My Second Chance June 14, 2006 probably seemed like a normal day for the average person. For me, however, it was the day I was given a 2nd chance at life. It was on that day, June 14, in which I received my life saving liver transplant from the Cleveland Clinic. After being placed 1st […]
PLEASE, I am a long time survivor of polytheistic renal failure. I lost my mother in 1969, my sister in 1995 and my nephew received a kidney from a sister. As for me… my father donated a kidney in 1985 which saved my life, but it only lasted two years. I had a kidney transplant
Herman “Butch” Borgerding Read More »
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
On April 13, 2009, my mother’s fiance of 7 years was taken off life support. Because they all knew how he was such a giving man they decided he would want to donate his organs if he could. We know his kidney was donated to a mother of two, and his he had both his
My husband Bob was only 37 when I noticed that he was tired all the time, it was all he could do to go to work. He went in heart failure very fast. When we first heard that he needed a heart, this was in 1987 so heart transplants were still new. He was in
Ryan was the most upbeat, fun loving, active, intelligent, young man I ever knew. He knew exactly what he wanted out of life and was determined to make all of his dreams come true. At the beginning of the 2009 school semester, Ryan left for Ferris State University as a freshman majoring in HVAC. He
On April 8, 2009 at 7:45 am my daughter Alexis was at school there were some kids playing with balls and a 15 year old threw a basketball at her it hit her in the head. I thought she was ok but at about 300pm she started getting a real bad head ache. What I
BRAEDON’S STORY (by Eric Bishop) Born 2 weeks after his due date, Braedon was the biggest of our three children. Weighing in at a healthy 9 lbs, 9 oz, he was actually so well-developed that his lungs pumped during the birthing process causing him to inhale fluids, which landed him in the NICU for his
As an adult, Mark’s life was saved because someone gave a hero’s gift, the gift of life. Today, Mark honors his liver donor by keeping fit with a daily run. In 1998 Mark went into the hospital for what he thought would be routine surgery to remove his gallbladder. During that operation his doctor discovered
A heroic gift from a stranger allowed Gina, a 17 year old cornea recipient, to stay in the game. Playing basketball has always been a dream of Gina’s, but dreams can quickly turn. During a basketball game in her freshman year, she was accidentally poked in the eye, which developed into an ulcerated cornea, an
Just four months back from their honey moon, Jacquelin Clark couldn’t believe what she heard: Doug, her 29-year old husband, had been tragically killed in a snowmobile accident. “He was taken to Newberry Hospital, which is when Gift of Life called me. I wasn’t with Doug when the accident happened. I was unprepared when they
There is always something sensational cooking in Chef O.’s kitchen. He fulfills his mother’s wisdom to always do his best and honors his donor by living a full and productive life. It’s been more than 22 years since Oliver, better known as Chef O., received a kidney transplant. “I con sider that date my birthday.
Chef O. Oliver Hale Read More »
Andrea has become captivated in the world of photography, recording the special moments in the lives of others. Her passion was inspired by the gifts of a kidney donation from her mother and a pancreas, which came from a stranger. Many people have no idea how devastating diabetes can be, but Andrea knows. She not
Ben Hayes was 28 and dying of a rare lung disease. Just when he didn’t think he’d wake to see tomorrow, an Ohio accident victim saved his life. Click here to sign up. A double-lung transplant almost didn’t come in time for Ben Hayes. His ordeal began in 2003 when the young mechanic for Spirit
Lynn Parker found that donating her son’s organs helped her family cope with intense grief. Click here to sign up. At 18, with a new diploma from Troy Athens High School, Tim Parker had his whole life ahead of him. Instead, he gave life to seven others. The designated driver fell asleep while taking two
