Todos Pueden Ser Donantes   During this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson speaks with Courtney Schapier, a liver donor, the sister of a liver recipient, and one of the Organ Donation Coordinators at LifeCenter. Upon learning about her brother’s need for a liver, Courtney made the incredibly brave decision to make a difference. Her story is simply amazing!   Episode Highlights:    Courtney has been an Organ Donation Coordinator at LifeCenter for the past 6-7 years.Donation Coordinators handle the medical management and evaluation for organ donors.Amongst other responsibilities, Courtney plays a large part in matching organs to donors.Sometimes, organ donation acts as the silver lining to families that are going through an incredibly hard time.Donation coordination is a 24-hour job because donation does not run on a 9-5 schedule.From the time that a case opens to the time it closes, Courtney is on the clock for 36 hours.Courtney uses CrossFit and a great support system as outlets for the high stress levels of this job.With such a high-stress job, it’s no surprise that there is a high level of turnover.There have been times where the stress of the job has made Courtney question her desire to be here.COVID brought everything to a screeching halt when it first exploded back in March.The sheer amount of unknown information has made the ongoing global pandemic that much scarier.Things have finally begun to get back to normal, meaning more lives are being saved via organ donation.In 2016, Courtney’s brother discovered a huge mass on his liver that required a transplant.Unfortunately, Courtney lost her father when she was only 2 months old, so her brother acted as a father to her.Courtney was informed that she was a donor match for her brother while supporting a family that was pulling life-support.The weight of the situation started to feel heavy when Courtney sat on the pre-op table.Sitting outside the OR doors on the pre-op table, Courtney was rolled back for surgery after only 20 or 30 minutes.There were a handful of signs that something was wrong with Courtney’s brother’s liver long before the doctors caught it.After everything was said and done, it took a 10-hour procedure for Courtney to donate over half of her liver.The first thing that Courtney can remember is getting sick immediately after surgery.Courtney finally got to see her brother when she was transferred to the ICU.It was a complete shift in lifestyle for Courtney from the moment that she found out she was a donor match for her brother.Finding living liver donors is more rare than finding living kidney donors.Both Courtney and her brother fully recovered and are as healthy as they can be today.TX Jet was kind enough to donate its services to fly Courtney and her family out for surgery.After her donation, Courtney was sure that she was at the right job at LifeCenter.Courtney was comforted by the knowledge that everything in her life made her the perfect donor for her brother.This year, Courtney is focusing on being more present when she is with loved ones.The amazing thing about donation and transplantation is the opportunity to potentially save a life.   3 Key Points: Organ Donation Coordinators manage everything from the moment a donor decides to donate, to the time that the organ is sent to its recipient.It takes a very special person to not only manage the responsibilities of being a Donation Coordinator, but also the rollercoaster of emotions that come with the job.Courtney donated just over 50% of her own liver, which was oversized, to begin with, to save her brother’s life.  Resources Mentioned: LifeCenter (website) (Facebook) (Instagram) (YouTube) (Twitter)Andi Johnson (website) (LinkedIn)TX Jet (website)

Episode 76: MAY 2023 Appreciation and Community Impact Events   It’s been a minute! April was National Donate Month, and we honored and celebrated our donor heroes across the region. Now sliding into May, we extend our gratitude to nurses and teachers, Happy National Nurses Week, National Transplant Nurses Week, and National Teacher Appreciation Week!  Episode Highlights: Life Center partnered with Hospitals across the region to honor donors, healthcare teams, and recipients. They also celebrated the donor heroes from 2022 with the Anual Donor Family Recognition ceremony.Life Center also partnered with the Center For Closing the Health Gap to discuss generational health and the Black Community at the Annual Health ExpoA partnership with the Cincinnati Reds also kicked off by honoring a donor hero Sliding into May, we extend our gratitude to nurses and teachers, Happy National Nurses Week, National Transplant Nurses Week, and National Teacher Appreciation week! 103,871 Men, Women, and Children need life-saving organ transplants, and 21 people will die because what they need isn’t available.Learn the importance of registering to be a donor, and why it matters!   3 Key Points: Life Center partnered across the Region to honor and celebrate donors, healthcare teams, and recipients.May will be a month of gratitude towards Nurses and Teachers!We must learn the importance of registering as a donor, why it matters, and the truth about organ donation.  Tweetable Quotes: “Today, 103,871 Men, Women, and Children need life-saving organ transplants, and 21 people will die because the organ they need isn’t available.” - Andi“Take a moment to learn why donation matters, and why registering to be a donor absolutely matters.” - Andi Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH https://aopo.org/

