This week on Gift of Life, we bring you a deeply moving and faith-filled conversation with David Rhoades—a man whose strength, courage, and unwavering belief in God will truly touch your heart.

David has been in the ICU for 52 days, sustained by an IABP (Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump), as he waits for the miracle of a heart transplant. In this powerful episode, David shares his journey from the beginning of his diagnosis to the reality of waiting—day by day—for the gift that could save his life.

Through it all, David leans on faith. He speaks openly about the power of prayer—not just for himself, but for others walking this same road. He asks for prayers for fellow transplant patients who are waiting, and also for the families who may soon face unimaginable loss so that others may live. It’s a humbling and emotional reminder of the true meaning behind organ donation.

Alongside him is his beautiful fiancée, standing strong in love and faith, believing that David’s miracle is on the way. Together, they embody hope, resilience, and the belief that God’s timing is always perfect—even in the hardest moments.

David also shares the emotional weight of knowing that his second chance at life will come through another family’s loss. It’s a perspective that will stay with you long after the episode ends.

This is more than just a story—it’s a call to prayer, a call to compassion, and a powerful testament to the gift of life.

Please keep David, his family, and all those waiting for transplants in your prayers.

You will not want to miss this unforgettable episode.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

BJ Odom’s Book

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

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Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

Some stories don’t just continue… they come full circle in the most powerful and inspiring ways.

You may remember this incredible couple from earlier episodes of the podcast.

In Episode 55, we met Terri Cecere, a heart transplant recipient, and heard her powerful story of survival, faith, and second chances.

Then in Episode 56, her husband George Cecere joined us to share his perspective as a devoted caregiver—and introduced his passion project, TCH Caregivers Heart, a support group created to uplift and encourage those walking alongside loved ones through the transplant journey.

 If you haven’t listened to those episodes yet, we highly encourage you to go back and hear Episode 55 and Episode 56 to fully experience the depth of their journey.

And now… the story continues.

In Episode 102, everything comes full circle.

George, who once stood beside his wife as her caregiver, has now stepped into a new and extraordinary role—living donor—selflessly giving one of his kidneys to a complete stranger.

This isn’t just an update… it’s a testimony.

A testimony of love in action.

Of faith becoming movement.

Of one life changing another forever.

 This episode will move you, inspire you, and remind you just how powerful the gift of life truly is.

You will not want to miss this one. I promise you.

www.tchcaregiversheart.com

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

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More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart:

 Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform

 Share this episode with family and friends

Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.

Thank you for being part of our life-giving community

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, we meet Brian Springer, a true warrior whose journey will touch your heart and stay with you long after the episode ends.

Brian has already endured four open-heart surgeries, and most recently, received an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device)—a life-sustaining device that is keeping him alive as he waits for the ultimate gift… a new heart.

But Brian’s journey comes with an added challenge.

With 99% antibodies, finding a compatible organ donor is incredibly difficult. His wait for a heart transplant could be years away—time he continues to face with courage, resilience, and an unwavering positive spirit.

In this episode, Brian not only shares his story, but also sheds light on something so important:

the critical need for more organ donors.

Because for patients like Brian, the more people who choose to donate, the greater the chance of finding that one life-saving match.

This is more than just a story…

It’s a reminder of the power of hope, the strength of the human spirit, and the life-saving impact of organ donation.

 You will not want to miss this episode.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

BJ Odom’s book

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform.

Share this episode with family and friends.

Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.

Thank you for being part of our life-giving community…

In this milestone Episode 100, BJ welcomes Mike Duncan from Bloomington, Indiana, whose life-saving liver transplant journey is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of organ donation.

Mike’s story began in 2016 when subtle symptoms during a trip to Florida — dark urine, yellowing eyes, and swelling — revealed something much more serious. His liver was failing.

What followed was a frightening medical journey that included hospitalization, severe complications from liver failure, and the emotional challenge of waiting for a donor organ.

While on the transplant list, Mike experienced the harsh realities of liver disease, including high ammonia levels that caused confusion and hallucinations. Through it all, his partner Jeff, along with family and friends, rallied around him with encouragement and support.

After a heartbreaking false alarm when a donor liver was found but ultimately deemed unusable, Mike’s health continued to decline. Just weeks later, the call came again — and this time the transplant moved forward.

