11.9K
Downloads
187
Episodes
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 days ago
7 days ago
EP 134 Title: Honoring the Gift of Life: Erica Randall’s Journey with Network for Hope and Organ Donation
Episode Summary
In this heartfelt episode, Erica Randall, Community Partnership and Events Manager at Network for Hope, shares her inspiring journey in building stronger communities and advocating for organ donation. Erica opens up about her role within the organization, highlighting the rewarding experience of organizing the annual Network for Hope Community Breakfast. But the conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Erica reflects on her family’s connection to organ donation, including the passing of her cousin Jason, who became an organ donor after a tragic car accident, and her mother-in-law Gail, who gave the gift of sight through cornea donation. Erica also discusses the creation of the SODA (Student Organ Donation Advocates) chapter in Cincinnati, which has now grown to 7-8 thriving chapters, and her deep passion for honoring both donors and recipients. Tune in to hear about Erica’s mission to spread awareness, inspire others, and make a lasting impact on the lives of those touched by organ donation.
Episode Highlights
- Erica Randall discusses her role at Network for Hope as the Community Partnerships and Events Manager, where she builds bridges between communities and the life-saving mission of donation.
- They recently held their annual breakfast event, themed “Voices of Hope,” where speakers reflected on the joy, resilience, and positivity of children and young adults impacted by donation.
- The event was visually brought to life through participants’ paintings surrounding the word hope, creating a powerful representation of lived experiences.
- Andi and Erica highlight Keegan, a young boy waiting for a lung transplant whose optimism and enthusiasm inspired everyone in the room.
- Erica shared the story of Jaylynn, a cornea recipient who is now thriving as a high-school senior, illustrating how donation restores independence and possibility.
- Erica has spent nine years in the OPO field and is deeply committed to educating communities about how the donation process truly works.
- Erica shares how the loss of her cousin Jason, who became an organ donor after a fatal car accident at 23, introduced her to the world of donation.
- She reflects on more than a decade of donation support services, building meaningful relationships with donor families during their most vulnerable moments.
- Erica explains why specific medical questions are asked during tissue donation, emphasizing safety, ethics, and protection for recipients.
- Erica’s mother-in-law Gail was diagnosed with liver cancer yet still became a cornea donor at age 66, restoring sight to two people in Saudi Arabia.
- Gail’s story highlights the importance of educating the public that certain donations are still possible—even with active cancer diagnoses.
- Erica shares her work with the Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA) chapter in Ohio, where over 550 students registered as donors.
- She emphasizes how today’s teenagers are setting a powerful standard for social impact and advocacy.
- Andi thanks Erica for her transparency, leadership, and dedication to sharing knowledge that empowers informed decisions about donation.
Key Takeaways
- Education dispels fear. Accurate, compassionate education helps families and communities understand donation and make informed decisions rooted in truth—not misinformation.
- Hope has many voices. From children waiting for transplants to recipients thriving years later, each story demonstrates the ripple effect of donation.
- Legacy lives on through giving. Personal loss, like Erica’s experience with her cousin Jason, can transform grief into purpose and lifelong advocacy.
Tweetable Quotes
“So our theme is voices of hope. And we did feature children and young adults. And I liked that idea because I wanted to show people it's not just adults who go through this. It does impact, you know, children at birth, or it does impact children very young age.” - Erica Randall
“So Jalen scratched her cornea when she was two years old and had to receive a cornea transplant. She is now a senior in high school in cosmetology. I'm so proud of her, and she is a signed professional Fisher woman. Oh, my God, and to see her just thrive all because of a cornea transplant, and how her life, I mean, she could be 17 years old with no eye, or she could have no vision.” - Erical Randall
“At 23 years old, he (Jason, Erica’s cousin) became a superhero, and he was able to donate his heart, his liver, his kidneys, and he was a tissue donor. So that completely flipped our lives upside down, but introduced me to a world of donation I had no clue even existed.” - Erica Randall
“I think it's an honor to give them the chance to have that light that somebody gave me when Jason became a donor. It gave us some positivity to his death. It gave us some glimpse of hope, some light in our lives, and to give that, to pass that on to somebody else, to have that chance was a great privilege.” - Erica Randall
“She (Gail, Erica’s Mother-in-Law) became a cornea donor at the age of 66 in her corneas, or in Saudi Arabia. So two people in Saudi Arabia have the gift of sight because of her. So, again, great moment here to educate people that can be cornea donors and have active cancer.” - Erica Randall
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Title: EP 133: “Walking by Faith: Maria’s Story of Survival and Purpose”
🎙️ Episode Summary
In this episode of This Thing Called Life, we meet Maria Valentina Almeida — a college graduate, a passionate advocate, and a woman whose faith has carried her through a lifetime of medical battles.
