December: Jesiah Brock. Featured in 2023 Calendar.
When I was 18 months old, I was involved in a horrible accident that left me burned over a great area of my body. I underwent a skin graft procedure to improve my quality of life. At the time, skin grafting procedures were still fairly new and uncommon, and I like to think my experience […]
July: Lilly Karschner. Featured in 2023 Calendar.
When I was 6 years old, I received a cornea transplant from a family who made the noble decision for their child to be an organ and tissue donor. This family’s brave choice has changed my life for the better and given me the chance to continue to see this ever- changing world. Without them, […]
December: Christienne King and AJ Wilson, Family of Adrienne King, Organ and Cornea Donor (1959-1992), Featured in 2004 Calendar.
In 1992, the oldest of my four sisters suffered a non-survivable brain injury in a fall. Despite having Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy, Adrienne knew no strangers, did not set personal limitations, and taught me more in her short life than anyone I have known. At 33 years old, Adrienne saved the lives of four people […]
September: Connie Lawson, Cornea Recipient. 8 years post-transplant. Featured in 2016 Calendar.
In 2013, I contracted a severe fungal infection in my eye. The pain was so intense that I couldn’t do anything and quickly began to lose my vision. My only option to live pain free was to receive a corneal transplant. I was able to get my full vision back with no pain in the […]
July: Tayler Lee Towles, Daughter of Connie Towles, Cornea Donor (1967-2012). Featured in 2017 Calendar.
At the age of nine years old I lost my mother to breast cancer. Losing her especially at such a young age has greatly impacted me and continues to impact me today. My mom was the strongest, most caring woman I know. She continues to inspire me in unexplainable ways. Stories told by both her […]
June: Sgt. Keith Belcher, Tissue Recipient. 8-years post-transplant. Featured in 2014 Calendar.
I am a police sergeant with the City of Milford. I received my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tissue graft in 2014. I was injured while participating in my agency’s physical fitness course. While I was still on the ground clutching my left knee, all I could think about was “how long will this keep me […]
Dalton Burger – Cornea Recipient
My incident happened 4 years ago when I was 19 and having fun. I attended a party with a few other friends having a good time. Unfortunately things went bad fast. I was leaving the party and a kid came up from behind me and as I turned around he hit me in the eye. […]
Amaya Deye – Tissue Recipient
In the beginning, I felt like my knee would dislocate or be out of place for hours or even days before it felt semi normal again. There were days when I could barely put any weight on my leg without excruciating pain. There were x-rays, MRIs and visits to different orthopedic doctors. I was told […]
Tysha Wilder – Passed away while waiting
I was first diagnosed with Lupus when I was about 25 years old. My journey had been fairly uneventful until I got pregnant and gave birth to my now 10 year old daughter at 27 weeks. She weighed just 2.4 lbs. When she was about 4 years old, I had a brain bleed due to […]
Jaylynn Parker – Cornea Recipient
“A family had to agree to cornea donation in order for my daughter to be on the receiving end, and if it wasn’t for that family doing that, we would not be where we are today. That means everything to us.” – Kristen Parker In November of 2011 our lives changed as my husband and […]
