive a second chance at life through organ donation.
Brian Rath
Grateful for his liver transplant, Brian enjoys spending time with his family and has a special appreciation for the song “Sweet Caroline.”
Carol McCloud and Kareem Salahuddin
After tragedy brought them together, Carol and Kareem realized they shared a special bond through their different faiths and the life-saving legacy of organ donation from Carol’s son, Ryan.
Listen to Carol and Kareem’s story.
Hear more from Carol and Kareem.
Cynthia London
Cynthia has shared the power of organ and tissue donation through the heroic legacy of her son, Sipho Temba, whose name means “Gift of Hope,” for more than 20 years.
Dawn Ortiz
Dawn’s son, Rickey, made the generous decision to “check the box” when he got his driver’s permit. He became a donor hero at age 21 – a legacy that brings comfort and hope to his mom.
Earl Jones
Earl Jones has gotten to see his kids grow up and have children of their own, all thanks to his donor hero.
Janet Dennis
A life-saving heart transplant empowered Janet Dennis to become an athlete who has won more than 50 medals at the Donate Life Transplant Games of America and World Transplant Games.
Markita Lewis
When Markita said “yes” to donation, she found comfort knowing that her son, Marquis, gave others a second chance at life as a donor hero.
Merida Bourjolly
Merida was surrounded by caring and supportive staff and fellow guests at Gift of Life Howie’s House as she recovered from kidney transplant surgery.
Michelle Liu
Michelle is a physician and commander in the Navy, but her most important role is mom to her daughter Esther, who received a life-saving lung transplant when she was just four years old. Gift of Life Howie’s House was a refuge during their transplant journey.
Nicole Ward
A liver transplant saved Nicole’s young son, Jude, after he endured a series a life-threatening health problems almost from birth.
Onyi Kenine
Onyi is pursuing her dream to become a doctor thanks to a donor hero and the compassionate medical team who cared for her throughout her transplant journey.
Phillip Davis
Phillip is on the kidney transplant waitlist and advocates for organ and tissue donation within his community.
Ramona Howard
Ramona Howard is a multi-organ transplant recipient. She served eight years in the U.S. Army as a Chemical Operations Specialist and earned the honorable rank of Sergeant before she became a surgical scrub nurse, a career that she loved and was devoted to for more than 20 years.
Stacey Rodenas
A kidney and pancreas transplant made it possible for Stacey’s son to “get his mom back” and for Stacey to help countless others in her work as an EMT.
Ta’Mar Ellensworth
Ta’Mar is a double lung recipient and is active as an ambassador for Gift of Life Donor Program and as a mentor to transplant recipients through the Lung Transplant Foundation.
Thomas Butler, MD, MS, FACS
As a transplant surgeon, Dr. Butler knows so well how precious gifts from donor heroes save lives and impact families. He shares his expertise to dispel myths, promote healthy lifestyles that prevent the need for an organ transplant and encourage more people to sign up as a donor.
Timmy Nelson
The ripple effect of organ donation is epitomized by Timmy’s extensive volunteer work helping dialysis patients and many others following his kidney transplant.
Woodson Family
The precious gift of a healthy new kidney made it possible for Dr. Tracy Woodson to continue his career as an educator, enjoy time with his family and become an advocate for organ and tissue donation.
Listen to the Woodsons’ story.
iHeart Media – Loraine Ballard Morrill
Loraine Ballard Morrill is an award-winning news and community affairs director for iHeartMedia.
Listen to Loraine’s National Minority Donor Awareness Month panel episode featuring Rick Hasz, President & CEO, Gift of Life Donor Program, Niels Martin, MD, of Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and Gift of Life Governing Board Member, along with heart recipient Earl Jones, donor mother Debra White, and kidney transplant waitlist patient Phillip Davis.
Listen to Loraine’s Gift of Life Donor Dash segment (23:15-31:00).
Video
KYW’s Racquel Williams
Racquel Williams is KYW’s award-winning Community Impact reporter, a passionate advocate for organ and tissue donation.
National Minority Donor Awareness Month
Gift of Life Donor Sabbath
Organ Donor Registration
Dashing Advocates at Gift of Life’s Donor Dash
Earl Jones
Earl, a heart recipient of more than 20 years, is proof that donation saves lives.
Elise Baskerville
Elise is a grateful heart recipient who chooses to “pay it forward” as her donor hero once did for her.
Diane Anderson
Organ donation transformed Diane’s life allowing her to return to activities she enjoys including travel since receiving a double-lung transplant.
Jessica Proctor
Jessica walks in the annual Gift of Life Donor Dash to honor her mother Deborah, a donor hero whose love lives on through her recipients.