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

Socio Legislativo: Sen. Kevin Daley, Lapeer County 

Socio de la Comunidad: Consejo de Familia de Donantes de Michigan 

Voluntario: Debora Dearring, Southfield 

Hacedor de diferencia multicultural: Leslie Palacios, Grand Rapids 

Narrador de donaciones: WDIV-TV, Detroit 

Educator: Heather Willing, Grand Blanc High School 

Enfermero: Cessa Kellogg, Munson Medical Center 

Médico: 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 

Premio a la Innovación: Yvonne Jackson, Julene Kruithof and Nancy Bekken, Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital 

Examinador médico: Dr. Russell Bush, Saginaw County 

Profesional funerario: Brian S. Merkle, Merkle Funeral Services, Monroe 

Transplant Center: Henry Ford Transplant Institute, Detroit 

Honoring Life Through Donation: Debra Wyant, Donor Mother 

Premio legado: Marge Del Greco, Team Michigan 

Hospital del año: Centro médico Hurley, Flint 

Read more in the LifeLINES newsletter

Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan

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