Following surgery, Mike faced rejection, extreme weakness from months in the hospital, and an intense rehabilitation process. At one point he believed he might spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

But determination, medical care, and the love of those around him helped him fight back.

Today, Mike Duncan is thriving, working out daily and living life to the fullest thanks to the incredible gift of organ donation.

His story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of never giving up.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

BJ Odom’s book 

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget 

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.

 Share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community. 

On this show, we always start at the beginning — because every transplant story is different.

For this husband of 22 years, father of three, and lifelong pastor from Charlotte, his story actually began at six weeks old. Doctors suspected hepatitis after he struggled to gain weight and keep food down. After exploratory surgery, life returned to normal — or so it seemed.

In his mid-20s, a routine scan for a kidney stone revealed something shocking: signs of cirrhosis. He had never touched alcohol. Doctors told him it was mild and would need attention “someday.” So he lived life — raising his family, working in ministry, even spending several years in Seattle — without major symptoms for nearly 20 years.

Then in the summer of 2025, everything changed fast.

He developed severe fluid retention, confusion, and memory distortion. At one ER visit, he couldn’t answer how many quarters are in $1.50. He was diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy, a dangerous buildup of toxins affecting the brain. After multiple hospitalizations and a frightening episode where he became unresponsive at home, he was sent for transplant evaluation at Duke University Hospital.

During evaluation, doctors discovered a liver tumor (HCC), accelerating the need for transplant. He was listed — and received “the call” in less than three days.

His transplant took place September 24. He was discharged October 1 and returned home October 15 after a strong recovery.

Today, nearly five months post-transplant, his labs look excellent and he’s had no major medication complications.

In this episode, he shares:

Living decades with silent liver disease

The terrifying reality of hepatic encephalopathy

Getting a transplant call almost immediately after listing

The fears surrounding surgery and medication side effects

Gratitude for a second chance at life

Every transplant story is different. This one is a powerful reminder that liver disease isn’t always alcohol-related — and that sometimes life can change in a matter of days.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

BJ Odom’s book 

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget 

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.

 Share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community. 

Some inspire.

And some ask us to lean in and truly listen.

This is one of those episodes.

In Episode 98, we introduce you to Shawn Kortes — a husband, a father, and a man courageously fighting for more time.

Shawn is in need of an O positive kidney transplant.

His story is real. It’s raw. And it’s unfolding right now.

He shares openly about:

Living with kidney failure

The emotional weight of waiting

What it feels like to depend on the generosity of a living donor

His hope for more birthdays, more holidays, more everyday moments with his family

This conversation isn’t just about medicine.

It’s about time.

It’s about love.

It’s about the power of one person saying yes.

If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to wait for a life-saving organ, this episode gives you a front-row seat to that reality.

And if you’ve ever considered becoming a living donor — this may be the story that moves you to take the next step.

Shawn's links to help: https://nkr.org/RJV252

Listen now.

Share widely.

You never know who might be the miracle someone is praying for.

 Email: [email protected]

 Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.

Share this episode with family and friends.

Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.

Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

Imagine entering this world on December 16, 1991… and just weeks later, on January 22, 1992, receiving the ultimate second chance — a heart transplant.

In Episode 97, we introduce you to Laszlo Mark, who is now celebrating 34 incredible years with his donor heart.

This is more than a survival story.

This is a life fully lived.

Laszlo shares what it means to grow up knowing your life began with a miracle. He reflects on the challenges, the gratitude, the responsibility, and the deep awareness that every birthday carries extra meaning. From childhood milestones to adulthood purpose, Laszlo’s journey is powerful, thoughtful, and inspiring.

And today? He’s not just living — he’s giving back.

Laszlo is actively studying and learning more about the transplant world, diving deeper into the science and community that saved his life. His passion to understand transplantation from every angle makes this conversation especially compelling.

This episode is filled with hope, perspective, and the reminder that transplantation doesn’t just extend life — it creates decades of impact.

You’ll hear:

• What it’s like to grow up as a transplant recipient

• How gratitude shapes daily living

• Why 34 years post-transplant is such a powerful milestone

• What drives Laszlo’s interest in studying the transplant world today

This is a meaningful, fascinating conversation you truly don’t want to miss.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @lasz.lore

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget

Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

Available in paperback & eBook.