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, Andi Johnson speaks with Aimee Cordrey. She will be sharing the gift of life that her son, Nicholas has given to many recipients and how influenced others to do the same. She will also be reflecting some light upon the life of her son and sharing her story of grief and pathway to healing. Tune in now for this special story. Episode Highlights:  Aimee Cordrey is married to Darren Cordray. They have been married for over 20 years and been together for a little bit longer than that. They met in college, and they have two sons Richard, a 19 year old, and Nick, who would be 17, but he is forever 15. Both of them are athletes, very different yet very similar in their interests and just how they approach life.In the middle of the pandemic Aimee and her family had been quarantined like everyone else for quite some time. School had just ended. Nick had just finished freshman year of high school and it was Memorial Day. Nick and Aimee went shopping that day to get some hamburgers and some vegetables and different things to grill out.Nick hadn't seen his friends because of quarantine. Aimee allowed him to go meet some of his friends at a local ice cream shop that was within walking distance of their house because one of his best friends was leaving for vacation the next day and she was going to be gone for two weeks.Nick decided to take a shower at night. All of a sudden Aimee heard the water go on and then they heard some really heavy, intense breathing, they were shocked. They thought it was our other son Richard, playing video games. She went to the basement, but it was not Richard, it was Nick.Nick loved life and he approached everything with this attitude of – "I can do it." His family really believed he was going to be okay and pull through.Aimee explains how and when they went about the conversation of Nick being an orgn donor. The hospital staff acknowledged all the protocols that they have in place, and they contacted Life Center.Nick had not yet been able to get his temps. He would have been eligible for them. The month that everything happened, he had actually registered as an organ donor.The letter that Aimee received said that Nick saved five people with seven organs, and probably impacted 40 to 50 others. The only thing Nick was unable to donate was his intestines, which they initially believed he was going to be able to do until they started doing the surgery.Aimee shares her thoughts on what it all meant to her, Darren and Richard to know that Nick helped so many people by donating his organs. “Learning that sometimes bad things happen to good people and learning to be ok with that and it is not even being ok with it, it's just accepting it- that is one piece of it. The donation piece brings that pride.” -AimeeAimee thinks that being able to talk about organ donation enables her to talk about Nick. Andi feels like Aimee is doing so much just to help people understand the magnitude of the donation and its impact.Andi asks Aimee about the project that she is working on at his school in his honor. One of Nick's friends, Grayson, started a change.org petition. He wanted to have the school board name the soccer field after Nick.There isn't a lesson here when it comes to losing a son. The only lesson that Aimee has learned is that bad things happen to good people, and she has learned that when you encounter a loss like this you integrate it into your life, you don't overcome it.Grief is something that has stages and some stages may be re-visited at times. It is ongoing.Nick loved everything. All of the time he was researching,  reading to understand deeply, caring deeply, everything was with passion, everything was with full intent. He didn't do anything without truly caring about it. If he was gonna do it, he was doing it 100% all in and that's what Nick was, and he is. 3 Key Points: Nick had a brain aneurysm that his family didn't know about. Nick did not complain of a headache that day. He didn't have any signs of anything that day. He had an amazing day, and it was that quick. They called 911. They were very quick, they took him to the hospital, his aneurysm ruptured three times. At the hospital, they did surgery on him and for 9 days his family thought Nick was going to make it. Aimee tells the listeners how Nick was able to help other people through the gift of life that he was able to give. Each one of us is different. Unique as people, Aimee thinks everyone's grief is very unique. She needed to be around other people. Aimee thinks that the donor family council is amazing. They are a source of strength. They are unshakable.  Resources Mentioned: LifeCenter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube|  TwitterAndi Johnson  website |LinkedIn Organ Donation Website

Episode 74: The Incredible Journey Of Receiving A Kidney On this episode of This Thing Called Life, Andi is going to talk to Marty and Bonnie Garneret. Bonnie is not only Marty’s wife but his kidney champion also. Marty and his wife have been married for 41 years this month, and he says that has married an angel without wings. He shares his special journey; You don’t want to miss it!   Episode Highlights:  There are two types of diabetes, type one, which you are born with, and in that, your body does not produce any insulin, so you are on insulin shots from the time you are born. The second type comes from heredity, bad eating, lack of exercise, or all the bad stuff you do - lifestyle factors.If the doctor says you are prediabetic, that means your sugar is running high regularly, and it is destroying your body. So, you need to get to a specialist or endocrinologist.It is not a disease to be taken lightly because it leads to chronic kidney disease, which Marty has. If you don’t pay enough attention to it, then you are graded on a scale of stage one to stage five transplant material, and that is where Marty is at 70 years of age. When you first start out with  kidney disease, you are one of about 100 to 150,000 people on a list of possible recipients. Marty is lucky enough to meet a gal named Darcy Gibson, who has a foundation, a charitable organization, called Off The List, inc.To go through initial testing is a rigorous process. There are three different people you meet with. One is a social worker to check your mental capacity, the second is a nutritionist to manage your diet, and the third is a team of doctors and nurses that help you through tests.To get off the list, you have to receive a donor’s kidney, and Bonnie has done this through Facebook, through yard signs, emails, and extensive, unbelievable work this woman has done on Marty’s behalf.The list that Marty is talking about is a list to receive a deceased donor kidney. To get a living donor kidney, you must find someone willing to donate, a friend, a