Podcasts

No one could imagine how life would carry on when four teenagers from Brunswick, Ohio were killed in a car crash, a day before their high school graduation. Kevin Fox, one of the teens in the car, made the decision two years prior to the accident to be a registered donor. Kevin’s sister, Colleen Fox […]

For 35 years, Lifebanc has coordinate thousands of letters and cards sent to and from donor families and recipients wanting to connect. At the heart of this process is Mary LaRiccia, Bereavement Services Coordinator and Elissa Berman, Sr. Bereavement Services Counselor.  Listen as they discuss the many aspects of communicating and what it takes to connect families touched by donation or […]

Part two of our conversation with  longtime Cleveland TV personality, Jan Jones.  As we learned last week,Dr. Sheldon Artz was an amazing man and his transplant story was certainly dramatic and unique. After his heart transplant, Jan and Shelly shared 15 added years together.  During those years, becoming Lifebanc ambassadors and advocating for organ donation became a passion for them. […]

Their story was magical, like something out of the movies. Longtime Cleveland TV personality Jan Jones and renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Sheldon Artz, or “Shelly” as we came to know him, fell in love and began a journey together that would challenge even the strongest of couples. With a history of heart issues, Dr. Artz was thrilled when a heart for transplant became available. To everyone’s shock, however, the donor heart […]

Being winded and out of breath was unusual for Griff Hill. He and his wife were active and had just returned from a ski trip. Griff went for a diagnostic procedure that turned into an emergency. He was in the hospital for over 30 days and never thought he would require a lung transplant to […]

Mindy Kraft’s life was in jeopardy. For years, she had endured medications, treatments and procedures that allowed her to make it to this point.  She was feeling worse and worse and knew that her options were few.  Doctors said that a liver transplant was the only option left. She was placed on the waiting list, but there […]

If there is one word the describes Dr. Tania Markarian’s commitment to organ donation, it is passion. Tania witnessed the triumph of a recipient receiving new life through transplantation and the tragedy when a close friend passed away, despite receiving a transplant because the long time he spent waiting took an enormous toll on his […]

Eddie and Kathy Cheyfitz had settled into a nice pace in life until a minor dental procedure lead to the discovery that he was in kidney failure. Eddie was preparing to begin dialysis, but his wife Kathy felt sure they would find a living donor before he got to that point. So it was a […]

Fred Dunlap was living his life. He and his wife Barbara were happily married; he enjoyed his job, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. But life drastically changed after Fred suffered a heart attack and was told he would need a heart transplant. Fred overcame so much to stay alive while on the waiting list, but […]

Keira was born to make a difference. At eleven years old, she was vibrant, a natural helper, and had plenty of energy. In October of 2017, Keira suffered an asthma attack and stopped breathing on the way to the hospital. Although ER doctors were able to revive her heart, her brain had gone too long […]