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.

Share this episode with family and friends.

Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.

Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

In this episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we’re joined by Madison Staiger, a liver transplant recipient who received her life-saving transplant in December 2018 and recently celebrated her seven-year anniversary.

Madison shares how her journey began in February 2018, when what she believed was the flu quickly turned into a life-altering diagnosis of autoimmune liver disease. She walks us through the transplant evaluation process, the emotional challenges of waiting, and the moment she learned she was number one on the transplant list.

We talk about recovery after surgery, including time spent in the surgical ICU, being on oxygen for months, and learning to manage lifelong medications. Madison also opens up about the mental health side of transplantation and how working with a transplant-focused psychiatrist helped her navigate life after surgery.

Now thriving, Madison works as a program coordinator at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center — the same hospital where she received her transplant. She’s currently pursuing her second master’s degree and gives back through volunteer work with the Humane Society and Lifeline of Ohio.

This episode is an honest and hopeful conversation about resilience, gratitude, and finding purpose after receiving the gift of life.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

 Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

BJ Odom’s book 

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget 

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.

 Share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community. 

Last week, we introduced you to heart transplant recipient Bill Barschaw and his powerful journey of survival.

This week, we continue that story through the eyes of his wife and caregiver, Val Barschaw.

After walking beside Bill through his heart transplant and witnessing the realities of hospital life firsthand, Val felt called to share what she learned — not just for patients, but for families and caregivers navigating the healthcare system. That experience inspired her to write the book:

Surviving the Hospital: Six Secrets Every Patient Should Know

In this episode, Val shares:

What it truly means to walk the transplant journey as a caregiver

The emotional toll families experience during long hospital stays

The importance of patient advocacy

How knowledge can empower patients and caregivers during medical crises

This is a meaningful, eye-opening conversation that honors caregivers and highlights the vital role they play in every transplant story.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget

 Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO

 Available in paperback & eBook

If this episode touched your heart:

Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with family and friends.

Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, celebrating caregivers, and sharing hope.

Follow Val

Blog about humor benefits:
https://gnanow.org/blogs/why-every-patient-advocate-should-pack-a-humor-toolkit-the-science-backed-strategy-that-s-transformi.html

Blog about preparation:
https://gnanow.org/blogs/take-control-of-your-surgery-why-proper-preparation-can-change-everything.html

Book purchase is anywhere books are sold, Amazon, B&N, etc and my site:
https://hospitaltohealth.com/products-list

website:  hospitaltohealth.com

In this powerful conversation, we sit down with transplant recipient Bill Barschaw as he takes us back to the moment his life changed forever. What began as a routine medical visit unfolded into a diagnosis that would reshape his future — and ultimately lead to a life-saving heart transplant.

Bill shares how a routine checkup in 1990 led his primary doctor to refer him to a cardiologist — a decision that would alter the course of his life.

His cardiologist recommended a right heart catheterization to get a deeper look at his heart function. That test brought questions — and then answers.

After the cath, Bill was diagnosed with idiopathic viral cardiomyopathy — a condition that weakened his heart muscle for reasons doctors couldn’t completely explain.

With medications, Bill managed his condition for years. Though the road was far from smooth, the treatments kept him going and living life as fully as possible.

Bill recounts how, as his condition progressed, he eventually became a candidate for a heart transplant. Thirty-five years ago, he received a new heart — a moment that gave him renewed life and hope.

This story is a testament to:

• The importance of perseverance — even when the diagnosis is uncertain.

• The power of medical testing to uncover hidden conditions.

• The gift of transplantation in rewriting the future.

Whether you’re a transplant patient, a caregiver, or someone seeking hope through hardship, Bill’s voice brings encouragement and clarity to the journey.

Next week we introduce you to his wife Val Barschaw who has written a book  "Surviving the Hospital Six Secrets Every Patient Should Know”

 What idiopathic viral cardiomyopathy is — and why early diagnosis matters

 How a right heart cath can change the course of care

 The emotional and physical journey toward transplant

 The impact of gratitude and community in the organ transplant world.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com

Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast

 Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife

BJ Odom’s book 

More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget 

 Available in paperback & eBook!

If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.

 Share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.