Featured | August 16, 2024
Volunteer Spotlight: With her vision restored, Leslie Palacios helps others see the need to be donors
Before Leslie Palacios received two new corneas, her life was a blur. The Grand Rapids mom of two struggled to read, to cook, to see her son play football and her triathlete husband cross the…
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Fifty for 50, Stories of Hope | February 5, 2021
Faith, family and friends help Canton mom triumph over hardship
Last year marked a new beginning for Keisha Dulin. The 41-year-old Canton resident is continuing to heal after receiving a new heart in 2020 – after four years waiting for a new one. “I am…
Fifty for 50, Stories of Hope | January 29, 2021
‘My son. My Bobby. My hero.’
Robert “Bobby” Ramos was a hard worker with a creative side. “He was always doing something creative,” his father, Robert, said of his son, who died at the age of 23 from a head injury…
| January 28, 2021
Teen saves five lives through donation
‘We’re so, so grateful she made this choice,’ family says Montcalm, MI – Destini Cunliffe excelled at many things, but she is perhaps best known for her ability to make friends. The 18-year-old Montcalm woman’s…
Fifty for 50, Stories of Hope | January 24, 2021
Kidney transplant allows teen to graduate high school
Last year, Acacia Walter-Rooks accomplished something she wasn’t sure she’d be able to do: graduate high school. Now a freshman at Calvin University, Walter-Rooks had both of her kidneys removed when she was a child…
Fifty for 50, Stories of Hope | January 16, 2021
Kidney recipient finds purpose in post-transplant advocacy
‘There’s a reason for it, and I think my reason is to help others.’ When a severe headache sent Sonya Cook to the doctor, she hardly expected a life-changing diagnosis. “I never had headaches before,…
Blog, Fifty for 50, Stories of Hope | January 15, 2021
Gift of Life Michigan launches #50for50 campaign to honor anniversary
Gift of Life Michigan is celebrating a milestone this year: the 50th anniversary of our founding. Founded in 1971 by four surgeons who wanted to develop a more efficient way to get life-saving organs to…
| January 15, 2021
Gift of Life Michigan celebrates 50 years of saving lives
2020 was third consecutive year with record number of organ donors For the third consecutive year, Gift of Life Michigan has honored the generosity of a record number of organ donors, saving thousands of lives…
Blog | December 29, 2020
Year-long partnership brings in $75K to Gift of Life Foundation
A group of metro Detroit students have made quite a difference for the Gift of Life Foundation in 2020. Key2Finesse, a student-led nonprofit organization, generated $75,000 for the Gift of Life Foundation through a year-long…
| December 21, 2020
Student group raises $75K for Gift of Life Foundation
‘Speak the Difference’ fundraiser caps year-long partnership with Key2Finesse Ann Arbor, MI – Key2Finesse, a student-led nonprofit organization, has generated $75,000 for the Gift o f Life Foundation through a year-long partnership. The Gift of…
| December 10, 2020
Legacy of hope: Gift of Life Michigan honors surgeon for sharing organ, tissue donation education with young doctors
Organ and tissue donors can leave a legacy of hope and healing and Dr. Harry Anderson wants to share that legacy throughout the community and across the county. Dr. Anderson, the medical director of the…
| December 9, 2020
Hurley Medical Center honored as Donor Hospital of the Year
Organ and tissue donation and transplantation is truly a team effort that requires collaboration between medical staff and transplant centers, along with the compassion and generosity of donors and donor families. The Hurley Medical Center…
| December 8, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan honors Henry Ford nurse with Champion Award
Ann Arbor, MI – Elise Pavlick believes education and communication are the keys to providing hope and healing for patients and their families. A nurse practitioner in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit at Henry Ford…
Blog | December 4, 2020
Thank you to all our HOSA heroes!
