Two years later, family celebrates heart transplant that saved Grand Ledge mom The Thanksgiving holiday will always hold a special place for Rachel Kuntzsch and her family. It was two years ago that a heart transplant saved Rachel’s life. “I’m just really grateful,” said the 46-year-old Grand Ledge resident. Always active and healthy, Kuntzsch’s life […]

Team effort, collaboration earn Dr. Joyce deJong 2020 Donation Champion Award Dr. Joyce deJong, the medical examiner for Muskegon, Ingham, Allegan and Kalamazoo counties, was honored by Gift of Life Michigan for her support of organ, tissue and eye donation. Through her work as medical examiner as well as educational role at the Homer Stryker

Few physicians have done more over the years to help fulfill the wishes of donors and their grieving families than Dr. Teresa Jacobs at Michigan Medicine. Dr. Jacobs, the director of the Neurological Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Michigan Medicine and a renowned neurological surgeon, was honored with the 2020 Donation Champion Legacy Award for

As a truck driver, Chad Milton has been on more journeys than he can probably count. Milton, a Grand Rapids resident, is being honored by Gift of Life Michigan for another type of journey, however, the journey of acceptance of organ donation and the advocacy that followed. Milton recently received the 2020 Honoring Life Through

Funeral Home professionals and Organ Procurement Organizations can sometimes have a contentious relationship. Caring for and embalming organ and tissue donors can create extra work for funeral professionals or new challenges for funeral directors. That’s why it’s important to have an advocate who helps improve collaboration between funeral homes and OPOs. This year, Rita Jordan

Gift of Life Michigan recognizes Donor Champions for outreach, advocacy Gift of Life Michigan relies on more than 350 volunteers across the state and few are as active or productive as Ward and Lydia Kimball of West Branch. The couple, who tragically lost their 18-year-old son, Evan, in 2015, have signed up thousands to the

‘It’s really part of our mission, too,’ says executive director Seven years ago, funeral directors across the state got together with representatives from Gift of Life Michigan to discuss challenges and improve their working relationship. It was evident from that discussion with the Michigan Funeral Directors Association that there was a lot of frustration and

Tristan Johnson said he constantly felt fatigued during his freshman year in high school. He no longer had the energy to get together with his friends or play his favorite sport, lacrosse. He didn’t learn why until a trip to the emergency room on Christmas Eve, 2018 revealed a startling diagnosis: he had an acute

‘It’s about educating the community,’ senior advisor to Mayor Mike Duggan says Detroit, MI – Terra DeFoe, a senior advisor for Det roit Mayor Mike Duggan, was honored by Gift of Life Michigan for her tireless work to share the message of hope and healing that organ and tissue donation can provide. DeFoe, a donor

Lansing, MI – Storytelling can be powerful way to share benefits of organ and tissue donation by helping audiences understand the good that can come from great tragedy, and they often inspire people to register to become donors. WLNS, Lansing’s CBS affiliate, understands that and has consistently sought to tell the kind of stories about

Flat Rock teen marks 16th anniversary of liver transplant Today, Shannon and Frank Hamet are celebrating their “little miracle.” Nov. 5 is not Marisa, their 17-year-old daughter’s, birthday but it marks the 16th anniversary of her second chance at life – the day when, as a one-year-old, she received a new liver. “We’re just so

Gift of Life Michigan honors ICU nurse manager for organ, tissue donation education Wendy Lavin is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of her patients and spreading the legacy of hope. Lavin, manager of the Intensive Care Unit at Sinai-Grace Hospital, is one of 15 individuals and three hospitals statewide to be honored

Gift of Life Michigan honors Holland resident as Donation Champion As a hospital chaplain, Cindi Veldheer DeYoung is frequently with families at their darkest hour. Working in the Intensive Care Unit at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, she said her role is to provide spiritual and emotional support for patients and families, no