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This Thing Called Life is a podcast dedicated to acts of giving, kindness, compassion, and humanity. Host Andi Johnson introduces you to powerful organ, tissue, and eye donation stories from individuals, families, and front-line healthcare teams. These stories are meant to inspire and remind you that while life can be challenging and unpredictable, it’s also incredibly beautiful. We hope this podcast inspires you to connect with our life-saving and life-healing mission.
Episodes
7 hours ago
7 hours ago
Episode Summary
In this inspiring episode, Zach Wells a TV sports anchor shares his incredible journey of receiving a kidney donation from his brother. Zach opens up about the unexpected news that his kidney was failing and the challenges he faced battling kidney disease, and the profound lessons he learned about hope, resilience, and the importance of prioritizing health. Tune in as Zach offers a raw and honest conversation about overcoming adversity and the power of family, health, and seizing the moment.
Episode Highlights
- Zach Wells was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2007 and experienced a gradual decline in kidney function before receiving a transplant in 2018.
- He recalls the moment he first learned something was wrong—his wife left him a message from a business trip, urging him to check his test results after his doctor raised concerns about his creatinine levels.
- Determined to manage his condition, Zach relied on diet, exercise, and medication but ultimately knew that a transplant was the best path forward.
- Before his diagnosis, Zach was a self-proclaimed workaholic, often neglecting his health in favor of his career. He later realized that without prioritizing his well-being, his time was limited.
- He reflects on the physical toll of kidney disease—the fatigue, nausea, and other symptoms—while balancing parenthood and work responsibilities.
- Throughout his journey, Zach found unwavering support from his wife, Caroline, and his family, which made all the difference.
- His brother turned out to be a perfect donor match, bringing renewed hope and gratitude.
- Zach discusses the emotional and physical impact of his illness, the dedication of his medical team, and the perspective he gained through this experience.
- Inspired by Zach’s story, Andi sheds light on the kidney transplant crisis and the need for greater awareness about living donors.
- Prospective donors undergo rigorous screening, but their generosity can transform the lives of over 100,000 people currently on the transplant waitlist.
- When asked for advice to men facing kidney disease or dialysis, Zach encourages them to stay present, be patient, and stay committed to their medical care and fitness routines.
- He highlights the importance of hope, scientific advancements, and the skilled professionals who make transplants possible.
- Zach expresses deep gratitude for his transplant surgeon, doctors, and everyone who played a role in his recovery.
Key Takeaways
- Zach’s journey with kidney disease began in 2007, leading to a transplant in 2018.
- His initial reluctance to seek medical care due to work commitments taught him a valuable lesson about balance and self-care.
- The support of his family, medical team, and a generous kidney donation from his brother gave him a second chance at life. He now finds joy in the little things and is committed to raising awareness about kidney disease and transplantation.
Tweetable Quotes:
- “So about managing the disease, doing everything I could to be as healthy as I could, drink as much water as I could, have the best diet that I possibly could, knowing that probably the chances of this reversing, the chances of this having a better outcome, were not going to be a very high so it's a long road.” - Zach Wells
- “I think transplants really reward the patient. They reward the dutiful, they reward the optimistic.” - Zach Wells
- “I was a workaholic. All I thought about was work. And I thought that I can't deal with this or go to the doctor, because that's going to interfere with my work schedule. But I learned very quickly that if I didn't get balance and prioritize this as another full-time job, that I wasn't going to be around very long.” - Zach Wells
- “I was not feeling well at all. I was run down. I had like, bags under my eyes. I would randomly sweat, I felt nauseous.” - Zach Wells
- “I think that that's one of the many areas where I've been so lucky, is just having an incredible support network of people that have really helped me. That's amazing.” - Zach Wells
- “What I want to do is, like, really draw attention to the fact that this is an incredibly solvable problem. Yes, like the people that are waiting, like, the waiting list is over 100,000.” - Zach Wells
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Episode Summary
In this episode of This Thing Called Life, Andi Johnson interviews Means Cameron, a successful entrepreneur from Cincinnati and the founder of the clothing brand BlaCkOWned™ Outerwear. Means shares the inspiration behind launching BlaCkOWned™ Outerwear in 2011, influenced by his cultural experiences and the importance of representation. He discusses the significance of community ownership, legacy, and his personal connection to organ donation.
Cameron highlights the impact of organ donors on his friends' lives, including a fraternity brother who received a kidney transplant. He also addresses common misconceptions about organ donation within the Black community, emphasizing the need for education, trust, and personal storytelling to make the topic more relatable.
