Anna Parish, Liver Recipient
Diagnosed with Biliary Atresia at only five weeks old, we found out our daughter Anna would have to undergo a six hour surgery to keep her from needing an immediate liver transplant. The procedure was a success and for eight years she lived a pretty good life with her parents, two sisters, and three dogs. […]
Ann Delehanty-Koenig, Cornea Recipient & Living Kidney Donor
My connection to donation is two sided, as a recipient and a donor. My first experience was toward the end of college I was diagnosed with keratoconus. I finished college and one day while playing tennis I noticed that I was experiencing even more difficulties following the ball. My keratoconus had progressed and I would […]
Mixtape in the Key of Life
Written by: Kevin Reynolds, Kidney Recipient January 17, 2018 I realize not everyone is as forthcoming about their health journey as I have been, and that’s why I enjoy being a LifeCenter ambassador. I’m also not above using my story to try and garner attention about organ donation in some unusual ways. I’m a big […]
Getting “The Call”
Written By: Pat McEntee, Heart Transplant Recipient Waiting for a heart transplant was a long, slow process. The road began more than 20 years before the event happened, but I wasn’t listed until 2014 when my heart function was rapidly declining. A Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implanted in 2014 bought me the time I […]
Reese Brady Ryan, Heart Recipient
April 23, 2016 marked the 24th day for us in the hospital. I was in the bathroom giving myself a pep talk and when I came out, Dr. Villa was standing in the doorway with a box of tissues. I assumed something was terribly wrong. He sat down, and with a tear in his eye […]
Missy Brunner, Kidney Recipient
In 2009 I was a single mom of four, working as an LPN. I was taking a shower and passed out. I saw my doctor to see if we could figure out what was going on. The next day I while taking my kids to school, my doctor called and insisted I go to the […]
Idris Gray, Kidney Recipient
At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. While in college I lost 50 lbs. and mistakenly thought I no longer needed to manage my condition. I was wrong. As a result, in 2009 I was diagnosed with acute kidney failure. My doctors told me that if I didn’t receive a […]
Donald Melillo, Liver Recipient
In February 2012, I heard the three words that nobody ever wants to hear… “You have cancer”. I was diagnosed with liver cancer and was told the only treatment option was a transplant. You go through every range of emotion, sadness, anger, and confusion. As the days passed, I became sicker and spent my time […]
Danette Jones, From Waiting to Receiving a Kidney Transplant
I found out that the life I knew would forever change in June of 2015. My kidney failure caused me to need dialysis. Needless to say, I was devastated. I cried a lot, and prayed more. Only the power of God would be able to bring me through this journey. Nine surgeries later I smile […]
Bethany Clack, Double Lung Recipient
In October 2013, Bethany visited her doctor for her yearly school check-up. With severely high blood pressure, Bethany was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension. Up until then, she was a girl who loved life and was always smiling. She never enjoyed sports or physical education in school, but we assumed she was being a “typical teen”. […]