Let's Talk About Life

When Michael Grabill learned he had liver cancer and would need a transplant, his daughter Beth was by his side for the entire journey. Beth was also by his side when Michael passed just a couple of years after receiving his transplant. That's when Beth Grabill decided to change her life - in a big way. Inspired by the level of care her father received, the 35-year-old mom of two went to nursing s...

Pediatric Transplant Week , and we could think of no better to celebrate than talking to a young recipient about their experience. When Chase , one of triplet boys was born, his parents Michael and Jodi Del Ferraro , immediatly knew something was wrong because of his deep yellow coloring. Michael recalls Chase's journey and how it felt to receive the call that a liver was available to save his son...

Cody was so excited to become a registered organ, eye, and tissue donor that his mom, Valerie, took a picture of him with his license. Neither of them thought he would honor his decision to be a donor after being in a fatal accident later that day. Gene Shimandle , the recipient of Cody's heart, was so moved by his gift of life that he set his sights on finishing the Aurora Turkey Trot just six mo...

Every April, there is a buzz in the air. Spring is in full swing, the temperatures are warming, and we get the feeling that new growth, new life, and rebirth are all around us. That's why April is perfect for celebrating  National Donate Life Month , a time when we nationally recognize the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donors and saving the more than 100,000 lives of the men, women, and chi...

We often say that it takes a village to facilitate the organ donation process from recovery to transplantation. When an individual meets medical criteria for organ donation, and in collaboration with their family, the first steps in the donation process can begin. The Lifebanc care team medically manages that patient until the recovery is complete. The care team consists of critical care professio...

As a Cleveland Clinic liver transplant coordinator , Amy McFarlin witnessed the power of donation and transplantation every day. She helped to guide transplant recipients through their routine to keep their new organ functioning as long as possible. So it was more than ironic that after bloodwork, Amy received a call from her Physician Assistant telling her to go immediately to the ER. Amy was in...

The Transplant Games of America (TGA) are festival-style games for individuals who have had an organ, tissue, cornea, or bone-marrow transplant. Living organ donors can participate in the games as well. Donor family members, transplant professionals, and other supporters attend to be a part of the magical celebration of life. The games were postponed in 2020 and rescheduled for July of this year....

As Jim Myers went through dialysis and the transplant experience, he noticed a gap in advocacy for kidney patients. Determined to fill that gap, Jim started using his experience and education as an attorney with two MBAs in business and health administration to advocate full-time for proper kidney care; he  specializes in using social media to help fellow renal patients. Listen to a stimulating co...

Happy 35th Anniversary, Lifebanc! It is an opportunity to celebrate the milestone that we have been saving and healing lives for that long. Lifebanc has saved and enhanced the lives of thousands of northeast Ohioans and others from across the country. But none of our accomplishments would have been possible without the generosity of donors and their amazing families.  When we reflect, it's mind-bo...

Lifebanc has been part of the Cleveland community for about 35 years. It is a milestone that we want to celebrate, but it’s only a blink-of-an-eye, compared to the long-standing, distinguished history of E.F. Boyd and Son, Inc. Funeral Homes and Crematory , which has served Greater Cleveland’s African American community for over 115 years!  Marcella Boyd Cox  as  Chief of Community Engagement she...

Although not everyone meets the medical criteria to be an organ donor when they pass away, many people are able to give the life-healing and saving gift of tissue. Heart valves, bone, and cornea from tissue donors help individuals live a better life. The gift of skin is unique and is vital to the healing process of burn victims According to the CDC, over a million Americans every year suffer from...

Coming from a family where many of the women suffered from heart disease, lifelong New Yorker Roxanne wasn't surprised when she learned she had suffered a silent heart attack. She was referred to a larger medical center and was told she would require a new heart to continue living. Roxanne waited for months in the hospital until finally, after three offers that didn’t work out, she received the he...

As northeast Ohioans, we are so fortunate to have access to premium healthcare in our own backyard. We take pride in our strong donation and transplant community that includes numerous organizations providing services, education, and outreach to a population in need. Lifebanc is honored to be one of those organizations! With so many groups reaching out to the same populations, overlap would inevit...

The past year has been difficult to maneuver in addition to the events of the past few weeks.  Listen to the second episode of season two as Elissa Berman, Lifebanc Sr. Bereavement Services Counselor is a calming voice in the noise and provides ways to cope with fear-filled times.

It was a beautiful fall day in October of 2016.  Priscilla Masello and her family – including her husband, son, mother, and brothers were together enjoying what seemed to be the perfect day. The day started with a double-header baseball game then there were a birthday celebration, an impromptu football game, and rides in a dream car recently purchased by Bobby, Priscilla’s brother. When it was Pri...

Lifebanc will be celebrating 35 years of service in 2021, and we have been a leader in the area of grief support for many of those years. We are proud of our dedication to donor families and the comprehensive aftercare program that we offer to families whose loved one was an organ, eye, or tissue donor. All of our bereavement services are offered at no cost to donor families and include individual...

The numbers are staggering – there are nearly 100,000 Americans waiting for a kidney transplant – but only 21,000 will actually receive a kidney this year. But there is a way to increase the number of people helped. Anna Tzinis , from the National Kidney Foundation provides details on free resources to kidney patients and families looking for a living donor through THE BIG ASK: THE BIG GIVE progra...

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 to talk with someone who intimately shares a similar...

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 donor.  Listen to the fascinating story of one woman and how the gift of life came full circl...

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 you feeling more than the hol...

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 routine would drastically change if you lost your sight! David Bosch , President, an...

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...

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 failure. If someone had told La'Tanya Foster-Johnson what h...

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 many.  Imagine then -the depth of shock and despair when he passed away in his room – with no known cause. Greg &amp...

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 explain how kidney disease has affected her...