Podcasts

The surgery is successful, and the recovery is going well.  You are sent home with a functioning organ given as the most amazing gift.  You’re alive but overwhelmed.  Many recipients experience a feeling of now what that settles in between doctor’s appointments and maneuvering a new normal.  One of the best therapies for transplant recipients is […]

In case you’re not aware, November is National Eye Donor Awareness Month.  Who better than to share their story of the impact of the gift of sight than a cornea recipient.  Lois is a retired Cleveland Clinic Emergency Room nurse where – at one time, she would talk to families about their loved one being a […]

Most of us think of the holidays as a happy time. For some people, however, it can be a period of painful reflection, sadness, anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Feelings of sadness that last throughout the holiday season, usually from November through December, are often referred to as “the holiday blues.” When you’ve lost a loved one, though, this season can leave […]

We’re all familiar with stories of organ donors saving the lives of recipients; maybe you’ve heard about it in the news or seen it as you’ve scrolled through social media. One story that too often gets overlooked is the dramatic and life-changing gift of sight. Just for a minute, try to imagine how your day-to-day […]

We are wrapping up our series Stories from the Bridge to Life. Each episode is an opportunity to hear first-hand from those touched by organ donation and/or transplantation.  Growing up, Randy Oyaski was your typical boy-next-door. He was healthy, and life was going great. He went off to college, got married, and became an athletic trainer for the United States Football League. All in all, life was good until a […]

Something just wasn’t right. Weight gain, shortness of breath, and excessive thirst kept La’Tanya from normal activities. Also having a persistent cough, she went to a doctor where they did blood tests. When she returned home she received a surprising message telling her to go to the hospital. La’Tanya had been diagnosed with acute kidney […]

At 26 years old, the adult life of Alex Fletcher was about to launch. He recently received a promotion at his day job and landed a spot on the Cleveland Indian’s ground crew as a side gig. He was handsome, healthy, and had a heart of gold.  Overall, a wonderful young man loved by so […]

Having a family member in organ failure doesn’t happen often. Imagine, then, the overwhelming challenges faced by a family with multiple members in this vulnerable condition, all wondering whether they will receive an organ transplant or be forced to live a compromised life. For Julie Dabb Pencak, this is the reality she lives every day. Listen to Julie […]

Marla Corrado first became aware of Lifebanc when her Father, William passed away and was a registered donor. Since then, she has become a volunteer for Lifebanc and was part of a Gift of Life Walk & Run team to honor her dad’s memory called Planting the Seeds of Love.  When COVID hit, she and […]

An afternoon game of football with friends changed the life of 12-year-old Peter “PJ” Williams forever. After being tackled, he noticed that his knee hurt.  The pain and limp did not go away, and PJ’s mom, Sophia grew more concerned but neither of them was expecting the diagnoses they received.  Bone cancer. Listen as PJ shares his story […]