The Gifted Life: Organ, Tissue and Eye Donation Podcast

Show Notes: How do you explain the gift of donation to a child? On episode 115 we welcome author, Brenda Cortez. Brenda created the character, Howl the Owl , after giving the gift of life through living kidney donation. Hear all about her series of books aimed at helping adults explain donation and transplantation to children. Then we take a mental health moment to share tips for helping children...

Show Notes: On episode 114, advancements in the use of donated bone marrow is not only saving lives, but may also be the key to decreasing or eliminating rejection for organ transplant recipients. Remarkable studies are being conducted by Ossium Health , and we welcome co-founder and CEO, Kevin Caldwell , to learn how organ donors are contributing to marrow availability. We take a mental health mo...

Show Notes: On episode 113 we welcome Nina Martinez , the first person living with HIV to become a lifesaver through living donation. Learn how this remarkable medical milestone came to fruition. Then TGL podcast veteran, Dr. Christine Durand , joins us for an update on how the HOPE Act has changed the landscape for those waiting on a second chance at life through organ donation . We learn tips ab...

Show Notes: On episode 112 a listener’s call inspires us to ask questions about heart diseases that lead to transplant, specifically, cardiomyopathy. Dr. Daniel Morin from Ochsner Medical Center helps us get to the heart of the matter, explaining how the disease develops. We take a moment for mental health to offer tips for introducing mindfulness into your day, and honor hero Chloe Esquivel , rig...

Show Notes: Talking about your personal grief and the process of recovery following a loss can often be isolating and quiet. We welcome Grief Out Loud podcast host, Jana DeCristofaro from The Dougy Center to learn how they are using this medium to help open up the conversation about grief. Then we have tips for self care and share an assessment worksheet , honor hero Doug Colston and answer a list...

Show Notes: A crucial aspect of kidney transplantation is aftercare by way of immunosuppressive medications. We talk with kidney recipient, Monica Fox, and transplant surgeon, Dr. Matthew Cooper, to learn about a campaign called Honor the Gift . They are hoping to engage Congress and solve problems with Medicare coverage limits. Sara Blakemore talks to us about traumatic grief. Monica Fox rejoins...

Show Notes: On The Gifted Life Podcast we welcome two dynamic LOPA Community Educators, Sheron Raymond and Cheryl McGee-Hills, to a lively discussion about why grassroots education is so important to them. Learn what led them to LOPA, the philosophy behind their passion for spreading awareness and how they adjust their strategy year after year when tackling myths about organ, tissue and eye donati...

Show Notes: Creativity and commitment to wasting no organ produces a domino effect in saving lives. On episode 108, we welcome Dr. John Seal from Ochsner Health System to learn all about domino liver transplantation and how the procedure works. Then Sara Blakemore, Family Advocate for LOPA, joins us to share tips for combating our inner critic. We honor hero, Carter Litrette , and answer one of yo...

Show Notes: Imagine the gravity of hearing these words from your child’s neurosurgeon, “Your daughter has suffered irreversible brain damage. She is not responding to pain. She is legally brain dead.” How do you begin to move on? We chat with donor mom, Susan Miller , whose book, Permission To Thrive , aims at helping others by sharing her grief journey following the loss of her 14-year-old daught...

Show Notes: On episode 106 we are talking about aviation and transplantation. Indiana Donor Network launched its own aviation division, TxJet , 5 years ago to help save lives. IDN’s Chief Operating Officer, Steve Johnson, tells us why their organ procurement organization took to the skies and the innovation behind TxJet. Sally gives us tips for dealing with grief on an everyday basis, and we honor...

Show Notes: Imagine being a police officer, stopped at a red light towards the end of your shift, and suddenly getting hit from behind by a cab going over 100 miles per hour and your car bursting into flames! Hear Jason Schechterle’s story and how he survived thanks to tissue donation, his fellow first responders, medical staff, perseverance and determination. Sally walks us through tips for conne...

Show Notes: On episode 104, we talk about advancements in breast reconstruction following mastectomy to treat breast cancer. Nick Pashos and Billy Heim from Bio-Aesthetics join us to share information about the company’s exciting research and how tissue donors are giving new treatment options. Sally sparks a roundtable discussion about potential myths surrounding donation and how myths can negativ...

