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‘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…

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…

‘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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

‘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….

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…

‘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…

New facility allows for increased bone, tissue donors in northern Michigan Marquette, MI – A new facility in Marquette will help Gift of Life Michigan bring hope and healing to more Michigan residents. The facility…