The discussion underscores the power of local narratives in raising awareness about organ donation and encourages open conversations within families and communities.
Episode Highlights
- Origins of BlaCkOWned™ Outerwear: Means Cameron shares how the brand was born out of his desire to embrace identity, cultural heritage, and community pride.
- Meaning Behind the Brand Name: "BlaCkOWned™ wasn’t just about a Black-owned business—it was about owning who we are as a people, our culture."
- Legacy and Impact: Means expresses his vision for his legacy: "Fostering Black creativity and dialogue, and showing people they have options."
- Connection to Organ Donation:
- Means discusses his personal experiences with organ donation, including friends and family members who have received transplants.
- He highlights the challenges of mistrust and misinformation about organ donation in the Black community.
- Addressing Misconceptions:
- Many individuals fear that becoming an organ donor could put their lives at risk in medical settings.
- In reality, only 1% of registered organ donors pass in a way that allows for organ donation, while thousands remain on transplant waiting lists.
- The Importance of Storytelling: Means emphasizes the need to humanize the organ donation process by sharing real-life experiences to build trust and awareness.
- Encouraging Open Dialogue:
- Andi asks Means how he would approach someone hesitant about organ donation.
- Means stresses the importance of respecting different perspectives while sharing personal experiences to help others make informed decisions.
- Final Reflections: Andi expresses gratitude for the meaningful discussion and appreciates Means’ insights on business, legacy, and organ donation advocacy.
Key Takeaways:
- Means Cameron’s journey as an entrepreneur reflects his deep commitment to identity, community, and legacy.
- His personal experiences with organ donation have fueled his advocacy for increasing awareness and addressing misconceptions.
- Andi and Means then dig deeper into educating ourselves and others about how organ donation can help address mistrust and save lives and the importance of humanizing the organ donation process by sharing personal stories and the faces who make it more relatable and trustworthy.
Tweetable Quotes:
- “Cincinnati needed something for the culture, something that spoke to our culture, to give us something to be proud about, to speak about our heritage, and for not to just be in private rooms, but for us to be able to take it out into the world. “ - Means Cameron
- “So the idea of BlaCkOWned™ came out of me, wanting to have ownership of who I am and never losing it.” - Means Cameron
- “And so BlaCkOWned™ wasn't just about a black-owned business. It was about owning who we are as a people, our culture and the name black owned, just came to me. “ - Means Cameron
- “One of the most challenging things in our community is that we believe that if we become organ donors, that someone is going to take our organs if we ever are sick or in a doctor's bed and our life is on the line.” - Means Cameron
- “ I guess the best thing I can do for anyone that is on the fence is just to share with them my own experiences. “ - Means Cameron
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
This episode of TTCL will feature an interview with Luis Santiago on La Mega.
This monthly interview will inform the Spanish Community about Network For Hope and
the incredible miracles that happen with Organ, Tissue, and Eye Donation.
Resources:
https://getoffthelist.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
https://aopo.org/
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
In this episode of This Thing Called Life, Andi Johnson sits down with Joel Chase, Vice President of Organ Services at Network for Hope, to discuss his role and how it has evolved following a recent merger. Joel shares insights into the integration of two smaller Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) into Network for Hope, the strategic changes that followed, and how he is leading a growing team.
Joel walks through the organ donation process, from the initial referral to organ recovery, emphasizing the importance of supporting donor families, transplant recipients, and OPO staff who navigate these complex and life-changing moments. He also reflects on his career journey, the challenges of balancing leadership with personal life, and the impact of medical advancements on the field of organ donation.
Episode Highlights:
- Joel’s Role & the Organ Donation Process: He oversees the entire donation process, from organ referral and evaluation to allocation and recovery.
- Navigating Growth Post-Merger: The transition from 32 full-time employees at Legacy Life Center to over 90 at Network for Hope has required new leadership strategies.
- Evolving Case Timelines: The duration of cases has expanded from 24 to over 50 hours, depending on testing and logistical challenges.
- What Drives Joel: He is motivated by mission-driven work, helping people, and witnessing his team’s success.
- Biggest Leadership Challenge: Time management in an organization that never stops and balancing work with family life.
- Leadership Philosophy: Leading with openness, support, and grace while prioritizing an inclusive leadership style.
- Memorable Moments: Joel shares a powerful story of how a leader’s critical decision helped save three lives, a defining learning experience in his career.
- Public Awareness: He encourages open conversations about organ donation with loved ones and addresses concerns from those hesitant to register.