Born with sepsis and a rare Colecta malformation that led to kidney failure, Maria now shares her story to bring hope, dignity, and strength to others living with disabilities. Her journey is still unfolding, and she is in urgent need of a kidney donor — but her spirit remains unshakeable. This conversation shines with resilience, purpose, and the power of believing in something bigger.
✨ Episode Highlights
- Maria shares her background, including her mother's history with kidney disease and transplants.
- Maria's mother was diagnosed with kidney failure at 19 and underwent multiple transplants, inspiring Maria.
- Maria's mother had Maria and her twin sister during her second transplant, highlighting her resilience and determination.
- Maria was born in Venezuela with sepsis and underwent emergency surgery on her first day of life.
- She spent 45 days in the NICU and faced alarming prognoses from doctors, but she has proven them wrong.
- Maria had her kidney removed at nine years old during a surgery in the United States in 2011.
- Despite her health challenges, Maria has always tried to live a normal life and take her treatments seriously.
- Maria discusses the impact of her chronic illness on her life, including feeling different from her peers.
- She emphasizes the importance of not seeing herself as a victim and using her challenges as a strength.
- Maria shares her faith and how it has helped her through her difficult times.
- She talks about the power of sharing her story and connecting with others who have similar challenges.
- Maria graduated from college early due to her kidney failure symptoms and received two degrees in journalism and public health.
- She also has a minor in health behavior analysis and plans to use her education to advocate for others.
- Maria's faith and family support have been crucial in her journey, and she aims to continue sharing her story.
- She expresses her desire to use her platform to help others who may not have the same resources or support.
- Maria's twin sister has been a strong advocate for her, creating a Canva campaign and getting billboards to raise awareness.
- Maria's parents have also been very supportive, attending her appointments and taking care of her.
- Maria's faith and family support have helped her stay positive and hopeful through her challenges.
- She shares her dreams of receiving a transplant and how it would change her life.
- She encourages others to reach out for help and support, and to continue dreaming and achieving despite their challenges.
- Andi Johnson concludes the podcast by thanking Maria and reminding listeners of the importance of living donation and kindness.
📝 Key Takeaways
- Resilience is cultivated, not accidental. Maria’s journey — from emergency surgery at birth to kidney removal at age nine and ongoing health battles — reflects a life shaped by determination, faith, and a refusal to see herself as a victim.
- Family support and advocacy can change outcomes. From her mother’s perseverance through three transplants to her sister launching awareness campaigns and her parents accompanying her to appointments, Maria’s story is a testament to the life-saving power of community.
- Sharing your story can create purpose and hope. With degrees in journalism and public health, Maria is committed to helping others navigate illness and disability. By speaking boldly about her own journey — and her need for a kidney donor — she offers courage, information, and connection to others on the same path.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“She is a third-time transplant survivor, and she's just my biggest inspiration. But something that stands out a lot about my mom is that she had my twin sister and me during her second transplant, after her second transplant had happened. It's just so motivating to see how she persevered and how she had this goal of being a mom, even despite what she went through since such a young age.”
- Maria on her Mother’s experience with Kidney Disease
“The doctors gave my parents a lot of alarming prognoses of just my future, and even told them that it would take a miracle for me to just live to make it. And if I were to make it, I would have a lot of complications. I would not be able to walk. Talk, talk, I would not be just a normal human being, and I have just proven them wrong. I am so blessed, and that just comes to show how much God loves me.”