relative, or just a generous donor, and it is tough.It is a completely anonymous process, as someone is tested on your behalf. You would never know that because hospitals take that very seriously, and they want to ensure that the person who is doing this wants to do it for the right reasons and that there is no sense of pressure.Bonnie decided that UPPO would be perfect because people would have to ask a question and start the conversation. What is UPPO, or who is UPPO? Life for UPPO is a Facebook page, and we are working with Christ Hospital, and Trisha is the donor coordinator.The typical diabetic signs that Marty paid no attention to was he slept 12 hours and felt like he didn’t sleep 5 minutes. He drank unbelievable amounts of liquid, whether it be coffee, pop, water, and he lost a lot of weight.The diet you have to be on when looking for a kidney is extremely difficult. There are many things to avoid and take care of.There are two categories of people when it comes to the conversation about being a living donor. We need to do a better job of filling the gap of information and helping people understand this is something they can do.Children’s hospitals prefer to give it to children, and they should. But if something happened and there aren’t any children who would need it, then the adult on that list would receive a kidney.One of Marty’s dreams has always been that he would like to start in Maine and eat lobster all the way down the East Coast until they have to get an oversized bus to take him home.Marty looks good on the outside, but he’s not good on the inside, and that's what a lot of people don’t understand because he looks great. But they don’t understand that the kidney function is still going down, and you can’t see that.If people understood how grateful recipients were, it would cause a lot more people to donate because they are heroes and become angels without wings.Bonnie has read a lot on the national kidney Instagram page and other places that donors live longer than people who have not donated.   3 Key Points: Marty and Bonnie tell the listeners about the Facebook page they set up for people. The Facebook page is called life for UPPO. UPPO is Marty just because their oldest grandson when he was very young, can’t say Grandpa, and he came out with UPPO.Marty doesn’t think people understand how serious this disease is, and it will kill you. Many thousands of people die every day from kidney failure, and several things work against you.Marty and Bonnie talk about the misconception surrounding kidney donation.   Resources Mentioned: LifeCenter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube|  TwitterAndi Johnson  website |LinkedIn Organ Donation Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/life4uppoTricia Monson Christ Hospital Donor Coordinator 513-585-1440Marty and Bonnie GarneretOff the list inc, Darci Gibson

On this episode of This Thing Called Life Podcast, host Andi Johnson is going to talk to Shelly Sherman and Stephanie Jackson. They are discussing kidney health and an exciting new project that is being launched to shed light on kidney disease as well as prevention. No doctor or medical expert will kill you for your organs; In fact, no medical professional is aware of your donor status until your death is declared. Tune in for more information! Episode Highlights:    Host Andi Johnson has a few big asks. Will you join us and be a part of this interconnected life sustaining community by registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor? Will you make the commitment to become more educated about living donation and championing the donation cause?Shelly is associated with the Cincinnati, Ohito chapter of The Links, Incorporated and she served as the Health and Human Services Facet Committee chair.The Ohio central chapter was granted an award by Baxter International for increasing the awareness of kidney health in the communities in which Shelly lives and primarily in the African American community.What is GFR? Shelly has been working hard in the community to make sure people know where they are regarding their GFR, which lets them know how well their kidneys are functioning and what they can do to maintain kidney health.The Links organization was founded in 1946 on the premise of friendship, and Shelly wants to uplift and elevate people by providing health information.Stephanie and Shelly first met through collaboration with The Center For Closing the Health Gap. Shelly had goals in mind based on the grant they received regarding the number of people that they needed to touch and the number of community partnerships that they needed to do.Shelly and Stephaine share the experiences they have had with training sessions and connecting in the community. They hope people will continue to listen to the podcast and continue doing some things and spreading the word in their communities.When people are ill, you can see it on their skin and eyes. You can notice the effects of kidney and liver illness on the skin and other body systems.Garlic is great for decreasing inflammation; It has Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Manganese, a great alternative for your seasoning. If you want to decrease your psyllium, you can add more garlic, which is great for your heart and your kidney.The one thing is to avoid canned and packaged chicken breast because those can contain sodium and other preservatives.Raising awareness and making small changes goes such a long way in promoting healthier lifestyles. There is a great ripple effect too when you share information like this with those in your family and circles.  