The Gifted Life: Organ, Tissue and Eye Donation Podcast

Show Notes: Episode 10 of The Gifted Life podcast is full of event information so you can help us promote donation in Louisiana. Joey has a short history lesson where you can learn about brain death and how physicians determine it. Libbie Harrison is the host’s special guest. She chats about her amazing hero, his GolfForeLife, and all the fun you can have teeing off for organ donation awareness. Gadgets are making a huge difference in how many lives are saved, Lori and Joey honor hero, Christian Nelson, a listener wonders who pays for a living donor’s surgery to give the gift of life to another, and if you, or someone you know, need a speaker for a class or event our hosts tell you where to go. There’s a whole lot in episode 10 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: Episode 9 of The Gifted Life podcast is full of special guests. We speak with Cheryl McGee-Hills, Community Educator for LOPA, to get an update on the party with a purpose that is Essence Fest. In the recovery segment, we speak with Jessica Roth of Nebraska Organ Recovery to learn more about a 3-year-old Nebraska girl who helped save the lives of other children after a battle with brain cancer. In the community segment, Monica and Caroline Fazio spread the word about the power of donation as they tell the story of Michael "Mickey" Fazio. A new technology, TransNet, will improve the current practice of packaging and labeling organs. Hero Michael "Mickey" Fazio is honored and we answer a listener's question; when someone is a living donor, who pays for the donor's surgery? Get that answer and much more in episode 9 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: Episode 8 of The Gifted Life podcast, your hosts welcome guest Chrissy Hagan, LOPA’s CAO, to chat about a series of awards that have put LOPA on a national stage for workplace excellence. In the recovery segment, find out what testing is performed before an organ is transplanted. Guest, Larabee Thompson, is quizzing Lori and Joey to see how much they know about the CENLA Trivia Challenge, and you can learn the answers with them. Hear about technology experts that are in high demand and supply assistance to so many, hero Garrett Thompson is honored, and a listener questions if it’s normal for donor families to meet a loved one’s recipient. Get that answer and more all in episode 8 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: Episode 7 of The Gifted Life podcast, Lori and Joey are talking donation news with Sheron Raymond, and how Essence Festival in New Orleans is the place to register hundreds of donors each year. Listen to find out how you can take part in the festivities by volunteering or sharing a donation story to inspire others this July 4th weekend. Hear a transplant doctor’s perspective. Dr. Emily Ahmed joins your hosts to discuss kidney transplantation. An LSU baseball star makes a statement by simply wearing a Donate Life bracelet at a game. Wendy Lipsey, transplant recipient, calls in to chat about how her friend, Alex Bregman, has inspired thousands with the Donate Life message. Plus, social media takes over our technology segment, hero Justin Harrison is honored, a myth is busted, a question is answered, and more all in episode 7 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: On Episode 6 of The Gifted Life podcast, Joey has an announcement, and Lori doesn’t know what it is. Listen, and you can find out with her! Guest, Suzanna Morton, talks art, education, and how it’s helping raise awareness for donation. Lori and Joey give details about organs that are recovered for transplant, and bust another myth. Citizens in the small city of Springhill are learning lots about donation all thanks to the city’s hospital, Springhill Medical Center. Guest, Chillon Latiolais, joins the show to chat about that powerful partnership. Learn how technology in transplant has grown from faxes and pagers, to fully electronic; hero Alexis Porta is honored, another special guest jumps onto the podcast to answer a listener’s question, all in episode 6 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: In Episode 5 of The Gifted Life podcast, learn more about how 3 Louisiana heroes are honored on a national stage at the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Hosts, Lori and Joey, tell you how organs are matched to recipients, and who LOPA works with to make life happen. Lori and Joey tackle another myth; can I decide who gets my organ if I become a donor? A community partner takes the wheel to spread education about donation; Road Scholar’s owner, Chris Sibley, calls in. A new electronic tool, used by LOPA, is calculating to save more lives, Lori and Joey honor hero, Kenneth Douglas Morris; our duo talks about getting active for donation education this summer and more in episode 5 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: In Episode 4 of The Gifted Life podcast our statewide team, Donate Life Louisiana, is always working to educate and register donors, in news, hear how you can be “One in a Million” by helping a DLL team member “fill a heart” to reach a registry goal. LOPA’s Blake Smith joins your hosts, Lori and Joey, to discuss tissue donation and how it heals lives. “What does it cost to donate?” This myth gets busted. Then another college semester means a new class that works to register donors! LSU student lifesaver, Courtney McGuffee, tells our hosts how her class project inspires. Learn how a machine assists in extending the time for kidneys to be transplanted, Lori and Joey honor hero, Antonio Bennett; our duo answers a listener’s question and more in episode 4 of The Gifted Life Podcast.

Show Notes: In Episode 3 of The Gifted Life podcast, jump right into the phenomenal news about the National Blue and Green Day campaign in Louisiana with Lori and Joey. Then onto our Recovery segment, learn about eye donation with our guest, Southern Eye Bank’s Colleen Oltmann. Is donation against my religion? Our hosts bust another myth by arming you with the facts. Estate planning attorney, Paul Rabalais, calls in during the community segment to tell you why he works with LOPA to raise donation awareness by putting on the Rabalais Run for Life 5k. The Technology segment covers new software that is helping LOPA save more lives. Lori and Joey honor hero, Tabitha McLindon; answer a listener’s question, and more, all on episode 3 of The Gifted Life.

Show Notes: In Episode 2 of The Gifted Life podcast, your hosts Lori and Joey start you off with news. Hear about sweet baby Briggs’ possible need for a liver, and a new place of serenity dedicated at a South Louisiana hospital - La Place de Vie. Then in our Recovery segment, learn even more about how hospitals are finding many ways to bring donation awareness to their campuses when Lori and Joey talk to guest, Shawn-Paul Harrison. Want to know more about recovery? Joey explains donation after cardiac death. Listen close to find out which donation myth our hosting duo will bust in this episode. Plus, when the Community Segment begins, LSU student, Ashley Porcuna, calls in to chat about a special campaign her class produced to register donors on campus, and then find out how you can get LOPA involved in your event. The Technology segment covers an exciting technological advance that will add ease to registering donors in Louisiana. Lori and Joey honor hero, Ryan Scott Cart; answer your questions, and more, all on episode 2 of The Gifted Life.

Show Notes: April is National Donate Life Month and a Louisiana donor, Shawn Elizabeth, is honored nationally. Lori and Joey give tips on how to stay informed about community events. Joey gives some insight about brain death. One of the biggest myths about organ donation is busted. April 17th is National Blue & Green Day, Lori and Joey give some tips on how to gear up for the big event (www.donationmerchandise.com). We have a very special guest, Blayne McRae. He shares the story of his son Smith William McRae. Some benefits of our new donor registry website are discussed. We pay tribute to Shawn Elizabeth with our hero segment. A question is answered about the organ donor waiting list and much more on our first episode of The Gifted Life Podcast.