The Gifted Life: Organ, Tissue and Eye Donation Podcast

Show Notes: We welcome Frank and Amber Avila , two lung recipients who found love after connecting online over their shared experiences with lung disease. The couple married and navigated the transplant process together at the same hospital. Between them, Frank and Amber have received a total of five organ transplants in the course of their lives. Their conversation highlights the power of mutual...

Show Notes: Author Erin Mitchell Crawford shares her journey through loss following the death of her nine-year-old son, Hayes. Erin discusses her book, Held: 30 Days of Prayer Through Grief , which originated from her own raw prayers and reflections during her darkest moments. The conversation explores how faith provides a foundation when navigating heartbreak and emphasizes that grief, while pers...

Show Notes: Join us as actor Larry Hyatt discusses The Tin Woman , a play based on a true story about Joy, a heart transplant recipient struggling with her second chance who seeks closure from her donor's grieving parents. The play powerfully explores themes of grief, acceptance, second chances, and connection, highlighting organ donation and recovery. Our Mental Health Moment asks "Who Are You?"...

Show Notes: In this episode, we have an inspiring conversation with Christian Bergeron about his daughter and donor hero, Elleanor "Ella" Claire Bergeron . Christian and his family created the Elleanor Claire Memorial Foundation . Discover how the Foundation aims to comfort donor families through dedicated memorial sites within all 64 of Louisiana's parishes. The sites honor Ella and all children...

Show Notes: We sit down with retired physician, Dr. Matthew Harmody , whose life took on new purpose after becoming a living kidney donor in 2017. What began as a personal decision to give the gift of life has grown into a powerful mission of advocacy, and his advocacy has reached new heights, literally. Dr. Harmody, alongside four fellow living donors, set out to climb the highest peak in every U...

Show Notes: In this episode, we celebrate generosity and the impact of stepping forward to give the gift of life to a stranger. Andrea Childers, a living kidney donor, and Jennifer Davis, her transplant recipient, join us to reflect on the journey that saved Jennifer's life. Andrea's confidence in giving the gift of life set in motion a life-changing path for both of them. Together, they open up a...

Show Notes: On this episode of The Gifted Life Podcast, we share a 30-year journey rooted in service as we highlight the extraordinary impact of longtime donation advocate and LOPA Board Member David Puckett. David reflects on his family’s transplant journey with his daughter, Lauren, a journey that led him to become her living kidney donor for her first lifesaving transplant. That selfless gift,...

Show Notes: We welcome Beth Sparks, mother of donor hero Clayton Sparks, to share more about her son whose legacy continues to touch so many lives. Clayton, became an organ donor at the age of 24, and was the inspiration for the children’s book Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark , written by Abby Gray, the wife of Clayton’s liver recipient. Beth reflects on Clayton’s vibrant personality, his compassio...

Show Notes: On this episode of The Gifted Life Podcast, we welcome Abby Gray, author of Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark and Impatiently Waiting for Miracles . In January 2017, Abby began writing as a therapeutic outlet while she and her husband, Reid, faced serious health challenges. Four years later, their lives changed forever when Reid received a liver transplant through a directed donation from...

Show Notes: On this episode we shine a spotlight on an incredible woman whose story combines generosity and advocacy with a touch of pageant sparkle. Jeri Gill , an altruistic living kidney donor, was recently crowned 2025 Ms. Senior World Louisiana in the 60’s age category. Jeri's platform is organ donation, and she uses her voice to champion the gift of donation. Don’t miss Jeri’s inspiring jour...

Show Notes: On this episode of The Gifted Life Podcast we welcome Miss Louisiana’s Teen 2025, Virginia Kirkpatrick . 17 year old Virginia is an impressive leader on every level, but what really stood out is her Community Service Initiative to educate and encourage registration as an organ and tissue donor, “Life After Mine: Your Choice, Their Chance. Virginia shares her journey to the crown and wh...

Show Notes: On this episode, we sit down with donor mom and author Maggie Fanara, whose debut book is titled Beautifully Broken . Maggie opens up about the lies she once believed about herself, and how God met her in the depths of abuse, heartbreak, and loss to rewrite her story. Maggie invites us into her journey of healing and purpose where she discusses what it means to break toxic cycles and s...

