Making a financial contribution
Your generous gift - regardless of size - can make a big difference to increase awareness about organ and tissue donation and grow the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. Your financial gift helps save lives.
Support donor families and transplant recipients
Mary Taylor, donor mother
Mary Taylor proudly wears the photo of her only children, Charles and Portia, in a pendant around her neck. Both saved and healed the lives of others as registered organ and tissue donors.
It wasn’t until Mary’s son, Charles, died of an aneurysm in 2011 at 32 that she learned he had joined the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. Charles’ generosity inspired others in his family to register, including his sister, Portia, who died of a heart attack 12 years later in 2023. She was 40 years old.
“Gift of Life Michigan provides the opportunity for families to leave a legacy,” Mary said. “Both of my children were extremely generous, helpful people. It is a blessing to live on and help others that are in need.”
Carla Bussell, double lung recipient
Carla’s life was saved in 2020 after 11 years of desperately waiting for new lungs. She can finally breathe again.
Carla Bussell was diagnosed with lupus after giving birth to her fourth son. The autoimmune disease attacked her lungs, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe.
Because of her transplant, Carla has been able to travel, live a full life and watch her family grow.
This past summer, Carla was able to connect for the first time with her donor’s family.
“I feel like I’m part of a little family that nobody else can really understand,” Carla said. “Thank you is not enough to say to Suzanne for the gift she gave me.”
Erica Thomas, donor daughter
Erica Thomas’ father died in 2018 while waiting for a new heart that never came. But he was able to save and heal others as a liver, tissue and cornea donor.
In the time since her father’s passing, she welcomed Gift of Life Michigan’s All of Us high school education program into her own classroom. Then she kicked off National Donate Life Month by sharing her story during a joint assembly for Central Montcalm Middle School and High School and hosted a walk to help raise funds and awareness for organ donation.
Now in her freshman year at Central Michigan University, Erica plans to o continue sharing her story.
“I am going to try my best to get the word out there any way I can.”
No gift is too small
How your contributions can help
$20
Purchases the fabric needed to make one Comfort Blanket for a donor's grieving family.
$69
Covers All of Us education program materials for one classroom of 50 students.
$106
Pays for a transplant recipient's monthly supply of Tacrolimus, an anti-rejection drug.
$162
Buys two Gift of Life teddy bears for donor families.
$371
Provides three months of Medicare Part B for a transplant recipient who can't afford it.
Changing the future through major gifts
Thanks to the generosity of Bloomfield Hills residents Pamela and Krishna Sawhney, Gift of Life Michigan has been able to grow the All of Us program, a unique hands-on learning experience for high schoolers. The Sawhneys fervently believe educating youth about organ, eye and tissue donation will help save the lives of patients waiting for transplants for years to come.
“If you want to inspire change, teach the children, who will then teach their parents.” - Krishna Sawhney.
Their $125,000 gift, the largest in the organization’s 51-year history, helped purchase the materials needed for the All of Us Student Education Program Traveling Trunk and grow the organ, eye and tissue donation program statewide.
Your generous gift - regardless of size - can make a big difference to increase awareness about organ and tissue donation and grow the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. A donation of $20 allows us to purchase the fabric needed to make on comfort blanket for a donor’s grieving family. For $69 you can cover the cost of All of Us education program materials for one classroom of 50 students.
Join with us today as we honor life through donation. Help us realize that day when organ and tissue donation is the cultural norm in Michigan, and nobody dies waiting for a life-saving transplant
Honoring Life
A memorial or tribute gift is a meaningful way to honor your loved one or remember a special occasion. Your memorial or tribute gift will be a lasting testimonial to your loved one and make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Third Party Events
Engage your business, team or civic group in supporting Gift of Life's mission. Whether it's a charity event, a fundraising dinner or donating a percentage of sales, we are excited to work with you to make it a success.
Social Media Fundraising
Creating a Facebook Fundraiser or adding a "Donate" sticker to an Instagram post or story are easy ways to engage your family and friends in supporting Gift of Life!
Legacy Giving
A memorial or tribute gift is a meaningful way to honor your loved one or remember a special occasion. Your memorial or tribute gift will be a lasting testimonial to your loved one and make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Contact us about charitable giving
Director of Advancement
Susan Rink
Susan oversees the organization's charitable giving, philanthropy, grants and related programs.
Contact Susan to discuss planned giving, gifts in memory of others and third-party fundraisers.
History of Giving at Gift of Life Michigan
Up until recently, stewardship of the advancement efforts to further the mission of Gift of Life Michigan has been guided by the Gift of Life Foundation.
In an effort to maximize our efforts to impact the donation and transplantation community, the two organizations with the support of their Governing Boards agreed to merge.
The outstanding leadership and dedication of the Foundation Board of Trustees has helped our programming grow and maximize the impact of our support to our community partners.