Like everything else this year, the Gift of Life HOSA Challenge was a little different than it has been in the past. The third annual challenge, which pits future health professionals – from different Health…
| December 4, 2020
Future health professionals add hundreds to Michigan Organ Donor Registry
Annual HOSA challenge pits students in friendly competition to register new donors Ann Arbor, MI – There are nearly 400 new organ and tissue donors registered in Michigan, thanks to the efforts of students across…
| November 26, 2020
Thanksgiving marks special anniversary for local family
Two years later, family celebrates heart transplant that saved Grand Ledge mom The Thanksgiving holiday will always hold a special place for Rachel Kuntzsch and her family. It was two years ago that a heart…
| November 23, 2020
Muskegon County ME honored for going above and beyond
Team effort, collaboration earn Dr. Joyce deJong 2020 Donation Champion Award Dr. Joyce deJong, the medical examiner for Muskegon, Ingham, Allegan and Kalamazoo counties, was honored by Gift of Life Michigan for her support of…
| November 19, 2020
Dr. Teresa Jacobs honored by Gift of Life Michigan
Few physicians have done more over the years to help fulfill the wishes of donors and their grieving families than Dr. Teresa Jacobs at Michigan Medicine. Dr. Jacobs, the director of the Neurological Intensive Care…
Blog | November 18, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan salutes Donation Champions
What makes a champion? In the organ and tissue donation realm, there are so many to choose from. At Gift of Life Michigan, we consider everyone who signs up on the Organ Donor Registry, anyone…
| November 18, 2020
Labor of love: Grand Rapids man honored for sharing heartfelt journey about organ donation
As a truck driver, Chad Milton has been on more journeys than he can probably count. Milton, a Grand Rapids resident, is being honored by Gift of Life Michigan for another type of journey, however,…
| November 17, 2020
Changing hearts, changing minds: Donation Champion Award marks improved collaboration with funeral home professionals
Funeral Home professionals and Organ Procurement Organizations can sometimes have a contentious relationship. Caring for and embalming organ and tissue donors can create extra work for funeral professionals or new challenges for funeral directors. That’s…
| November 16, 2020
West Branch couple honored for volunteer efforts
Gift of Life Michigan recognizes Donor Champions for outreach, advocacy Gift of Life Michigan relies on more than 350 volunteers across the state and few are as active or productive as Ward and Lydia Kimball…
| November 15, 2020
Innovative approach nets MFDA chief Champion Award From Gift of Life Michigan
‘It’s really part of our mission, too,’ says executive director Seven years ago, funeral directors across the state got together with representatives from Gift of Life Michigan to discuss challenges and improve their working relationship….
Blog | November 13, 2020
National Donor Sabbath brings faith traditions, donor families and recipients together
This weekend, faith leaders across the country are getting together to host discussions about organ and tissue donation. The annual National Donor Sabbath takes place from Nov. 13-15 this year. It is traditionally observed on…
| November 12, 2020
Gift of Life HOSA Challenge brings students together to register organ and tissue donors
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…
| November 11, 2020
DeFoe honored as Multicultural Difference Maker
‘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…
| November 5, 2020
Lansing’s WLNS wins Donation Storyteller Award
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…
| November 5, 2020
‘A second chance at life is exactly what she got’
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…
| November 4, 2020
Advocacy, passion make Sinai Grace nurse a Donation Champion
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…
| November 3, 2020
From tragedy to hope: chaplain brings light to families in dark times
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…
| November 2, 2020
‘The best part of my day’
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…
Blog | October 30, 2020
Proposed organ transplant system reforms miss the mark
The United States has the best organ donation and transplantation system in the world. Organ donation has increased nationwide for seven straight years and, even in the midst of a pandemic, our system is on…
Blog | October 30, 2020
Despite state changes, Gift of Life Michigan will maintain Covid-19 protocols
There have been changes to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders regarding the Coronavirus, and others have been recently overturned by the courts. At Gift of Life Michigan, we are maintaining the status quo and will…
| October 30, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan honors Wayne State University student group
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…
| October 29, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan honors Charlevoix woman for work with donor families
‘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…
| October 28, 2020
Secretary of State manager honored as Donation Champion
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…
| October 26, 2020
Kalamazoo physician honored as Donation Champion by Gift of Life Michigan
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…
| October 23, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan to host Business Roundtable on Health
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…
| October 22, 2020
Advice from kidney recipient: ‘Don’t give up hope’
‘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…
| October 8, 2020
Symposium to address organ donation, health disparities
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…
| October 2, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan honors National Hispanic Heritage Month
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…
| October 2, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan wins two Pinnacle Awards
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…
Blog | September 23, 2020
Gift of Life Michigan honors Secretary of State during National DMV Appreciation Month
September is National DMV Appreciation Month, when Gift of Life Michigan recognizes the Michigan Secretary of State for the invaluable work they do every day to save and heal lives. The Michigan Secretary of State…
Blog | September 11, 2020
We need your help!
Last year, President Donald Trump signed off on an executive order designed to improve kidney care in the United States. While it is an admirable goal, the executive order may have unintended consequences that could…
Blog | September 9, 2020
Living on in others helps hearts heal
Kenneth Fogelsonger of Bay City (pictured in orange) gave the best bear hugs, according to his niece, Janet Auer, the manager of the Masin SOS branch office. He was only 59 when he died suddenly…
Blog | August 27, 2020
Virtual Donate Life Day at the Zoo brings zoo to you
It’s not often that you can get a behind-the-scenes look at a zoo without leaving the comfort of your home, but that’s exactly what you can do this weekend. Gift of Life Michigan’s annual Donate…
| August 24, 2020
Donate Life Day at the Zoo goes virtual
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…
| August 20, 2020
‘I felt brand new’
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…
| August 19, 2020
Donated liver helps Sterling Heights man achieve his dream
‘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…
| August 19, 2020
‘Her spirit is truly alive’’
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…
| August 19, 2020
St. Johns woman celebrates 21 years with donated lung
‘I’m just so grateful for my life, and what I’ve been able to do’ St. Johns, MI – It’s Friday afternoon outside the Clinton County Senior Center near downtown St. Johns, and Karen Livermore is…