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Every person touched by donation and transplantation has a story to tell ~ a story of hope, of love, and of the gift of life. If you, or someone you know, are interested in sharing your story, please contact the Trust For at info@trustforlife.org The Gift of Life Stories information packet can be downloaded from this site. Click
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Born 7-1-07 Transplant date: 3-7-08 Organs received: Small bowel, liver, and pancreas Although he was four weeks premature, Levi was born healthy, but at two weeks old, he went into shock. Emergency surgery revealed a birth defect called malrotation. With malrotation, the intestine is not anchored inside the abdomen. This allowed the intestine to move
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In January of 2008, I received a phone call from the National Marrow Donor Program that I had been identified as a potential match for a 40-year-old female with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). I had been on the donor list for five years, and actually had forgotten that I “enlisted” to do this. Eight weeks
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Somewhere a 37-year-old woman lies in a hospital bed, her faith diminishing as quickly as her body. A man sits alone without hope. The deep blue eyes of a 7-year-old child peer through a window at children riding their bikes, wishing she could join them. This was the devastating emotion my family and I experienced
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October 2003, I was told I must be put on a list for a kidney transplant, and until they found a match I must be on dialysis. I chose to do peritoneal dialysis so I could still try to live a somewhat normal life while awaiting a match. Once the word was out that I
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You have hopes and dreams for your children. They are supposed to grow up, live wonderful lives, and have children of their own. They are not supposed to die before you. But ours did. Our son, Shay Jr., was only 21 when he died. Shay was the perfect son and brother, a very giving person
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In February 2002, while walking across the street to go to work, I almost passed out. I went to the doctor, and he diagnosed me with congestive heart failure. I was then fitted with an AICD (Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators) to keep me alive if at some point my heart just stopped beating. I lived
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In 2005 I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle. When the diagnosis was made, it was discovered that my heart was functioning at only 11% of its capacity. I received a defibrillator, but knew ultimately I would need a heart transplant to survive. After months of testing, I was placed on
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The most difficult part of waiting for a heart transplant is knowing that for you to have another chance at life, someone else’s has to end. My joy at receiving a new heart on June 2nd, 2001 was tempered by the knowledge that the family of my donor, a 23 year old young man killed
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A few years ago I was diagnosed with a disease called Hemochromatosis, a blood disease that causes your body to have too much iron. As a result of the disease I developed cirrhosis of the liver and would need a liver transplant to survive. I was placed on the national waiting list for a life-saving
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