Show Notes: In this episode, we spotlight a groundbreaking advancement in transplantation offering new hope to patients with stage 4 colorectal cancer. At Northwestern Medicine , surgeons successfully split a donor's liver to save two lives. One portion of the donor's liver went for a traditional waitlist recipient, and the other portion, for a patient with advanced colorectal cancer. This approac...

Show Notes: On this episode of The Gifted Life Podcast, we sit down with Robert Boudwin who's a man known for his larger-than-life presence both on and off the court as the Houston Rockets’ beloved mascot “Clutch the Rocket Bear”. However, Robert’s story goes far beyond entertainment. He’s also a passionate Donate Life advocate with a personal journey of hope and healing. Our conversation is full...

Show Notes: We’re joined by Ron Chapman — lung transplant recipient, author, and passionate advocate for those awaiting a second chance at life. In a powerful conversation, Ron shares his deeply personal story of resilience, fear, hope, and gratitude. Through his heartfelt discussion with our hosts and his inspiring book, A Quest for a Lung , Ron offers guidance and encouragement to anyone on the...

Show Notes: For our milestone 250th episode, we bring you an inspiring conversation with Louis Smith, an Army veteran and heart transplant recipient , alongside Dr. Benjamin Bryner, a cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital who saved more than just his life. After serving in the military, Smith’s heart function declined to just 10 percent, leaving him in urgent need of a transplant. With...

Show Notes: In this powerful episode, we sit down with Todd and Carrie Hensel. Todd underwent a two day surgery which included a seven-organ transplant, during which he died five times. Fate had other plans and organ donation gave Todd a second chance at life. Now, Todd and Carrie live on a peaceful ranch and we discuss their newly released book, “My Miracle Man – The Deaths and Life of a Seven-Or...

Show Notes: In September of 2024, 4 women kidney donors, over 4 days, biked 444 miles to promote living organ donation . We’re excited to have Diane Mills, one of the four women behind the event, join us to share the story of how it all began and the incredible success it achieved. She’ll talk about the supportive people they encountered along the journey and how they were able to demonstrate that...

Show Notes: On this episode, we welcome Deputy Kim Bergeron of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, an extraordinary individual who serves, protects and saves lives. Deputy Bergeron shares her inspiring story as a living kidney donor to her high school friend, and her recent experience as a stem cell donor . Discover her journey and the profound impact of giving the gift of life through living...

Show Notes: We welcome Angie Mikkelson , a heart transplant recipient who’s galloping into her second chance at life. Angie shares her incredible journey from living with a lifelong heart defect to receiving the lifesaving gift of a heart at 25 years old. She shares how the generosity of her donor hero inspired her to push the boundaries of endurance, leading her to embrace an active lifestyle fil...

Show Notes: In this episode, we explore the journey of living with kidney disease. We talk to Pesh Patel , who has transformed a life altering diagnosis into his mission. Pesh shares his personal story and how he founded A Kidney Life , which includes a podcast, Talk Kidney to Me . This podcast is dedicated to raising awareness for those living with kidney disease and it’s a resource for kidney di...

Show Notes: Dr. Satish Nadig with Northwestern Medicine and kidney transplant recipient, John Nicholas, join us to share details about a medical breakthrough in kidney transplantation. The AWAKE Kidney Program (Accelerated Surgery Without General Anesthesia in Kidney Transplantation) is a new approach in kidney transplantation, and in John's case, the 28-year-old was discharged less than 24 hours...

Show Notes: We welcome Casana Fink , an advocate for organ and tissue donation, nonprofit founder, entrepreneur, author, Miss Tampa and at the release of this episode, the current Miss Florida, who will be competing in the Miss America competition next year. As the daughter of a liver recipient, Casana has dedicated over a decade to educate others about the importance of organ and tissue donation....

Show Notes: In this community partnership episode, we dive into the topic of school safety and gain important insights from Louisiana Center for Safe Schools Director, Trevis Thompson. Trevis explores the strategies, practices and programs that support school communities and their safety partners. Learn how communities can use these programs to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn and...

Show Notes: Join us for an inspiring episode as we chat with nurse Lori Vaughn and teen Lauren Swanson. Lauren’s battle with a rare disease led to her needing a kidney transplant. One day, Lori stumbled upon a social media plea for a living donor for Lauren. Even though she had no direct connection to Lauren, Lori felt led to see if she was a match. Hear all about how their incredible story of alt...