- Maria’s first day out into the world and her first surgery
“I went through a couple of surgeries from the very beginning to correct my condition that I was initially born with, which was cloaca malformation to colorectal malformation, and my kidney was removed at nine years old when I came to the United States in 2011.”
- Maria on her surgery to remove her kidney at 9 years old
“So I was managing finishing school and symptoms and just life the last four months, five months of the year of 2024, and it was a challenge, but I made it. I walked across that stage with two degrees and a technical.”
- Maria Valentina Almeida
“Yes, I I know that I'm called to share my story, to continue to do this as a as a long term thing, as a lifelong thing, just stand and raise my voice for for my vulnerability, but also the vulnerability of others that are not able to have this platform, that are that don't know where to start, that don't have just the motivation, or don't have the support or the resources. “
- Maria Valentina Almeida
“I dream of my kidney. I have had many dreams where I am literally lying in a hospital bed waiting to go into the or and I wake up, and I say, Maybe today's it. So I'm not gonna lie. I'm very eager, and sometimes I get very desperate, but that's normal.”
- Maria Valentina Almeida
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
This episode of TTCL will feature an interview with Luis Santiago from NFH 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 Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Title: EP 131: “Three Hearts, One Journey: The Massie Family’s Journey with Alport Syndrome”
🎙️ Episode Summary
In this episode of This Thing Called Life, we meet Katelyn Massie, whose family’s story is one of strength, resilience, and hope. Katelyn, her mother Amanda, and her brother Hunter all live with Alport Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that leads to kidney disease and, for many, the need for a transplant. Katelyn shares how her family’s challenges have turned into a powerful story of advocacy, awareness, and gratitude for the gift of life.
Katelyn has turned her personal challenges into purpose — pursuing a Master’s Degree in Bioengineering at the University of Washington and working on developing a portable dialysis device that could change the future for patients like her.
- Andi Johnson introduces Katelyn Massie, the daughter of Amanda and sister of Hunter, who joins the podcast from Vanceburg, Kentucky, where she is currently receiving dialysis treatment.
- Katelyn shares her background, including her Alport Syndrome diagnosis, her Master’s Degree in Bioengineering, and her innovative work on a portable dialysis device at the University of Washington — a project inspired by her own experience as a patient.
- Katelyn addresses the widespread misconceptions surrounding organ donation, encouraging listeners to research thoroughly and rely on credible medical sources instead of fear-based narratives.
- She clarifies that being a registered organ donor does not affect the quality of medical care you receive — an important myth to dispel.
- Katelyn emphasizes making informed decisions based on facts and personal conviction rather than hearsay or outdated assumptions.
- Andi inquires about the process of learning more about living kidney donation and how individuals can register as donors.
- Katelyn highlights the UK Living Donor Clinic, sharing her positive experience and the inspiring number of people willing to get tested for potential matches.
- She mentions that her father was told he didn’t need to get tested because there were already so many individuals in the pipeline — a beautiful testament to generosity in action.
- Katelyn encourages others to take initiative, reminding listeners that every potential donor adds hope for someone waiting.
- When asked about her daily life, Katelyn opens up about her family’s shared journey, explaining the emotional and physical toll of living with kidney disease.
- She shares that she and her brother attend dialysis together, which helps them both find comfort and strength in shared understanding.
- Katelyn recounts emergencies when her low hemoglobin levels required hospitalization — moments where her brother’s presence made all the difference.
- Andi expresses deep gratitude to Katelyn for her courage and transparency, wishing her family continued strength and healing as they wait for transplants.
- The episode closes with a heartfelt reminder from Andi: over 100,000 people are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant — 90,000 of whom need kidneys.
- Listeners are encouraged to register as organ donors or consider living donation through trusted platforms such as RegisterMe.org and Network for Hope.
📝 Key Takeaways
- Knowledge Over Fear: Katelyn reminds listeners that misinformation is one of the biggest barriers to organ donation. By turning to medical and scholarly resources, individuals can make empowered, informed decisions rooted in truth rather than fear.
