I never had any problems growing up and was “normal” for all I knew. I was 21 years old and in my 2nd week of nursing school when I became short of breath for over 3 days. Finally, I went to the ER because of it. That day, I went from being “normal” to finding […]
Power Player – Brigette
Written by: Brigette McKern At the age of four, I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis – a disease that affected my lungs and digestive systems. Even with receiving quality care, my parents were told I would most likely not survive past school age. My parents kept me compliant with treatments, medications, and appointments, and as a […]
Power Player – Matt
My name is Matt Kishbaugh. I will be 35 on January 28, 2018. I live in Pennsylvania. My family and I know what it’s like to deal with kidney disease. I was 13 when I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. Polycystic kidney disease is where a cluster of cysts form inside your kidney. The […]
Power Player – Rachel
Written by: Rachel Adams I donated altruistically to a woman in Pennsylvania. I think I’ll always remember the moment they told me her creatinine levels had gone down to normal. The sun was shining outside my hospital window and my mom and best friend were in the room. I didn’t know how many transplants were […]
Power Player – Paul
Paul is avid about working out and staying healthy. He never misses an opportunity to go to the gym and improve himself. He is also the recipient of two double lung transplants. When Paul was born, he was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Despite his illness, he played sports and remained active growing up. He believes […]
Power Player – Jordan
Jordan received a heart transplant as a child. He has been living life to the fullest – with a goal to be the first transplant recipient to visit every country in the world. Written by: Jordan D Marcia Follow him on Instagram and Facebook I was born with a rare, congenital heart defect known as transposition […]
Power Player – Tony
Written by: Tony Alfredo Leon Luna I am from Venezuela. I was diagnosed with myocardiopathy when I was 5 years old. I had my first pacemaker in 2005 and received another one 2011. After the second pacemaker, my heart was growing more and needed more stimulation. Since that the generator ran out faster, I received […]
Power Player – April
After a minor surgery in 2010, April discovered that she had chronic kidney disease. She then found out that she would need a kidney transplant. Unlike many patients with kidney disease, April never went on dialysis. She admits that she was too stubborn to start. Instead, she attempted to line up a living donor, although […]
Power Player – Edith
Edith was living a happy, healthy life when she suddenly became ill and was rushed to the emergency room. She discovered that that one of her lungs had collapsed and she was diagnosed with a lung condition called Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). She had been living with this condition for several years but was completely unaware. Unfortunately, […]
Power Player – Brandi
In 2014, I was living in Austin, Texas. I loved to exercise and lift weights. I enjoyed watching and playing sports. One day I notice my throat was sore so I went to the doctor. I was diagnosed with strep throat and prescribed antibiotics. After I finished my antibiotics, I noticed it was difficult to […]
Power Player – Miguel
Miguel was living a full life before his heart transplant. He had graduated dental school, started his own practice, and gotten married. In 2012, he began to feel sick. His face started to feel numb, so he went to see his doctor for tests. However, nothing was found in these tests, and he went back […]
Power Player – Stephen
Stephen was born with a very rare kidney disease called Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) that affects both the kidneys and liver. The disease was discovered during his mother’s 27th week of pregnancy during a routine ultrasound. Doctors gave Stephen a less than 1% chance of living more than a few hours after he […]
Power Player – Riley
By: Riley Tucker My name is Riley Tucker and I am sixteen years old. When I was seven years old I had been diagnosed with strep throat for nine consecutive months. By this time the doctors were starting to think there had to be some underlying cause. My family was recommended to go to Arkansas Children’s […]
Teen Panel – Transplant Patient Summit
We created a “teen panel” at the 2017 Transplant Patient Summit. Find out what it is like to be a teenager and manage an organ transplant. These teens discuss medication routines, friendships, and challenges.
