Let's Talk Hope

Let’s Talk Hope has put together a compilation of inspiring stories from our best podcast guests sharing their journey and connection to organ, eye and tissue donation.  

Drug addiction and depression is a debilitating illness and often bigger than the person suffering. Let’s Talk Hope talks to Terri Roman, donor mom, about her daughter Julie and shares the struggles and triumph of her illness and how donation was able to rewrite the ending to Julie’s story.

All major religions in the U.S. support donation and believe it  to be the ultimate act of love and generous. For many people, faith plays and important role in the decision to register as a donor.

Michael Zedek, Rabbi Emeritus of Emanuel Congregation shares how the Judaism religion intersects with organ and tissue donation.

Sometimes life and death decisions hinge upon knowing when and where to go to get  life saving tissue or organ transplants and how to get help paying for them. With language and cultural barriers, it's even more difficult.

Two remarkable women are helping to provide this service for many of our Latino communities in need. They are Catalina Ramos-Hernandez and Jennifer Aguilera. They talk to host Marion Shuck about how important community outreach is in the Hispanic community,  and how the Illinois Transplant Fund helps them to literally save lives.      

Sometimes the gift of donation can come to a person through love and ironically get matched by blood. Anna Valencia, City Clerk of Chicago father Joe’s transplant journey gave her the strength to run for political office. She also talked about how marginalized communities are gaining access to vital city services through the City Key program.  

Making the decision to donate a loved one’s organs is never easy, even when you work for an organ procurement organization. Shaun Martin, Director of Tissue Recovery at Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network had to make that decision when his son Matthew passed away in 2020 at the age of 15. The Martin family decided to give the the life enhancing gift of tissue an area of donation that isn’t discussed often.  

In the aftermath of George Floyd, minority communities, in particular the African American communities, continue to lack the societal resources to help them understand the inequities in the healthcare system. Dr. Dinee Simpson, transplant surgeon, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Dr. Milda Saunder, internal medicine physician, University of Chicago Medicine expose the systematic issues that plague communities of color.  

Loving son, honor student, track and football star, cared for others and church youth group leader are words that describe Deveraux “2” Hubbard, Donor on a special street banner Downtown Peoria, Ill. Riverfront. Kristie Hubbard, donor mother talks about her son “2”, raising awareness about Factor V Leiden and how honored their family was to have him and other life-giving donors highlighted during National Minority Donor Awareness Month in August.

Let's Talk Hope podcast host Marion Shuck was recently interviewed about her work with the organization by Monica Fox, podcast host of The Journey Continues. 

Through her work at Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, Marion helped countless families make the powerful decision to donate their loved ones’ tissue and organs. When her husband of 33 years, Reggie, suddenly passed away, she found herself making that same powerful decision.  

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not new to the healthcare and social just systems. 

Dr. Donyale Padgett speaks to Let’s Talk Hope about why disparities exist in multiethnic communities and why it's important to learn the community needs and norms and work to eliminate these disparities.