- The Power of Family Support: Facing dialysis alongside her brother Hunter, Katelyn’s story highlights how shared strength and empathy within families can turn even the hardest challenges into moments of connection and resilience.
- Innovation and Hope for the Future: Through her studies in bioengineering and her work on a portable dialysis device, Katelyn represents the next generation of changemakers — patients turned innovators who are redefining what’s possible for kidney health.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“I think that there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding organ donation and that that gives people a lot of hesitation, but I would just encourage people to do your research and really look into it and look at it from scholarly sources, rather than, like, fear mongering.”
- Katelyn Massie
“And I've actually had really great success with that, because UK has told me that they just have a massive list of people willing to get tested to the point where they haven't even, like they contacted my dad when he was willing to get tested and told him, like, we have plenty of people in the pipeline. We don't need you, and they haven't called him back to ask him to get tested.”
- Katelyn Massie
“It's stressful for sure, because I'm worried about myself, but then I also have to worry about Hunter and mom as well.”
- Katelyn Massie
“It gives me a lot of anxiety just worrying about them all the time, but at the same time, it's kind of nice to have people that understand what I'm going through and that I can relate to, like Hunter and I go to dialysis together.”
- Katelyn Massie
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Title: “The Ripple Effect: Maggie Luken’s Journey of Loss, Love, and Life”
🎙️ Episode Summary
In this deeply moving episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson welcomes Maggie Luken, whose story reminds us that even in profound loss, love can create ripples of life.
When tragedy struck, Maggie Luken chose compassion. In this moving interview, she reflects on a year marked by major back surgery, the loss of two brothers, and the life-giving decision that followed. Inspired by her brother Brendon’s organ donation, Maggie became a living donor herself. Now an Ambassador for donation, Maggie's story is a testament to resilience, purpose, and how one act of kindness can create ripples of life.
✨ Episode Highlights
- Andi Johnson welcomes Maggie Luken, setting the stage for a story of resilience and hope.
- Maggie opens up about her lifelong battle with back issues due to a genetic defect — a condition that began affecting her as early as age 12.
- Over time, severe back pain led her to use a wheelchair and undergo extensive physical therapy.
- After having two children, Maggie’s condition worsened, leaving her unable to stand for more than five minutes and suffering intense nerve pain.
- She describes her bilateral spinal fusion and discectomy — a major surgery that replaced damaged discs with metal rods and screws. Maggie recalls the painful recovery but also the immediate relief she felt when the nerve pain vanished.
- Now, 2.5 years post-surgery, Maggie shares her gratitude for a full recovery and no longer needing medical visits for her back.
- Tragedy struck when her 24-year-old brother Brendan suffered a heart attack while at the gym. Maggie recounts the devastating details, including a delay in help and the family’s desperate hope as Brendan was placed on ECMO life support for a week.
- Despite their faith in a miracle, scans revealed irreversible brain damage, forcing the family to face the unimaginable.
- Maggie shares the heartfelt decision to donate Brendan’s organs, knowing his legacy would live on through others.
- She finds comfort in knowing that Brendan’s heart, kidneys, and eyes gave life and sight to multiple people.
- Reflecting on his legacy, Maggie describes Brendan as a source of inspiration, pushing her to continue his story through advocacy.
- She also reveals the unexpected loss of her second brother, Colin, just months later, to an accidental overdose — a loss that deepened her purpose in helping others.
- Maggie shares how she was inspired by a podcast episode and a local kidney recipient’s story to become a living donor herself.
- With the unwavering support of her husband and community, she embarked on the journey to donate a kidney — describing the procedure as less invasive than her back surgery and the recovery as surprisingly manageable.
- Maggie speaks candidly about her emotional healing after the surgery and how the experience became part of her process of grief and renewal.
- She encourages listeners to consider organ and living donation, reminding them that it’s not only life-changing for the recipient but healing for the donor as well.
- Maggie shares how her advocacy inspired Carrie, a local dietitian, to donate her own kidney to a stranger — a ripple effect that continues to grow.
- She closes by reflecting on her brothers’ legacies, her mission to honor them, and the hope that others will be moved to give life through organ donation.