Power Player – Amanda
By: Amanda Washek My name is Amanda and I am alive because of organ donation. At age 23, I was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a disease that causes scarring and blockage of the liver’s bile ducts. I went from a seemingly healthy, newlywed, young woman to needing a liver transplant […]
Power Player – Edward
Right before Edward’s 21st birthday, he was not celebrating. Instead, he was finding out that he had end-stage renal disease during a routine checkup. He would later find out that he needed a kidney transplant to survive. Edward had been excelling in school and sports, and now, everything was changing. Initially, his reaction was, “Why […]
Power Player – Jen
By: Jen White Hi – I’m Jen – @mytransplantlife on Instagram. My Instagram page is educational in nature, as I’m a Registered Nurse with a graduate degree, having worked as a nurse educator, combining my health knowledge with my own kidney disease experience. I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in my early 20s, as […]
Power Player – Maria
By: Maria Margarita Gamboa I am the only child of a single mother. I was born in Caracas, Venezuela (October 12, 1971). I believe in God, love, friendship and good faith. I am in love with LIFE, my family, and friends, ballet, photography, organ donation, music, sailing, and nature. I am crazy about HOPE: […]
Power Player – Larysa
By Larysa Sholom My name is Larysa and I was born in a small town in Eastern Europe. Nine years ago, I graduated from college and was spending my last carefree summer far from home, in hot San Antonio, Texas. Things were normal, nothing you wouldn’t expect in the life of a 21-year-old girl. Until that […]
Power Player – Talitha
By Talitha Juristo On March 4, 2016, after some routine lab work, I got a call from my doctor to go straight to the ER because my hemoglobin was dangerously low and my creatinine was high. Once at the hospital, they quickly realized I was in end-stage renal failure. 30 years of being a Type […]
Power Player – Tawny
By Tawny Blum As a kid, I was very active – shocking I know! I played basketball and softball all the time, that was until the summer before my senior year of high school (1996). I started having GI issues but at that age, who wants to talk about having diarrhea! Eventually, I was diagnosed […]
Power Player – Alice
By Alice Vogt I am South African and was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease affecting the lungs and digestive system. I was diagnosed at age two, and my parents were told that there is about a 20% chance of me reaching the age of 20. However, I had a fairly normal childhood, apart […]
Power Player – Lisa Barker
After living a healthy and happy life, Lisa suddenly discovered she had a condition that only one in a million people develop. Soon after, she was put on the waiting list for an immediate liver transplant. Now, she and her husband are advocates for organ donation and transplant research. By Lisa Barker 2014-the start to […]
Power Player – Melanie
Melanie is just six months old, but she has been through a lot since she was born. When she was two months old, her parents were told that their little girl had been diagnosed with biliary cirrhosis which was causing liver cirrhosis. Unfortunately, the first surgery attempt to help Melanie was unsuccessful and caused her […]
Power Player – Bill
Bill considered himself to be a “lucky boy” growing up. He had a great relationship with his father; they played catch and watched baseball games for hours. He grew up in a Catholic household, where he attended church every week and was an altar boy with his brother. However, his perfect childhood came to an […]
Power Player – Christine
On October 24th, 1998, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Christine Galan became the first heart and liver transplant recipient in the Western United States. It was a new procedure, but Christine never doubted that it was for the best. Christine was born in Jamaica and moved to San Diego as a child. When she was a […]
Power Player – Rima
Rima has spent most of her life in and out of hospitals due to Cystic Fibrosis. She knew she would eventually need a double lung transplant, but for so long, she was told that she wasn’t sick enough. She was so used to being told it wasn’t time, that when she was finally told that […]
Power Player – Jean
By Jean Mihich One never knows what journey we will undertake in this lifetime. I must say that my journey as a person with kidney disease began in infancy and continues to this day. It has been a series of small steps towards awareness and understanding, which was first started by my parents who had […]
Power Player – Mary
By the time Mary was 12 years old, she had already received her second kidney transplant. After being on peritoneal dialysis for two years at 3-years-old, Mary’s kidneys completely failed by the age of 5. At 5 years old, Mary received her first kidney transplant. Both of Mary’s transplants were from deceased donors, as none […]
Power Player – Rachel
After watching a Katie Couric news segment in 2010, Rachel Bennett Steury made a decision that would change the life of someone she never met. The program was on kidney chains, kidney donation, and organ donation. Rachel never knew that kidney donation was possible while still alive. “I felt like Katie Couric was talking directly […]
Power Player – Nai
A PowerPlayer is anyone who supports the life-saving cause of organ donation and transplantation, from the patients who receive transplants to the donors and their families who make those transplants possible, to those who donate and create fundraisers for research. They serve to remind us that we all have the Power2Save. Our latest, Power Player, Nai Azzi, […]
Power Player – Glenda
When 15-year-old Glenda Daggert was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in the early 1960s, “you hid diabetes.” In spite of her illness, Glenda went on to earn degrees in physical education and instructional technology, then teach for several years. She married Ira Copperman, moved to New York, and joined IBM. After 30 years with the […]