3 Key Points: Blueberries are an important food for kidney patients. They serve as antioxidants and are very good for healing. In addition, they help your body to increase urination.People talk about dialysis and transplant, and these are things that you want to avoid. By opting for a healthier lifestyle and changes in the food you eat, you can do that. There are so many ways you can just move your body, and Stephanie always tells people 15 to 20 minutes is sufficient. Make sure that your body is doing something that it doesn’t do every day. Tweetable Quotes: “Whatever we are putting in our body, the body is going to use, and if we don’t put in things that our body can use, then our body is not going to be able to function the way it’s supposed to.” – Stephaine“Your body does need fat but only healthy fats because it helps everything stay lubricated and work well in all facets.” – Stephaine“So much of what happens to us is preventable, and a lot of it is due to a lack of information that is sometimes missed in our community.” – Shelly“Sometimes, we do have a mistrust of the medical systems, and we don’t get some of the information that we need to have, but we can share it and start to educate each other.” - Shelly   Resources Mentioned: LifeCenter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube|  TwitterAndi Johnson  website |LinkedIn Organ Donation Websitehttps://www.cincinnatilinks.org/black-kare-initiativehttps://www.facebook.com/CincinnatiLinkshttps://www.instagram.com/cincinnatilinks/https://www.yoursweetestlife.com/https://www.facebook.com/yoursweetestlifewithstephaniejhttps://www.instagram.com/yoursweetestlifewithstephaniej/

Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.   Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555

Episode description not available.

March is National Kidney Month. On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks with Mike McConnell about kidney health and community outreach.         Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH https://aopo.org/

Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.     Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.instagram.com/lifecentercincy/ https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH https://twitter.com/LifeCenterCincy

March is National Kidney Month. On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks with someone who saw a vital need and acted on it in regards to living kidney donation, Brett Milam. Tune in to hear his journey as a living kidney donor. Episode Highlights: Andi previews National Kidney Month and the importance of education. Kidney disease, diabetes is often referred to as the silent killer. There are more than 37 million Americans who have Kidney disease and high blood pressure which often leads to kidney failure.More than 90,000 people are waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant.To get more information about kidney health and prevention, please visit lifepassiton.org or nkf.org today.Guest, Brett Milam, shares when he first thought about kidney donation. He saw a fellow journalist through Instagram who made it seem really doable.Andi asks Brett to talk about the process to become a donor. He went through UC Medical Center. Brett says you don't pay anything to be a living donor and the commitment was not overwhelming. The Medical Center even reimbursed his parking tickets.Andi talks about the safeguards in place for routes of discrimination.How long do you need to be off work?Brett shares what it feels like when your organs are reconfiguring after surgery.Brett has visited dialysis centers and talks about what it is like.What if your family needs a kidney after you have previously donated?The fall after his surgery he went skydiving for the second time in his life. He talks about the drawal to do it.He overcame his fear of public speaking to champion this cause and in 2022, Brett decided to work for Life Center.Andi asks Brett to talk about mental health. He had a personal journey with depression that he navigated through and what helped him overcome.What is talk therapy?If you are struggling with mental health, Brett has advice for you. He said do not fear telling your primary care physician that you are struggling mentally. You may have to go through different therapists and/or medications but it is very worth it.Andi talks about recognizing managing new normal after covid and how Life Center decided to offer counseling to their staff.Brett loves to read. He talks about what he enjoys reading. He recently read Stranger In The Woods.Brett did not know who his donor recipient was but it was still such a fulfilling experience.Andi reminds listeners that there are 103,933 men women and children who need life saving organ transplants. What can you do to help?   3 Key Points: March is National Kidney Month. Many Americans have kidney disease and high blood pressure which often leads to kidney failure which then in turn requires dialysis or kidney transplant. It is important to be educated to be out in front of the disease in prevention.Brett Milam shares that it was a simple calculation for him to decide to be a living kidney donor. Life Center’s mission and purpose drew Brett in. He thought he would work in journalism forever until a perfect turn of events led him to use his skills for this specific organization.  Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH https://aopo.org/

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson highlights March as National Kidney Month.  Kidney disease is often referred to as the “silent killer” because so many people have experienced it and complications that cause it without knowing it for an extended period of time. Tune in so you can be educated about this important topic and proactive with your own health.    Episode Highlights: Do you know what Kidney health is?Do you understand your family history as it relates to kidney disease?Andi says, “More than 37 million Americans have kidney disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which lead to kidney failure often.” What does that mean?More than 90,000 people in the US are waiting for life saving kidney transplants.Andi lists the signs of kidney disease and encourages the listeners to visit nkf.org for more information.How can you create generational health?In Cincinnati, LifeCenter is working with The Links Incorporated and Closing The Health Gap and will be holding their first ever forum on this issue of diabetes and kidney disease. Andi says they have seen an increase in children being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and that is the wrong way to be trending.Andi says the partnership forum will open the conversation for physicians and others who have been through the experience so that everyone can be educated to take steps they need to for generational health.You can find out more about Closing the Health Gap at https://closingthehealthgap.org/There will be a lot  more content coming on the podcast this year. For previous episodes visit https://lifepassiton.org/ Tweetable Quotes: “More than 37 million Americans have kidney disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which lead to kidney failure often.” -Andi“More than 90,000 people in our country are waiting for life saving kidney transplants.” -Andi“This is a great month to start the conversation about kidney health and understand if this may impact you.” -Andi Resources:  https://closingthehealthgap.org/ https://www.kidney.org/ https://aopo.