News

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…

‘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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Beaumont nurse honored by Gift of Life Michigan as Donation Champion When Jennifer Fogarty first volunteered to take on the role of transplant nurse outreach coordinator at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, it was a four-hour…

Education, advocacy of organ donation brings Champion Award to Campus Challenge winners Detroit, MI – For the past nine years, students at Wayne State University have won the annual Gift of Life Michigan Campus Challenge…

‘For me, it’s being able to offer hope,’ says SWAT team leader Kathi St. Pierre does everything in her power to make sure organ and tissue donors are treated with the respect and honor they…

Shepherd woman took organ, tissue donation message across Michigan Kelly Davis is not able to promote organ and tissue donation around the State of Michigan as much as she used to, but she still believes…

Kalamazoo, MI – Dr. Robert Beck has helped save and improve the lives of thousands of people he’ll never meet. Beck, 64, of Kalamazoo, is one of 15 individuals and three hospitals statewide to be…

Event to address health disparities, provide resources to sustain a healthier workforce Businesses can have a significant impact on the health and wellness of their employees and the communities they serve. That’s why Gift of…

‘Always believe in yourself,’ Saginaw resident says Saginaw, MI – Joey Hunt has some advice for anyone waiting for a new organ: don’t lose faith. “You have to believe in yourself and put yourself first…

Gift of Life, MOTTEP, Michigan Medicine team up on virtual event Ann Arbor, MI – Top medical and organ transplant professionals will get together this week to discuss healthcare disparities in minority populations and the…

Hispanic Heritage Month offers an opportunity to celebrate the culture and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx people and to highlight issues they face today. It runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 every year, recognizing…

Multicultural outreach projects earn top honors from Donate Life America Ann Arbor, MI – Gift of Life Michigan, the state’s federally designated organ procurement organization, has been nationally recognized for two initiatives designed to increase…

Grand Rapids, MI – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gift of Life Michigan could not host its annual Donate Life Day at the Zoo at the John Ball Zoo. Instead, Gift of Life is bringing…

Double-lung recipient celebrates life, helps others on the transplant journey When Michael Love started to experience shortness of breath, the Southfield resident said he thought it’d be easy to treat. He was 50 years old…

‘I want to let everyone who struggles from all chronic diseases or illnesses know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel’ Mustafa Sharafi always wanted to be a father. Granted that…

Liver recipient, donor family celebrate 10 years of new life, advocacy Mike Lopez has always relied on his faith to get through difficult times. His faith helped him 11 years ago, when a routine visit…