Gift of Life

This week’s episode is one of courage, faith, resilience, and the long road of living with transplantation.   We are honored to introduce you to Kim Jacques, a heart and double lung transplant survivor whose journey began far earlier than most. At just five years old, Kim’s family knew something wasn’t right. Years of tests, uncertainty, and incredible medical care followed...

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we share the extraordinary journey of Mary Ann, a woman in need of a liver transplant who never could have imagined how God was already working behind the scenes.   While searching for hope and answers, Mary Ann received devastating news — the passing of her son’s childhood best friend...

This week on Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, I sit down with someone who truly inspired me — Fred Hueston, a man who received his life-saving heart transplant at the age of 72 at AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida.   Fred’s story is one of perseverance, faith, and the incredible strength of love. His wife, a nurse, was right by his side through every moment of his...

This week’s episode is one that goes beyond stories, statistics, and interviews — it goes straight to the heart. As Christmas arrives, we pause to reflect on what this season truly represents: love, gratitude, and the incredible power of giving.   For those touched by organ donation — recipients, donor families, living donors, those still waiting, and the medical teams who m...

This week on Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, BJ sits down with Kathy Anderson, a true pioneer in the transplant community. Kathy received her life-saving heart transplant over 38 years ago, making her one of the longest-living heart recipients around.   Her story begins at just 20 years old, when she was pregnant with twin daughters. What should have been the happiest time...

This week, we meet Wayne Adam Greer — a husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and author whose faith and resilience carried him through one of life’s biggest challenges.   Wayne’s journey began with what seemed like nothing more than a stubborn cold that just wouldn’t go away. After weeks of no improvement, he headed to the ER expecting a simple diagnosis like bronchit...

This episode will leave you speechless. Meet Chris Goff, a man whose life changed in a single week. One moment, he walked into the emergency room—just hoping for answers—and the next, he was fighting for his life. Within days, Chris’s heart gave out, and he was placed on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation)—a machine that literally worked as his heart and lungs—...

In this moving episode, BJ Odom sits down with Brian Pitts, whose journey through heart disease and transplant is both harrowing and inspiring. Like so many others, Brian had no idea he was living with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)—until one life-changing day at a family wedding when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest.   After being rushed to the hospital, Brian’s short-term...

This week, BJ sits down with Tim Andrews, a true pioneer in the transplant world and an inspiration to anyone who believes in the power of science and second chances.   Tim made medical history as the longest-living person with a pig kidney transplant, thriving for nine incredible months before the organ was removed. His story reads like science fiction — but it’s 100% real. Now,...

This week, we meet Jimmy Tolleson, a preacher from Alabama whose journey to a new heart is a powerful testimony of faith and endurance.   Jimmy’s story began at just 16 years old, when he started experiencing chest pains. Despite repeated reassurances that his heart was fine, his symptoms continued for decades—until, at age 51, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio discovered th...

This week, we meet Heather McCoy, a true warrior whose story embodies courage, faith, and the incredible power of organ donation.   Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at just 10 years old, Heather faced challenges most of us can only imagine. At 20, she received her first double-lung transplant, a life-changing gift that allowed her to breathe freely again. Eight years later, when her lungs began...

In this inspiring and educational episode, BJ sits down with Shane Grant, who has been living with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) for nearly two decades. Over the years, Shane became her own best advocate—learning about her disease, seeking out specialists, and pushing for answers.   Her persistence and courage led her through a long and emotional journey that ultimately resulted in...

This week, we welcome Jennifer Lentini, whose transplant journey began when she was just a teenager. On July 6, 1996, Jennifer received a life-saving heart transplant that gave her a second chance at life. But her story is far from over.   Today, at age 42, Jennifer continues her fight. She joined us for this episode while on dialysis, awaiting a kidney transplant—and facing the reality...

Today’s episode is extra special because we’re diving into something deeply personal—my brand-new memoir, More Parts Than a Chicken Nugget.   But this book wasn’t written alone. By my side through the process was Christina Metcalf—a gifted writer and, more importantly, someone who understands the meaning of the gift of life firsthand. Christina is a living donor,...

Welcome back to the Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast.   Today we’re honored to share the powerful story of Monica Douglas Davis—a wife, a mother, a licensed counselor, an author, a life coach, and a heart transplant recipient.   Monica’s journey began after the birth of her twin daughters, when she was just 42 years old. What should have been a time of...

This week, we meet Lisa Vecchione, a heart transplant survivor whose story reminds us of the delicate balance between life, timing, and the gift of organ donation.   Lisa’s journey began long before her transplant. A heart murmur noticed back in junior high might have been a warning sign—but no one could have predicted the road ahead. Years later, while working as a barista and su...

This week, we welcome Sean Pinegar, another heart transplant survivor whose story is deeply intertwined with the genetic condition LMNA-related cardiomyopathy.   Sean takes us on a heartfelt journey—from the earliest signs that something wasn’t right, through the challenges and uncertainty, and finally to the life-changing gift of a new heart. His path is one of courage, resilienc...

In this week’s episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, host BJ Odom takes on a topic that every transplant recipient knows about, but many fear: rejection.   Our scheduled guest, Randy, had to postpone his appearance due to experiencing a bout of rejection with his liver transplant. In his absence, BJ turns the microphone toward an open and honest conversation abou...

Welcome to Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast. I’m your host, BJ Odom.   Today’s episode is a powerful reminder we all need: if something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it. Our guest, John Perkins, learned this lesson in the hardest way. What began as a nagging sense that something was wrong eventually led him down the road of needing not one, but two...

Sometimes the most precious gifts we pass down to our children are love, values, and memories. But for families like Jennifer’s, there is also a shared genetic legacy—one that brings with it enormous health challenges.   You may remember Dr. Robert Pritt from Episode 38, whose life was saved by a heart transplant. Robert and his daughter Jennifer share not only a deep bond as fath...

Sometimes, life brings people into your path for a reason. On a recent visit to Tampa General Hospital, I found myself needing a ride — and that’s when I met Tammy Zettles. As I climbed into her car, I noticed a Donate Life sticker on her window. That simple sticker led to a powerful conversation that I’ll never forget.   Tammy is a donor mom. Her son, DJ, passed away at the...

This week’s episode is truly a family story like no other. We’re joined by mother-daughter duo Carman Negron and Carmen Tipton, both working with LifeLink of Florida to help make the gift of life possible for others. Alongside them is sister Aliris Rosas, a pancreas transplant recipient whose own journey brings the conversation even closer to home. And in the background, the family&rsq...

In this deeply moving episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we welcome Dr. Angelie Roman—a compassionate physician, an immigrant from the Philippines, and now a grateful kidney transplant recipient.   Angelie came to the United States at a young age, driven by a dream to help others. She pursued that dream and became an oncology physician, dedicating her life to...

In Episode 67 of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we meet Yesenia Zaragoza — a proud Hispanic woman, a compassionate nurse, and a living kidney donor whose journey is as inspiring as it is impactful.   Yesenia’s story began while working with liver transplant recipients at Tampa General Hospital. Now part of the LifeLink of Florida team, her commitment to saving...

Welcome to The Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, where every story beats with hope and every voice makes a difference. I’m your host, BJ Odom.   In this powerful episode, we shine a light on National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month — a time to elevate voices, shatter myths, and inspire communities to say “yes” to life-saving organ, eye, and tissue do...