Key Takeaways:
- Leadership in Organ Donation: Joel shares insights into leading a non-profit OPO, managing growth, and the importance of learning through challenges ("failing forward").
- The Organ Donation Process: Understanding how OPOs evaluate, allocate, and recover organs while collaborating with hospitals to ensure successful transplants.
- Encouraging Public Awareness: Addressing misconceptions about organ donation and why open conversations with family are essential.
Tweetable Quotes:
- “I've always been fascinated with medicine, so you get to kind of play nurse or doctor without necessarily having to have the license. So I thought that that was just a great, intriguing career.” - Joel Chase
- “We are there to help facilitate, to make donation happen in the best way possible, and in these 24 hour shifts that a lot of the team members are working and all the things that they're doing, it's very hard to expect perfection when a lot of staff want to do their best all the time, and it's just not possible. We're all humans, and we have to have some grace for each other too.” - Joel Chase
- “I think that we should learn from our experiences, whether they're good or bad. If we don't learn from them, then I think that's more of a failure. Otherwise, it's an opportunity to improve and do better the next time. So I definitely like that mindset, and it kind of ties into knowing that we're not perfect people, and I don't think we're ever going to have a perfect A to Z case” - Joel Chase
- “It's the OPOs job to evaluate the patient's medical record and their current clinical condition for organ donation potential. A lot of times that could mean that the patient ends up surviving their injury, and they go through the rehabilitation process” - Joel Chase
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
This monthly interview will inform the Spanish Community about Network For Hope and
the incredible miracles that happen with Organ, Tissue, and Eye Donation.
Resources:
https://getoffthelist.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
https://aopo.org/
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
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. In this episode, we talk with Lincoln Ware from WDBZ the Buzz of Cincinnati talk station.
Resources
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
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. In this episode, we talk with Don Juan from 100.3 FM Cincy's R&B station in Cincinnati.
Resources
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Thursday Jan 09, 2025
Thursday Jan 09, 2025
Episode 106: The Donation Coordinator's Responsibility within the Donation Process of the Organ Procurement Organization, with Christienne King
During this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks about the donation process from the OPO (Organ Procurement Organization) lens. This week, Andi is speaking with Christenne King. She is the Senior Donation Coordinator. She meets family in very difficult times. Tune in to hear about her experiences as it relates to the important process of organ donation.
Episode Highlights:
- Many people believe that organ, eye, and tissue donation is just a service of the hospital but Andi shares how it is much bigger than that and requires the collaboration of many.
- Christenne has been with the Life Center for over 20 years and is currently the Senior Donation Coordinator. She explains her role as one of the individuals who handles the evaluation, medical management, organ placement, and logistics of the operating room for an organ donation.
- Andi asks Christenne to share what kind of training and background is required to do work as she does.
- Christenne shares her personal experience with organ donation about her sister, Adrienne King who had epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
- What does brain dead mean? Christenne shares facts that listeners may not be aware of. She explains the difference between that and a vegetative state or coma.
- Organ donation and the education around it have grown significantly over the years.
- Christenne explains her connection to Network For Hope and how meaningful it has been to her on several levels.
- Christenne put herself to paramedic school and applied as an organ coordinator.
- Andi asks Christenne how she prepares for her day and meeting with families in desperate times.
- What happens at the bedside to evaluate potential organ donation?
- Christenne shares that some cases have changed her forever and how it has been a blessing.
- What goes into supporting the families who are in contact with them?
- Andi talks about how COVID-19 caused many people to reflect and seek more meaningful jobs.
- Andi asks Christenne to share what a typical workday looks like for a donation coordinator.
- Logistics and time frames are very important in the process; Christenne explains.
- A lot of communication is required for this job because of the many pieces that must come together.
- An average case lasts about 72 hours so that the right thing is accomplished with the donor.
- Christenne talks about when organ gifts are placed in other locations.
- The donation coordinators are very passionate about giving each individual the best preservation options.
- Have you thought about registering to be a donor? Find out more at https://lifepassiton.org/
3 Key Points
- Christenne shares her personal experience with organ donation when her sister, Adrienne King passed away and saved several other lives.
- Organ donation happens through the collaboration of many. Andi and Christenne talk through the organ coordinator role and the piece it is in the overall process.
- Emotional taxation is high in the role that Christenne has. She talks about the challenges, and blessings, and how she perseveres through them.
