Published Oct. 2025
Philadelphia, PA — The Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship is pleased to announce that four organ transplant recipients are the winners of its 2025-26 higher education scholarships.
The Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship is funded through the Gift of Life Transplant Foundation, the charitable foundation which supports the mission of Gift of Life Donor Program. This year, the scholarship program issued $2,000 awards to transplant recipients seeking higher education. The scholarship was created in memory of heart transplant recipient Jessica Beth Schwartz.
“Each year I am inspired by the challenging journey these young men and women have experienced at such a young age,” said Jessie’s mother and scholarship co-founder, Janice Schwartz-Donahue. “I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue to honor my daughter’s legacy by helping these students pursue higher education.”
2025-2026 Scholarship Winners:
Shannon Helms – Reading, PA
Born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), Shannon faced serious medical challenges from birth, culminating in heart failure during her freshman year of high school. After enduring life on a heart pump and a long hospital stay, she received a heart transplant that changed her life. Despite setbacks during recovery, she persevered and now thrives with a renewed outlook on life.
Shannon is passionate about helping others navigate the emotional toll of medical trauma. She regularly speaks at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences, sharing her transplant experience with future healthcare professionals. Inspired by the healing power of creativity, she hopes to become an art therapist and use her story to support patients through their own journeys.
“Art therapy helped me find peace in the most stressful time of my life. I want to give that same peace to others going through tough moments,” Shannon said.
Shaahed Hussain – Garnet Valley, PA
At just eight months old, Shaahed survived the unthinkable—three liver transplants in one week after suffering liver and kidney failure. His miraculous survival has inspired a lifetime of advocacy. Through public speaking and leading a Donor Dash team that has raised over $22,000, Shaahed champions the cause of organ donation both locally and globally.
Shaahed’s leadership and drive are also evident in his community work. For his Eagle Scout project, he designed and built an outdoor classroom for his former elementary school, completing over 200 volunteer hours. These experiences, rooted in service and resilience, have shaped his dream of pursuing a career in medicine.
“I survived because someone said ‘yes’ to donation. Now I’m living to pay that gift forward,” said Shaahed.
Shaahed is attending the University of Pittsburgh this fall.
Nate Mann – Moorestown, NJ
After being diagnosed with heart failure in 2023, Nate received a heart transplant just one week into his hospital stay. His recovery, though physically and emotionally demanding, taught him powerful lessons in resilience. Isolated for three months and away from school, Nate focused on maintaining his strength and mindset during an uncertain time.
Today, Nate is a passionate advocate for organ donation. He recently competed in Transplant Games of America in Alabama, standing beside others whose lives were saved through donation. Inspired by his experience, Nate is determined to continue growing, learning, and living life to the fullest.
“Normal isn’t a place—it’s a mindset. My journey taught me how to adapt, stay strong, and move forward,” Nate shared.
He plans to start a student-led group at the University of Pittsburgh focused on raising awareness about organ and tissue donation.
Makai Whyte – Philadelphia, PA
Makai’s medical journey began in 2018 with a mysterious illness that led to heart failure, an LVAD implant, and ultimately a heart transplant following four cardiac arrests. After 128 days of hospitalization and rehab, Makai not only survived, he thrived. Recently graduating high school ranked in the top 20 of his class, he uses his experience to inspire others.
Determined to live a healthier life, Makai lost 20 pounds and became a personal training intern, helping others, including his own mother, achieve their fitness goals. He also aspires to launch the “Life-Saving Donation Awareness Initiative,” targeting youth with vital education on organ and tissue donation.
“I went through it all for a reason. I want to turn my survival into service and my healing into hope for others,” Makai said.
Makai started his freshman year in college this fall attending West Chester University.
Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship
Just a few days after she was born, Jessica Beth Schwartz was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Her heart and body began to slow down by the age of 14. But thanks to someone who said yes to organ donation, Jessica was able to experience eight and a half additional years of life.
A total of 87 students have been awarded scholarships since the fund was created in 2003 in her honor.
To be eligible for the Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship, students must be an organ transplant recipient under the age of 25, seniors in high school, or be enrolled in a two or four-year college, university, trade or technical school.
To contribute to the Jessica Beth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship Fund, or for more information on scholarship criteria, visit www.jessiesday.org.
Gift of Life Donor Program
Gift of Life Donor Program, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Philadelphia, is the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) for the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware serving 11.3 million people. It works with 124 acute care hospitals and 12 transplant centers in its region, as well as more than 100 transplant centers throughout the country, to provide the most comprehensive array of services available in the U.S. to the donation and transplantation community. Thanks to the generosity of its community, Gift of Life has coordinated 14,860 donors and 41,140 organs for transplant, the most of any OPO in the country since the inception of our national donation system in 1988. Overall, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 62,000 organs and more than two million tissue transplants since its founding. One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and a tissue donor can improve the lives of 100 others. Learn more and sign up at donors1.org.