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson finishes up the series of exploring all the parts and roles in the donation process at the OPO. There is one final position to cover, the Executive Director of Life Center, held by Barry Massa. He is also President of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). Tune in.   Episode Highlights: Donation truly takes a community. Andi reviews how many entities come together to make everything happen.Barry Massa is the Executive Director of Life Center and has had that position since June of last year.Life Center is part of 56 Organ Procurement Centers across the United States; 48 of those are members of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). Barry explains what AOPO does.Andi asks why some centers aren’t a part of AOPO.Andi asks Barry what some of his biggest challenges are.“The whole donation and transplantation system has been under the microscope as of late”, says Barry.Barry talks about their positive outlook and taking on the focus to a more proactive stance and educating where misinformation is happening. The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine was asked by Congress to do a  research study on the entirety of the donation and transplantation system which was reported in February 2022. Barry talks about the results Some people who need to be on the transplant list are not because of one reason or another. Barry explains.An executive order by former President Trump addressing issues with transplants and encouraging more transplants to occur stirred the change. Barry said it started as a Kidney Health Initiative.Barry talks about the trends over the last 5 years. He also talks about taking a systematic approach to ensure that organs are used and don’t have to be discarded.What changes do hospitals need to have?What government agencies need to come together to dialogue more change? What does donation and transplantation look like in the next 5 years?Andi asks Barry to share the biggest misconceptions he hears.Andy defines Barry as a bridge builder who desires to do the very best he can to improve everything. 3 Key Points: Barry explains how AOPO works and the beauty of working together to save lives.Every OPO has looked to see what they can do better. Organ donations and organs transplanted have gone up over the last 5 years and many are working to continue that.In 5 years, Barry envisions a much more cohesive donation and transplantation system that allows more people to get transplanted.    Resources: https://aopo.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.   Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555

During this episode of This Thing Called Life podcast, host Andi Johnson speaks with Donna Jones Baker who recently received the gift of life through the donation of a kidney and a heart. Donna has learned to appreciate organ donation and its ability to help save so many lives!   Episode Highlights:    February 14th is National Donor Day, a day to honor all those who have been affected by organ donation.Donna was originally born in Paducah, Kentucky and went to Murray State University.After getting married, Donna lived in Baltimore for 22 years before moving to Cincinnati to become the CEO of The Urban League.Had it not been for the heart attack that she suffered, Donna believes she would still be at The Urban League.Initially, Donna received a Z-pack for what she thought to be a cold or a flu.Donna was able to make it to the hospital after suffering from a heart attack where she was equipped with an LVAD.Doctors wanted to give Donna a heart transplant, but couldn’t because they discovered cancer on her kidney.After doctors removed her kidney, Donna was placed on the transplant list for a new heart and kidney.According to the numbers, people of color suffer disproportionately from the effects of COVID.The months between her kidney removal and kidney/heart transplant were very scary for Donna.Doctors feared that Donna’s remaining kidney would not be able to support her and that she would have to go on dialysis.The same doctor that fixed Donna’s LVAD performed her heart and kidney transplant.Donna had to be careful with the medications that she took because the heart and kidney don’t want the same things.With the help of her husband, Greg, Donna was able to make it through a transplant during a pandemic.Donna advises those going through a similar situation to try not to think about it all the time.The gifts of life and grandchildren keep Donna grateful for every day that she opens her eyes.Through the pandemic, Donna has remained in touch with her children and grandchildren via Zoom.Working in organ donation is a tough job, but one that saves many lives.Donna hopes to schedule a trip to Baltimore to visit her grandchildren once the pandemic is over.Right now, there are over 100,000 people in need of a life-saving transplant surgery. 3 Key Points: After initially thinking she had the flu, Donna agreed to host a round table event on Friday the 13th. That following Sunday, she suffered a heart attack from Giant Cell Myocarditis.Many African Americans decline to become organ donors out of a fear that if someone of note needed an organ, doctors would take it from them without consideration for their lives.To stay in touch and grow with her family members, Donna has started a Sunday night Zoom Bible study.  Resources Mentioned: LifeCenter (website) (Facebook) (Instagram) (YouTube) (Twitter)Andi Johnson (website) (LinkedIn)Donna’s StoryUrban League Of Greater Southwestern Ohio