Power Player – Cheryl
A PowerPlayer is anyone who supports the life-saving cause of organ donation and transplantation, from the patients who receive transplants to the donors and their families who make those transplants possible, to the medical professionals who arrange and perform the life-saving miracle of transplantation. They serve to remind us that we all have the Power2Save. […]
Power Player – Tom
Reading can often change our lives or make us think differently. In Tom’s case, reading a blog post from political writer, Virginia Postrel, changed his life and saved another. After reading the blog, he discovered that Postrel planned to donate one of her kidneys to author, Sally Satel. Although Tom did not know anyone who […]
Power Player – Crissi
After overhearing a conversation between her daughter and her daughter’s friend, Crissi made a decision that would change the life of a man she had never met. When her daughter was in high school, Crissi overheard a casual conversation that her daughter was having with a friend. The friend’s father needed a kidney transplant and […]
Power Player – Lisa Washington
Lisa was born with scarred kidneys. By age 7, she was diagnosed with kidney disease. At 7, Lisa didn’t quite know what that meant, but thankfully, she was able to have a normal childhood. She always knew she would eventually need a kidney transplant, but she continued to live her life, got married, and had […]
Power Player: Lou Ann
There are a number of online pleas for living organ donations for those in need of a kidney transplant. It is a difficult ask for those in need, and it is a significant sacrifice for those who choose to answer. Our latest Power Player, Lou Ann, was surfing the web one day in 2014 when […]
Father’s Day Power Player: Alice
With Father’s Day upon us, most of us who are lucky enough to have our father’s in our lives are finalizing plans, buying gifts, and signing cards. It’s an important day to recognize. Our fathers are part of the reason we were given life. Our latest Power Player, Alice, won’t be able to find the […]
Power Player: Kati
A PowerPlayer is anyone who supports the life-saving cause of organ donation and transplantation, from the patients who receive transplants to the donors and their families who make those transplants possible, to the medical professionals who arrange and perform the life-saving miracle of transplantation. Kati was presented with an opportunity to save someone in her […]
Power Player: Jason Nothdurft
Community service has always inspired Jason Nothdurft. For 66 years, his grandfather served at his local volunteer fire company, followed by his father, who served 25 years, and Jason, who has served five years. His family has been recognized as the first family in New Jersey to have three generations volunteering in the same department […]
22 Years After His Death, Nicholas Green’s Heart Stops Beating
By Reg Green In 1994, The Green family was on vacation in Italy when tragedy struck. Their son, Nicholas, was killed by highway robbers. His parents, Reg and Maggie, decided to donate his organs, which saved the lives of seven people and tripled organ donation in Italy. Today, Reg Green continues to speak out about […]
Power Players: The Vargas Family
Sarah Vargas, and her husband, Tony, are true Power Players in our eyes. Their daughter, Rosalina, was born with Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), which was discovered when she was four days old through newborn screening. At just 11 days old, the couple came close to losing their daughter. After that, they vowed to do […]
Lindsey’s Story: One Transplant for Life
At only 14 years old, Lindsey Duquette bravely testified before the FDA about the importance of organ transplant research and organ donation. As a young child, she contracted a rare kidney disease that resulted in hundreds of hospitalizations and the need for a kidney transplant. Luckily, her father was the perfect match. Hear her story […]
Power Player: Frank Greaney
Frank Greaney is happy to be alive, and he credits his survival to his organ transplant. In 1997, Frank Greaney was diagnosed with an autoimmune liver disease, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). PSC is a progressive liver disease for which there is no cure. He was soon listed for a liver transplant in the New England […]
Power Player: Steven Turner
Seven years ago, Steven Turner made a “Good Samaritan” decision – he became a living donor to a stranger. His story is truly heartwarming, as his selfless act kept another family whole. At the time, there was local news coverage about a young family that was facing the nightmare of kidney failure. The couple had […]
April is National Donate Life Month
On March 31, 2017, President Donald J. Trump released a statement proclaiming April as National Donate Life Month. This month was first proclaimed in 2003 by President George W. Bush. This month, Power2Save will be honoring organ donors, recipients, and those who advocate in several ways – including featuring several stories from those who have […]
Power Player: Todd Gambill
We had the opportunity to chat with kidney recipient, Todd Gambill, on the one year anniversary of his kidney transplant. Todd shared his incredible story, although he insists that it is his donor’s story. When Todd was just a year old, he was diagnosed with a Wilm’s Tumor, which is the most common type […]
Transplant Pioneer, Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, Dies at 90
Thousands of lives are saved every year by organ donation and transplantation. The treatment of transplantation has allowed recipients to experience longer lives and has given them a second chance at life. This treatment, however, would not be possible without the researchers and surgeons who perform these acts. Dr. Thomas E. Starzl was known as […]
Do You Realize that You’re a Champion in Their Eyes?
