2025 Champions Gala

Marge Del Greco, two-time liver transplant recipient and Legacy Award recipient

Congratulations to the 18 people and organizations we will recognize at Gift of Life Michigan’s seventh Champions Gala on May 2. They were selected from dozens of nominations for their extraordinary efforts to promote or make organ, eye and tissue donation happen in Michigan over the past 18 months and beyond. 

Deb Wyant, donor mother and Honoring Life Through Donation Award recipient

Without them, and other passionate advocates across the state, Gift of Life’s efforts to fulfill the generous decisions of donors and their families would be difficult to impossible. 

Please join us at The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit for an evening to remember complete with cocktails, dinner and an inspiring awards ceremony to honor our winners. 

For information about how to buy tickets, become a gala sponsor, and all other information about the 2025 event, go to golm.org/gala. 

Join us in celebrating 2025’s winners

Legislative Partner: Sen. Kevin Daley, Lapeer County 

Community Partner: Michigan Donor Family Council 

Volunteer: Debora Dearring, Southfield 

Multicultural Difference Maker: Leslie Palacios, Grand Rapids 

Donation Storyteller: WDIV-TV, Detroit 

Educator: Heather Willing, Grand Blanc High School 

Nurse: Cessa Kellogg, Munson Medical Center 

Physician: Dr. Silas Norman, Michigan Medicine 

Hospital Donation Liaison: Christine Wilson, University of Michigan Health – Sparrow 

Hospital Staff — Nurse Practitioner: Tim Lagasse, McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital 

Hospital Staff — Social Worker: Natalie Maes, Children’s Hospital of Michigan 

Innovation Award: Yvonne Jackson, Julene Kruithof and Nancy Bekken, Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital 

Medical Examiner: Dr. Russell Bush, Saginaw County 

Funeral Professional: Brian S. Merkle, Merkle Funeral Services, Monroe 

Transplant Center: Henry Ford Transplant, Detroit 

Honoring Life Through Donation: Debra Wyant, Donor Mother 

Legacy Award: Marge Del Greco, Team Michigan 

Hospital of the Year: Hurley Medical Center, Flint 

Read more in the LifeLINES newsletter

Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan

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