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson finishes up the series of exploring all the parts and roles in the donation process at the OPO. Many different entities come together to make it all possible. Today, Tracie Shelton, the Chief Administration Officer joins the show to share about her role in the organization. Tune in! Episode Highlights: Andi reviews the departments that she has spoken with over this series and the value of how so many come together for the life-saving gifts of organ donation.The nature of working in an OPO is very gratifying and mission-focused. If you are looking to move into something that has more meaning and a way to give back to the community, a role at LifeCenter or in an OPO may be for you.Andi introduces Tracie Shelton, who is new to the OPO and is the current Chief Administration Officer.Tracie has extensive experience in healthcare. She is a nurse by background and has held a lot of leadership roles at high performing hospitals in the area. Life Center has been the opportunity of a lifetime for Tracie, she says. She explains when she came in and went to the community breakfast right away.Andi asks Tracie what it has been like to switch from larger organizations to a smaller one. She shares the benefits.Regulations are Tracie’s speciality and she wants to add value to support the mission and all teams.What does a typical day look like for the Chief Administration Officer since it can look different each day? Who reports to this role?The level of professionalism and work at LifeCenter is amazing, Tracie says.The relationships between LifeCenter and donor families are so strong. Tracie talks about that importance as she has seen the other transplant side in healthcare.What skills are necessary for a role like Tracie’s?Andi reminds the listeners that there are 104,398 men, women, and children who need an organ transplant. How can you help? 3 Key Points: Tracie sees being at LifeCenter as an opportunity of a lifetime because of the mission-focused and life-saving work.What does a typical day look like for the Chief Administration Officer since it can look different each day?You have what it takes when you have the leadership skills, you often need to just be. Tracie talks about confidence building, communication, and the feeling that you can really rely on each other.     Resources: https://aopo.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson finishes up the series on  ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. There will be two additional guests for the series that will join in to share what they do within the OPO. Today, Matt Niles joins the show to discuss his new role at Life Center as the Chief Operations Officer. Tune in!   Episode Highlights: Andi reminds the audience that she has interviewed people in every department of the OPO because each one plays a critical role in the donation value chain. You can check out any of the interviews from previous episodes at : https://lifepassiton.org/ or wherever you listen to your podcasts.It truly takes a community to facilitate donation. Andi reviews everyone who is involved.The purpose of this series has been two-fold: 1) to explain more about the OPO’s role and functionality so that the audience understands how the organ, eye, and tissue donations come to be as well as the intricacies of the life-saving and life-healing process. 2) If you are considering a career change, especially to something with deeper meaning to you, you can learn more about the different roles to the piece of the puzzle.Andi introduces Matt Niles who is new to Life Center specifically but not new to the OPO world. Matt Niles shares his background in Organ Procurement. He has been in the donation field since 2001. Matt is from a small rural town in Pennsylvania. His family was very big on volunteering and he volunteered in their small community hospital when he was in junior high school.At age 14, he saw a pamphlet about organ donation in the hospital. He filled out the donor card that evening with his parents.Matt has been with Life Center for 3 months. Previously, he has been in many different roles that ultimately led him to being the COO here. Matt shares his goals as he has taken over the role of CEO with Life Center. He says a lot of changes are happening in the industry and he wants to best prepare everyone for moving forward in those changes.The field of transplant is relatively new, only being around for about 40 years so there are a lot of innovations and changes everyday. Matt has had friends who have received transplants and he has had a friend who passed away waiting on the National Transplant Waiting List and he is a donor family. He is very passionate about it being his life’s work.Organ transplantation doesn’t happen without donation so it is an incredibly important process.Matt talks about everything that he oversees. Andi asks him to share the expertise that he brings.Matt shares the personal story of his grandfather who was a donor.Donor families and the people waiting are Matt’s WHY and focus. Andi talks about the value of Matt’s outside perspective and ability to challenge Life Center for growth. Matt has the perspective of a donor family, as an ICU and ER nurse where he cared for patients at their bedside, and as a clinician being a part of the process when the OPO comes in and provides the opportunity of donation to a family. He started out as a donation coordinator at the OPO in Pittsburg, PAWhen he wanted to go back to grad school he switched over to a large hospital as a director of the medical ICU and dialysis centers. He remained the chair of the hospital donor committee.After grad school, he had the opportunity to return to OPO as a director in Washington D.C. Andi asks Matt to share what a day in his work looks like and how it starts. What about the philosophy of some people in the community who believe that if they are a registered donor they will be killed for their organs?What does it take to qualify to be a donor?There are so many misconceptions