Tweetable Quotes:
- “Organ, eye, and tissue donation does not happen without collaboration.” -Andi
- “There are intricacies of this life-giving, life-saving process.” -Andi
- “When someone has been deemed as potential to help someone through donation, a donation coordinator will be onsite for 24 hours/day through the end of the process.” -Christenne
- “For those who do not know, when a person is declared brain dead, it is a legal pronouncement of death, it is the time that will go on their death certificate.” -Christenne
- “My sister was one of only 39 organ donors in Cincinnati in 1992. It was so rare.” -Christenne
- “Donation can have such a positive effect on those that are donor families. “ -Christenne
- “This role requires you to be strong and sensitive to the fact that a family is going through the worst possible time.” -Andi
- “We are intimately involved with the families in the room and with the donors in the room, it is difficult.” -Christenne
- “Other than being a parent, this job is the most rewarding thing I will do in my life.” -Christenne
Resources Mentioned:
- https://getoffthelist.org/
- https://www.networkforhope.org/
- https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
- https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
LifeCenter ahora es Network For Hope! (LifeCenter now is Network For Hope!)
This episode of TTCL will feature an interview with Julie Luebbers on La Mega.
This monthly interview will inform the Spanish Community about Network For Hope and
the incredible miracles that happen with Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation.
Resources:
https://getoffthelist.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
https://aopo.org/
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
A Transplant Surgeon’s Journey To Help Others, with Dr Madison Cuffy
During this episode of This Thing Called Life podcast, host Andi Johnson speaks with Dr. Madison Cuffy, an Associate Professor at UC Health. Dr. Cuffy has built trust-filled relationships with his transplant patients throughout the years and loves nothing more than to see them live their lives to the fullest after getting their transplant.
Episode Highlights:
- Dr. Cuffy started his medical journey back in 2002 which led to a multi-organ transplant fellowship at New York Presbyterian.
- Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Cuffy was first introduced to Cincinnati by Talib Kweli and Hi Tek.
- As a 14-year-old, Dr. Cuffy became interested in medicine while volunteering in a hospital cleaning instruments.
- Even to this day, no one in Dr. Cuffy’s family has experience in medicine, nor any clue what a transplant surgeon does.
- Dr. Cuffy was born in the Caribbean and grew up with his great aunt in New York.
- One of the most common misconceptions surrounding organ donation is that the medical community will let you die.
- After being in transplant and seeing how one can help create life during a time of despair, Dr. Cuffy became an organ donor.
- The medical community is not out to harm organ donors in order to harvest their organs, contrary to popular belief.
- According to the statistics, on average, 22 people die every day waiting on an organ transplant.
- While most of his focus is on kidney transplants, Dr. Cuffy does work with all transplant organs.
- There is an access problem for people who need a kidney transplant and are on dialysis.
- Dr. Cuffy facilitates living kidney donation as the best option to treat end-stage renal disease.
- Andi has noticed that people of color tend to shy away from sharing their donation needs with other people.
- Socioeconomic issues and disadvantages can make it more difficult for certain patients to share their stories.
- People who don’t want to share their stories need a donor champion to do it for them.
- There are different forms of literacy, so Dr. Cuffy makes sure his patients know that there is no stupid question.
- It’s important for patients to speak up about their questions to their doctor so that they don’t get misinformation from another source.
- If your physician is too busy to answer your questions now or in the future, you may need to find a different provider.
- Dr. Cuffy feels rewarded by his job when he sees his patients experiencing life after their transplant.
- His grandmother’s advice was “Always be yourself”, even when things get tough, this message helps Dr Cuffy get through hard days.
- Raised without his parents in Brooklyn, Dr. Cuffy knows first hand that you can do anything you set your mind to.
- Dr. Cuffy has always had an extra gear that has allowed him to outwork everyone around him.
- When he goes back to Brooklyn now, Dr. Cuffy gets a different kind of respect from the people he grew up with.
- Dr. Cuffy thoroughly enjoys going to J. Alexanders in Cincinnati because of the sheer amount of professional African Americans that go there.
3 Key Points:
- While volunteering at a hospital with the hopes of staying off the streets as a 15-year-old boy, Dr. Cuffy had the opportunity to watch a kidney transplant up close, and that’s how he chose the transplant route.
- Unlike in other cities that have multiple transplant programs with different surgeons, Cincinnati has a single transplant program where the doctors act as one unit.
- Living donor kidneys last anywhere from 15 to 20 years, recipients don’t have to wait on a list to get one, and the quality is usually very good.
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
https://www.uchealth.com/en/transplant