- Andi Johnson thanks Maggie for her openness and courage, closing with a message of gratitude for those who turn tragedy into purpose.
📝 Key Takeaways
- Turning Pain into Purpose: Maggie’s story shows how personal tragedy can become a powerful catalyst for compassion. Her choice to become a living donor transformed grief into hope — not only for herself but for others in need.
- The Ripple Effect of Donation: From Brendan’s selfless organ donation to Maggie’s own kidney gift — and now Carrie’s — one act of kindness can inspire a chain of generosity that touches countless lives.
- Healing Through Advocacy: Maggie’s work as an organ donation ambassador highlights how sharing personal stories can encourage others to register, donate, and change lives while preserving the memory of loved ones.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“After having two children, you carry two babies and your back. It really does a number on it, right? So, yeah. By the end of 2022, I couldn't stand for more than five minutes at a time. My nerve was completely pinched. I had been told I wasn't allowed to pick up my kids anymore.”
- Maggie Luken
“And so I have like, two metal rods and four screws and a fake disc in my back now, yeah, but I feel great. It's, I mean, as soon as I woke up from surgery, the nerve pain was gone. It's, you know, it's awful their recovery. I'm not gonna lie, it's the hardest thing physically that I've ever gone through.”
- Maggie Luken
“We found out that he had a heart attack at the gym where he worked at Planet Fitness, and nobody tried to help him. They just walked around him for almost five minutes before they tried to help or called 911, and so by the time the paramedics got there, they were able to restart his heart, but it had been 40 minutes…”
- Maggie Luken on her brother, Brendan’s heart attack
“It's really crazy to think that you know somebody out there is literally seeing the world through my brother's eyes. Somebody's heart is pumping blood through his heart valves. You know, there's somebody who has a personal liver now, and people have kidneys, and we got a message from someone who received like tissue and they were able to heal from something that they had been struggling with.”
- Maggie Luken
“So the actual incisions for where it's done are very small, and then they do take it out in one piece, and so you have the larger, like, it's basically a C-section score. So I kind of just felt like I didn't have a C-section with either of my children, but I kind of just felt like I had to chill again. Like, after you have a baby, you're just taking it easy.”
- Maggie Luken on her surgery
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
This episode of TTCL will feature an interview with Luis Santiago from NFH 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 Oct 14, 2025
Tuesday Oct 14, 2025
Title: "Meeting My Kidney Sister: Sarah Green-Moore’s Story of Healing and Purpose"
🎙️ Episode Summary
In this heartfelt episode of This Thing Called Life, we sit down with Sarah Green-Moore, a kidney transplant recipient whose story is as inspiring as it is extraordinary. Sarah shares the unforgettable moment she met her “kidney sister” — the woman receiving the other kidney from the same donor — in the hospital lobby just before their transplants. Now, thriving with a new lease on life, Sarah is paying it forward by caring for her 8-year-old daughter who needed her when she was least expecting it. This is a moving story of second chances, sisterhood, and the power of showing up when it matters most.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Title: "Legacy in Life and Loss: Adria Johnson on Her Son’s Gift of Hope"
🎙️ Episode Summary
In this powerful and emotional episode of This Thing Called Life, we sit down with Adria Johnson, President and CEO of Metro United Way in Louisville, Kentucky, as she shares the deeply personal story of losing her son, KJ, in a tragic car accident. KJ made the selfless decision to become an organ donor — a choice that gave the gift of life to others even in his passing.
Joined by Barry Massa, CEO for Network for Hope, this episode also sheds light on the critical difference between DCD (Donation after Circulatory Death) and brain death, offering clarity and compassion for families navigating organ donation.
Together, Adria and Barry bring heart, hope, and understanding to a conversation that touches every aspect of life, love, and legacy.
✨ Episode Highlights
- Guests introduced: Host Andi Johnson welcomes Barry Massa and Adria Johnson, who share their experiences with organ donation.
- Adria’s story: She recounts losing her son, KJ, in a car accident and the remarkable impact of his donation — his heart saved a 36-year-old man, and his kidneys gave two mothers renewed life.