in healthcare in general and even more in donation and transplants. Matt says it is their responsibility to acknowledge the doubts and fears but also bring the powerful truths and educate so families can make the right decision for them.Andi asks Matt to share what he finds most challenging about his role today.What does it take to be a COO at an Organ Procurement Organization?Andi reminds everyone that there are 104,398 men, women, and children who need a life-saving organ. Learn what being a donor really means or register as a donor at https://lifepassiton.org/or https://registerme.org/  3 Key Points: Matt Niles shares that his school of thought has always been that he won’t need his organs anymore when he is gone so he should give them to someone who does; It has been a very straightforward decision for him since he was 14 and led him to his career and where he is today.Transplant is a relatively new field, only having been around about 40 years. Matt says there are innovations and changes everyday that they need to stay on top of and ahead of and ultimately eliminate the deaths that are occuring on the waiting list.Matt clarifies what it takes to qualify to be an organ donor and that the hospital always 100% of the time tries to save all patient lives.  Resources: https://aopo.org/https://lifepassiton.org/https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOHhttps://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson winds down the series on  ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. If you missed the previous episode in the series, you can find them at lifepassiton.org or wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Today, Andi talks with Maryanne Krumpleman, the finance manager. Tune in to hear how this piece of the puzzle comes together. Episode Highlights: Andi explains how Life Center works with so many different entities to facilitate organ donation.The United Network of Organ Sharing houses the waitlist of the more than 100,000 people waiting for an organ.Andi reminds the audience of the ‘book ends’ to this process and that it is the people. The people who designate themselves to be donors or their families…it all begins with that yes and that is how everything unfolds.If you’re thinking about a career change, as many look to do something with more meaning, organ donation is a wonderful career path; They give back every single day.Maryanne Krumpleman is the finance manager of Life Center. Prior to COVID in 2019, she made the decision to leave corporate America where she had spent most of her career. She says it was the best decision of her life to start working for Life Center in 2020.Five years ago, Maryanne’s best friend’s husband was in need of a kidney. It turns out his wife was a match to be a donor which is very unusual. They went through the transplant process in 2017 and are doing very well today.What does the finance department do at the Life Center?Maryanne explains that they are a nonprofit organization but structured similarly to a hospital.How do all of the employees get paid as well as health insurance, insurance on the building, all other vendors that are included?After a family gives the authorization, Life Center’s finance department takes on the cost of donation. Andi asks Maryanne Krumpleman to explain the aspects of finance.There are many parts to the ‘checks and balances’ of the finances for Life Center. Maryanne explains how many things must get approved by the board of directors and Executive Director as well as audits and aligning with all government regulations.What is a sack fee? Healthcare in general is expensive and Andi explains there is a cost to make everything operate efficiently and appropriately.Maryanne explains that there is a pay scale for different types of tissues.Andi asks Maryanne what the most challenging aspects of her job are.All of the managers have a great passion for the overall mission.Maryanne explains that in a corporate world, all the meetings were about how much money could be made, the bottom line, etc. She shares how it is truly a breath of fresh air at Life Center because the focus is not on money but on the mission of saving and enhancing the lives of people.What kinds of skills would you need to fill a similar role to Maryanne’s?Maryanne talks about how they receive memorial contributions and how their responsibility is to use those funds to spread the word and utilize them well. Andi says the generosity of the community has been overwhelming to see over the years and the importance of educating the community in return.home at the end of the day.” -Maryanne“Today there are 104,869 men, women, and children who are in need of a lifesaving organ and also today 21 of those individuals will die because the organ they needed was not available,” says Andi. She explains how you can help. 3 Key Points: Maryanne’s eyes were opened to how many people are on the list waiting for kidneys specifically when she was alongside her best friend and her husband going through the transplant process.There are many aspects of the finance department. Maryanne explains all aspects from weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. and how all the monitoring and auditing works as well as in accordance with the government.Life Center is passionately committed to the mission of saving and enhancing lives. It is challenging and very rewarding. The organization is set apart by how all of their functions work together for the overall goal and truly making a difference.      Resources: https://aopo.org/ https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.   Resources: https://lifepassiton.