News

Find Gift of Life Michigan news and updates, as well as news relating to organ and tissue donation.

Ossium Health is working to find more sources of life-saving bone marrow for patients in need. Organ donors are now giving marrow through Gift of Life Michigan and other organizations.
Featured | September 17, 2024

Michigan organ donor contributes to historic bone marrow transplant

A Michigan organ donor has made history and saved the life of a 68-year-old woman from Flint, Mich. Suffering from leukemia, she needed an urgent bone marrow transplant and is now the first person in…

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Ossium Health is working to find more sources of life-saving bone marrow for patients in need. Organ donors are now giving marrow through Gift of Life Michigan and other organizations.
News | September 17, 2024

Michigan organ donor contributes to historic bone marrow transplant

A Michigan organ donor has made history and saved the life of a 68-year-old woman from Flint, Mich. Suffering from leukemia, she needed an urgent bone marrow transplant and is now the first person in…

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Sheila Alston received the DAISY Award for exceptional care in nursing.
News | September 17, 2024

Gift of Life Michigan’s Sheila Alston receives Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation’s Nurse of the Year DAISY Award

Gift of Life Michigan is proud to announce that its own Senior Performance Improvement Specialist, Sheila Alston, received the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) Nurse of the Year DAISY Award. Alston was honored…

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Ryan Cormier, director of tissue services
Blog, News | July 22, 2024

Ryan Cormier Elected Chairperson of Accredited Tissue Banks Council

Gift of Life Michigan is proud to announce that Ryan Cormier, Director of Tissue Services for the organization has been elected Chairperson of the Accredited Tissue Banks Council (ATBC). His term will begin later this…

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Dorrie Dils is president and CEO of Gift of Life Michigan
News | June 26, 2024

AOPO Names 2024-2025 President and Board of Directors

OPO Leaders Elected to Champion Organ Donation Mission Today, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) announced the appointment of its new President and the newly-elected members of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors, whose terms…

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Guests enjoyed free Dippin' Dots ice cream at Donate Life Night at the Zoo
News | June 25, 2024

Donate Life Night at John Ball Zoo honors those impacted by organ and tissue donation

Registration still open to this free event Gift of Life Michigan’s largest West Michigan event honoring organ, eye and tissue donation returns 6-9 p.m. Thursday, July 18 at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids….

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Donor families in the March of Honor at the 2024 Check Your Heart Capitol Rally
News | June 13, 2024

Check Your Heart Rally in Lansing focuses on educating the next generation

Hundreds gather in support of organ, eye and tissue donation   More than 400 people from across Michigan gathered outside the state Capitol building in Lansing on Wednesday, June 12 in support of organ, eye and…

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Group of patients waiting for organ transplants carrying a banner reading "Waiting to Live" along the Capitol sidewalk
News | June 10, 2024

Check Your Heart Rally at State Capitol encourages next generation to donate life

Hundreds expected in support of organ, eye and tissue donation on June 12 Hundreds of organ, eye and tissue donation supporters are expected to join Gift of Life Michigan in Lansing on June 12 to…

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May was a record month with 197 tissue donors
News | June 5, 2024

Gift of Life Michigan has record-breaking month

197 people gave tissue in May to heal patients in need May was a record-breaking month for the state’s organ and tissue donation program, thanks to nearly 200 people who donated bone, skin, ligaments and…

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More than 12,000 people joined the Michigan Organ Donor Registry this year while filing their income tax returns.
News | May 14, 2024

Michigan Organ Donor Registry sees major growth thanks to Check Your Heart Act

More than 12,000 new registrants added during 2024 tax season Thanks to the Check Your Heart Act, the Michigan Organ Donor Registry has 12,475 new registrants. This increased volume resulted in year-over-year growth for the…

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2023 was a record year for Gift of Life Michigan with 578 organ donors and 1,858 tissue donors
LifeLines, News | April 17, 2024

