Gift of the Graft

What does it take to keep a kidney transplant thriving for nearly 35 years? For Helen Bickers, it took unmatched resilience, the power of patient self-advocacy, and surviving the darkest corners of chronic illness. In this episode of The Gift of the Graft , Conal sits down with Helen to trace her incredible, decades-long journey through the changing landscape of New Zealand's medical system. Diagn...

Jess’s story is one of those ones that really stays with you. Diagnosed with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), she went from living a full, active life to a place where even a single breath could feel like a hard-fought win. In this episode, we talk about: what it actually feels like to lose your breath, slowly, over time the emotional side of being sick trying to hold onto normal life while everyth...

Shane Leger’s story is one of resilience, perspective, and what it means to grow through life’s toughest moments. Diagnosed with a serious heart condition at birth, Shane faced challenges early that would shape the way he sees the world today. But what stands out isn’t just what he went through—it’s how he’s processed it. There’s a calmness and clarity in Shane’s outlook, captured in a line that s...

In this episode, I sit down with Antony Vlatkovich, liver transplant recipient, cancer survivor, and all-round legend. We talk about his childhood growing up with the knowledge that he would one day need a transplant, the weight of that reality, and how it shaped who he became. Antony shares the moment he received “the call,” the life-saving operation that followed, and his recovery. This is a con...

The first episode of the Gift of the Graft podcast features a conversation between kidney transplant recipient Conal Beban and his kidney donor, Andy Bryant. The podcast aims to provide information and support for individuals considering live organ donation. The conversation covers the emotional and physical journey of becoming a kidney donor, including the motivation, decision-making process, med...