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson continues the series on  ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. If you missed the previous episode in the series, you can find them at lifepassiton.org or wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Today, Andi talks with Katie Wright,  a family aftercare coordinator with Life Center. . Tune in to hear her personal connection to the organization as well as her career path. Episode Highlights: Katie, a family aftercare coordinator introduces herself. She has been with Life Center for nine years. Andi asks Katie what led her to begin working at Life Center; She shares that her brother was waiting on the transplant list and ended up passing away while he was waiting. He went on to be a tissue donor. He was young at 32. Katie used to work in the communication department and she actually started up the aftercare department when Life Center wanted to make a bigger support system for donor families. What exactly does aftercare do? Katie talks about outcome letters which thanks families and explains what they know about what their gifts and how they helped. What is the communication process between recipient and donor family? “Every recipient and every donor family handles their grief and their survivor's guilt and medical bumps in the road differently”, says Katie. She explains that some families want the letter and sometimes they don’t. Their department balances that to meet the needs of what people want and need. Andi asks Katie to talk about how Aftercare helps in bereavement.  Katie talks about events and live streaming to reach families and give opportunities for them to connect with other families. Andi shares her perspective on families interacting with each other as she has seen it play out. Families receive a memorial gift from Life Center too to celebrate and remember their family members. What is the Donor Family Council? Andi asks Katie to share how her family personally remembers her brother. Katie and Andi talk  about The Path Of Life located in a local park, Mt. Echo. Families receive ribbons of remembrance to tie on trees if they choose. Andi asks Katie what the most rewarding part of working at Life Center is.There are many people struggling with grief; Andi says lifepassiton.org has a lot of resources and encourages checking it out.     3 Key Points: How  does the Family Aftercare Department contribute to the value chain of organ, eye, and tissue donation? Andi and Katie discuss what they do and how it impacts lives.Katie’s personal experience with her brother being a tissue donor at 32 after passing away waiting on the organ transplant list which prepared her to be the one who actually helped start up the aftercare department which Life Center specifically created to provide more comprehensive care and support for donor families.Recipients and donor families sometimes do want contact and others do not. The aftercare department helps facilitate the communications if/when it is appropriate to meet everybody’s needs.  Resources: https://aopo.org/https://lifepassiton.org/https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOHhttps://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

During this episode of This Thing Called Life podcast, host Andi Johnson talks to Debbie Hayes. She is a healthcare leader in Cincinnati, and specifically she leads a number one ranked hospital in the Cincinnati region. Tune in to hear her experiences and perspective on kidney donation. Episode Highlights:  Debbie began as a nurse at Christ Hospital. She worked her way up to being CEO, also led the Board of Directors at LifeCenter Organ Donor Network for 9-10 years. She started her career 34 years ago as a student nurse aide. The one thing that always amazed her about this organization is that you are given opportunities to grow and develop your talents.The pandemic was one of the most challenging times in the history of healthcare, but it has also been one of the most rewarding times. Because of the extraordinary efforts of an incredible team of people working they have still kept that mission of the organization at the forefront of everything that they do despite every challenge.“We are definitely grateful for all of our hospital partners throughout our service area who are able to facilitate organ, eye, and tissue donation”, says Andi.Many people who have organ failures of any kind are not able to fully experience what life is all about,which is why Debbie is passionate about this.Andi inquires, during the pandemic, “Did that affect patients waiting for kidney transplants at Christ Hospital?”One of the trends that she has noticed during her time at the Life Center is that living kidney donation continues to increase. Debbie explains her thoughts about why we are seeing more people making that choice to be a living kidney donor.Andi had the opportunity to interview a young woman who was actually waiting for a kidney, and she was listed at Christ, and she just could not say enough about what a positive experience has been with her team there.There are probably a million-plus surgeries that occur in the country requiring donor tissue, which is very interesting. Andi recalls a story about  a young woman who was a volunteer and ambassador, and she has been waiting for a kidney for about three years, and unfortunately, she passed away. But she was able to be a cornea donor, and it just meant so much to her husband and young daughter. Debbie talks about who/what experience has helped shape her into the leader she has become.Andi asks Debbie to give advice to someone who is just starting out in their career in healthcare and may be inspired to lead a healthcare system down the road.  3 Key Points: Debbie shares how she maintains the passion for the work that she has been doing. She was recently named CEO of the Christ Hospital after serving as interim for a period of time, and just as an outsider looking in, it seems like health care leaders don’t tend to stay put with this same place for so long. She shares what it is that kept her at Christ all of this time.During the pandemic, things at the LifeCenter were quite dramatic. Debbie talks about the changes they have had to undergo during this time to attract people to sign up to be donors. There are about 750,000 people a year in the United States that have kidney failure. If we could get a transplant for every single one of those patients when they needed it, wouldn’t that really make an impact in the United States?      Resources Mentioned: LifeCenter | website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube|  TwitterAndi Johnson  website |LinkedIn Organ Donation Website https://www.donatelife.net/nmdam/