Gift of Life sets organ and tissue records in 2023

Gift of Life Michigan had another record year in 2023 with a record 578 organ donors and 1,858 tissue donors last year, saving hundreds of lives and healing tens of thousands more. The 2023 figures represent a significant 25% increase in organ donors over the previous record in 2022 and a 2% increase in tissue donors.
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More than 100 staff at Munson Medical Center gathered to celebrate their upcoming Hospital of the Year Award - many of them came in on their day off to join the celebration.
News | March 1, 2024

Munson Medical Center Named Hospital of the Year by Gift of Life Michigan

Munson’s John Stanifer, MD and ICU Manager, Eric Jean also to be recognized. Gift of Life Michigan has announced that in April it will honor Munson Medical Center (MMC) as Hospital of the Year along…

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Dr. Bedi, Rachel Kuntzsch and Sarah Scantamburlo are new Gift of Life Governing Board members
News | February 21, 2024

Gift of Life Michigan announces new board members

New board members will bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table Gift of Life Michigan is proud to announce three new members joining its Governing Board of Directors.            …

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2023 was a record year for Gift of Life Michigan with 578 organ donors and 1,858 tissue donors
News | January 15, 2024

Gift of Life Michigan smashes record for organ donors in 2023

More than 213,000 people join Donor Registry Gift of Life Michigan helped a record 578 people become organ donors and 1,858 to give the gift of tissue last year, saving thousands of lives and healing…

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Melinda Herrera, Neuro ICU nurse at Sparrow Hospital, will receive Gift of Life's 2024 Nurse Champion Award
News | January 3, 2024

Sparrow Hospital nurse earns statewide donation champion award from Gift of Life Michigan

Malinda Herrera becomes a living donor to offer hope Malinda Herrera has been a passionate advocate of organ and tissue donation for years as a nurse on the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Sparrow Hospital….

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2023: A RECORD YEAR; 500 organ donors
News | November 20, 2023

Gift of Life Michigan breaks record for organ donors in a year

Unprecedented 500 donors save lives so far in 2023 Michigan’s organ and tissue donation program has broken another record by reaching the 500 organ donors mark in a single year with more than a month…

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a green stethoscope surrounding two pink paper kidneys on a gray background
News | November 10, 2023

Gift of Life Michigan CEO praises protections for living organ donors

Gift of Life Michigan celebrates the passage of a law that prevents health insurers from denying or limiting coverage for living organ donors in this state. Sen. Kevin Hertel sponsored the measure (SB 384), which…

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All of Us traveling trunks, full of giveaways, brochures and other educational materials, are available for teachers across the state of Michigan.
LifeLines, News | October 20, 2023

A New Bill: Requires Schools to Teach Organ Donation in MI

A new bill introduced in October in the Michigan House would require education about organ, eye and tissue donation for 9th graders in public schools statewide. Twenty-four states, including neighboring Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, require it. Michigan does not. As a result, double the percentage of young people register as organ donors in those states when they get their first driver’s license.
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A group of Gift of Life staff, transplant recipients and legislators gathers around Governor Whitmer, who is seated at her desk and holding up the signed Check Your Heart Act
Blog, LifeLines, News | September 12, 2023

New law lets residents sign up through tax forms

Michigan residents who haven’t yet added their names to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry will have a new and easy way to do so in 2024. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Check Your Heart Act…

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Artelia Griggs, donor mother, receiving an award from Christine Peiter, Gift of Life employee and tissue graft recipient
Blog, LifeLines, News | September 12, 2023

Gift of Life’s gala generates thousands for critical programs

The celebration of excellence will expand in 2024 to allow for greater sponsorship and partnership opportunities and higher attendance with individual tickets available for sale for the first time.
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Guests enjoyed free Dippin' Dots ice cream at Donate Life Night at the Zoo
Blog, News | August 17, 2023

Donate Life Night at the Zoo celebrates organ donors, transplant recipients and renewed life

Gift of Life’s largest West Michigan outreach event returned this week to the popular John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids with a new twist. This year, more than one thousand Donate Life Night at the…

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