On Dec. 2, 2009 my husband, Dave, age 49 died of a massive heart attack. After his death, a coordinator from Give of Life contacted me after we left the hospital asking if I would be willing to donate any organs & tissue. I decided to donate Dave’s corneas. I know it wasn’t a life […]

Last year on Thanksgiving, my younger brother’s life was taken by severe complications of diabetes. Before taking him off the vent, we were told he had no brain function at all. He was 45. My mother had to make the decision to donate his organs. He donated both lungs, liver, and corneas. My mom has

My brother Tim died on July 5, 2009. He had autism and in spite of the barriers in his life he managed to live in his own apartment, work and make friends. When he died, I was not sure if I could go on, but with his gifts to others through his tissue and organs

My husband is 32 years old. He was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease two months after his mother passed away from the illness in April 2008. At the time we were told that the disease could be slowed with diet and worst-case scenario years down the road he’d need a transplant. Years down the road

“Dad, do you know what I want?” I walked into my older son’s bedroom the other night. It was just one of those routine checks that a parent will do over and over again – just to make sure that all is well. There, in the moonlight, I saw it. My tough 11 year old…

Mother, Nana, loving wife, dear friend, Caring, loving, giving are just a few words that describe my Mom, Pat Golden. She was the most giving person I have ever known even right up to her passing on 12/14/09. Even though she knew her body was damaged, tired, and worn out she said let them use

I am a different story: I didn’t receive a organ donation but I did receive a tissue donation. And with out it I would be able to do the thing’s I do today. The number one thing is being with my girls. I had a slipped disk in my neck. It was pretty bad, when

Hi! My name is Gregory Harrison and I’m so glad to have volunteered in the Transplant Tuesday donor sign up event sponsored by the Gift of Life on July 6 at the Secretary of State in my area. It was so nice to hear people tell you……..you’re doing a good job or to hear thanks

Rachel was diagnosed with a cardiomyopathy at 6 weeks of age while we lived in Virginia. She was later seen at the University of Michigan Hospital where she was treated with a maintenance prescription heart medication. She has done remarkably well on these med’s for the past 12 years. In late February (2010) she was

I was diagnosed at age 16 with Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis and immediately thrown onto dialysis. I had no idea what to expect or what was happening. All that I was sure of was that I was scared to death. I continued on in-center hemodialysis for 9 years while waiting for transplant and finally on the

5/13/2010, I just wanted to post that today my mother has had her lung transplant from the University of Michigan for 18 years. She also had a kidney transplant 5 years ago, donated by my sister. She is still going strong and I am blessed and thankful for everyday God has given us.

My son Dixon was 17 when he went off the back of an ATV and suffered severe head injuries. He was pronounced brain dead on June 20th 2009 at Aspirus Hospital in Wausau, WI. He had been airlifted there from Grand View Hospital in Ironwood, MI. When they brought up organ donation, it wasn’t something

My name is Royce Story and I would like to tell you a little story about my family’s experience with organ and tissue donation and why we feel so strongly about it. On June 24th 2009 my wife woke up not feeling well. By about 5pm I noticed the whites of her eyes were getting