Bob Stewart took on a daunting task in 2015. After being tested as a donor for his wife Michelle, he was found to be an incompatible blood type. After many others stepped forward and were either denied or incompatible, Bob knew he had to think outside the box.
Power Player: Isabel Stenzel Byrnes
Despite being born with the incurable genetic lung disease cystic fibrosis (CF), Isabel Stenzel Byrnes and her twin sister, Anabel Stenzel Byrnes, persevered to live rich lives and become advocates for organ donation and transplantation.
PowerPlayer: Rita R. Alloway
Fascinated by the complexity of drug regimens and the value they have for long-term success of organ transplantation, Rita Alloway, PharmD, FCCP, uses her pharmacology background in the transplantation field. “I still consider transplantation a modern-day miracle that is life-altering when it is successful,” says Dr. Alloway.
Power Player: Lindsay Ess
For Lindsay Ess, hands are a gift and something she feels truly blessed to have. She was part of the relatively new hand transplantation surgery (that only about 70 people around the world have received) to improve the quality of her life. Now, she continues to support organ transplantation community to offer this and other […]
Power Player – Jason Kilderry
Jason Kilderry was an avid and passionate competitive runner in high school, but a polycystic kidney disease (PKD) diagnosis his freshman year of college brought an end to his racing days. “The most difficult part of the struggle with PKD was the impact it had on my abilities as an athlete,” says Jason. As the […]
Power Player: David Goldman
David Goldman remembers the day he received the call telling him his kidneys were failing. “I had gone to get my blood test for my marriage license,” he recalls. “My doctor called and said, ‘I have some bad news for you.’” Goldman was diagnosed with kidney disease. “I was 26 when I got that call. […]
PowerPlayer: Natasha Rogers
For Natasha Rogers, MD, PhD, a career in research wasn’t the first thing on her mind when she started medical school in her home country of Australia. After trying internal medicine and then nephrology, a specialty that focuses primarily on the kidneys, Dr. Rogers discovered a love of research. Today, she’s a researcher at the […]
PowerPlayer: 20 Years Later, Reg Green Still Inspires Organ Donation
Twenty years ago, Reg Green and his family headed to Italy for a vacation that sadly ended in tragedy. Late one night, Reg’s wife, Maggie, and their two young children, 7-year-old Nicholas and 4-year-old Eleanor, fell asleep as Reg drove back to their hotel. Suddenly, a car began to tail the Greens’ rental car. The car was […]
PowerPlayer Linda Ohler: Making Transplant Happen
Linda Ohler, MSN, RN, CCTC, FAAN, fell into transplantation by chance. “I started my career as a nurse in the intensive care unit, then in the cardiovascular ICU,” she says. “I was teaching in the cardiovascular nursing graduate program at Catholic University and two of my students who were sharing a transplant coordinator job were […]
PowerPlayer: Alyssa Prinzi
We were recently contacted by a young transplant recipient, Allyssa Prinzi, who asked to share her personal story. First, we asked her an important question: Alyssa, what does being a PowerPlayer mean to you? A PowerPlayer is someone who isn’t afraid to take action for themselves and for others. Creating awareness of the act of […]
PowerPlayer: Dr. Maryl Johnson
A PowerPlayer is anyone who supports the life-saving cause of organ donation and transplantation, from the patients who receive transplants, to the donors and their families who make those transplants possible, to the medical professionals who arrange and perform the life-saving miracle of transplantation. They serve to remind us that we all have the Power2Save […]
PowerPlayer: Tara Kline
A PowerPlayer is anyone who supports the life-saving cause of organ donation and transplantation, from the patients who receive transplants, to the donors and their families who make those transplants possible, to the medical professionals who arrange and perform the life-saving miracle of transplantation. They serve to remind us that we all have the Power2Save lives. This week […]
PowerPlayer: Lindsey Kottwitz
A PowerPlayer is anyone who supports the life-saving cause of organ donation and transplantation, from the patients who receive transplants, to the donors and their families who make those transplants possible, to the medical professionals who arrange and perform the life-saving miracle of transplantation. They serve to remind us that we all have the Power2Save lives. This week […]