Show Notes: Episode 103 is an emotional story about a 13 year old boy who has to come to grips with the gravity of his situation after learning he desperately needs a new heart. Michael Kutcher , twin to television star Ashton Kutcher, joins us to share his 27 year journey to, and after, heart transplant . Hear what life has become for this staunch advocate for registering as an organ, tissue and...

Show Notes: Episode 102 is the second of our two part series about Briggs Elliser , a pediatric liver recipient. The team continues the conversation with his mom, Brittany Elliser, and this time we focus on his personal journey and the heroes who have made his life possible through organ, eye and tissue donation . Brittany introduces us to donor mom, Olivia Hoblit. Her daughter, Trinity , is one o...

Show Notes: Episode 101 is the first of a two part series about Briggs Elliser , a pediatric liver recipient who was diagnosed with biliary atresia as an infant. The team talks with his mom, Brittany Elliser, and Dr. John Seal , one of the transplant surgeons on Brigg’s care team, about what happens when transplants don’t go as planned. Dr. Seal also educates us about how one liver can be used to...

Show Notes: It’s our 100th episode & we are going Hollywood! First, we are joined by Shireen Razack, one of the writer’s for NBC’s hit television show, New Amsterdam . She shares the behind the scenes inspiration for the show’s 7th episode, The Domino Effect . Then we welcome Tenaya Wallace, with Donate Life Hollywood , and learn more about the importance of accurate story lines in the entertainme...

Show Notes: Happy New Year! On episode 99 we kick off 2019 talking about ways you can control your end of life decisions. What’s a will and what’s a living will? Should I declare that I’m an organ, eye and tissue donor in a will? Our guest, estate planning attorney, Paul Rabalais , has the answers. Sally gives us tips for shifting to a new perspective. We honor hero, Alan Varnado (Puissegur) , and...

Show Notes: On episode 98 of The Gifted Life Podcast, we welcome Jennifer Scharfenstein and Haley Orillion of Savannah Smiles to learn about the driving passion behind the nonprofit . The organization offers resources to families who have lost a child under the age of 18, and is also bridging the gap of grief between parents and their children through Camp Savannah . Sally gives us tips for managi...

Show Notes: On episode 97 we welcome Litsa Williams and Eleanor Haley of What’s Your Grief to put a spotlight on the need for various approaches to grieving. They have a plethora of resources, from their blog with entries titled ‘ 64 of the Best Things Ever Said to a Griever ’, to trainings for professionals , to a podcast called What’s Your Grief . Then Sally guides us through tips for navigating...

Show Notes: The Eye Bank Association of America has been celebrating Eye Donation Month in March for the last 35 years, but this year it is officially moving to November. Our hosts interview Julia Wallace, of the Baton Rouge Regional Eyebank , to learn about this year’s campaign and new ways they are honoring donors. Sally talks about the benefits of group therapy and we honor hero, Alexis Mollier...

Show Notes: We welcome Dr. Jonathan Hand to episode 95 and discuss the risks of disease transmission from a donor versus not receiving a transplant. Dr. Hand specializes in the treatment of infectious disease with transplant patients at Ochsner Medical Center, and explains why no one should rule themselves out as a potential donor. Sally talks about the importance of being able to take a break fro...

Show Notes: On episode 94 we take the guest seats on another podcast called Causecasts (now known as Causepods) . Causepods host, Mathew Passy, takes us back in time to discover the origins of The Gifted Life Podcast and learn facts about registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor . Then we honor hero, Brittany Falcone , on this episode of The Gifted Life Podcast .

Show Notes: On episode 93, we talk to with Nicole Gladfelter and Ted Sheldon. Two living donors who help us understand some of the hurdles they faced when they decided to donate a kidney to someone in need. Their persistence to give the gift of life will inspire you. Then we honor hero Barry Brown and answer a listener’s question about coverage under FMLA for living donation right here on The Gift...

Show Notes: Episode 92 of The Gifted Life Podcast brings us back in time to a special moment when a little boy named, Xander, is with his Paw-Paw, Lee Benoit . Lee is a cajun musician and interviewed Xander in his recording studio. The two talked about life, music and super heroes. We don't want to give too much of this narrative away, but a special thanks to Tulane Transplant Institute and Our La...

Show Notes: We go back to Utah for a Transplant Games of America redux. Three families share how their tiny athletes are living a big full life, thanks to their donor heroes. Then Sally discusses research from the male perspective and how to begin having conversations about mental health . We honor a hero, Emily Lyons , from the Transplant Games website Reflection Room and answer a listener’s ques...