- Barry’s perspective: He reflects on how KJ’s story fuels his passion for the mission of organ donation and inspires his work every day.
- Support from COTA: Adria and her family received compassionate care from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, which walked alongside them during the most difficult moments.
- KJ’s decision: Paperwork revealed that at just 18 years old, KJ had already elected to be an organ donor, a decision that turned his loss into hope for others.
- The Honor Walk: KJ’s hospital held a moving ceremony to honor his life and gift of donation, a moment that deeply touched his family.
- Hospital partnerships: Barry stresses the critical role of strong hospital relationships in ensuring organ donation success.
- Understanding donation: The episode clearly explains the difference between brain death and DCD. Brain death occurs when all brain function ceases, while DCD is donation after the heart stops — both allowing for organ donation under specific conditions.
- Family acceptance: Adria shares how she fully supported her son’s decision, finding comfort in his selflessness.
- Aftercare support: Network for Hope’s Aftercare department provided Adria’s family with ongoing emotional and memorial support, helping them through grief and connection with recipients.
- Organizational challenges: Barry speaks about recent challenges in the field, including investigations, corrective action plans, and congressional hearings around organ procurement modernization.
- Medical recommendations: HRSA guidance calls for neuro exams every 12 hours for DCD cases to ensure accurate assessment.
📝 Key Takeaways
- The power of one decision: At only 18 years old, KJ’s choice to register as an organ donor transformed his tragic passing into a legacy of life, saving and improving the lives of multiple recipients.
- Compassion and support matter: From COTA’s care to Network for Hope’s Aftercare team, Adria’s family experienced how vital emotional and practical support is for donor families navigating both loss and healing.
- Education brings clarity and courage: Understanding the differences between brain death and DCD helps families make informed decisions, reduces fear, and fosters greater trust in the organ donation process.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“You know, it was hard enough to prepare to say goodbye to my son and know that KJ would no longer be here, but he had elected at the age of 18 to be an organ donor, unbeknownst to us, and certainly, I consider him probably the premier selfless hero that I will know in my lifetime because of that gift.”
- Adria Johnson
“You know, it really takes a lot of dedication, and if you're just in it for a job, you'll never make it. You have to be passionate about the mission.”
- Barry Massa
“And when that decision was made, what I really appreciated was, again, just the tenderness, the comprehensive way in which they prepared us for all of it, you know, just what needed to take place for the duration of K J's hospital stay.”
- Adria Johnson
“And very early on in when I became Executive Director of Life Center, before becoming CEO of Network for Hope, I felt like relationships with their hospitals were going to be the key for our success to honor those gifts of donation.”
- Barry Massa
“ I didn't have any reservations, like I said, from the minute all of this started for us, and even just in being made aware that you know your son did elect to be an organ donor, and if you know that is something you all want to pursue.”
- Adria Johnson
“I mean, from the minute we had to get through all of that painful episode, and you're now kind of adjusting to life without this person, it was. I mean, just consistent check-ins:
‘How is your family doing?’ I mean, even the you know, helping us in terms of, ‘do you want to try and have some connectivity with the folks that have been the recipients of his gifts?’ So there's all of that also added an element of support. “
- Adria Johnson on receiving support from the AfterCare Team
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Title: Twice Gifted: Beth Otto’s Journey As a 2 Time Kidney Recipient
🎙️ Episode Summary
In today’s episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson interviews Beth Otto. At just 25 years old, Beth Otto received her first life-saving kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Years later, a second transplant — this time from a selfless friend — gave her a renewed lease on life. In this inspiring episode, Beth opens up about her journey as a two-time kidney recipient and how those experiences shaped her purpose. Motivated by the care she received, Beth became a nurse, dedicating her life to helping others. This episode is a powerful reminder of the impact of organ donation and the resilience of the human spirit.
✨ Episode Highlights
- Beth’s Journey as Patient and Nurse: Beth Otto, a two-time kidney transplant recipient, shares her dual perspective as both a nurse and a patient.
- 35 Years in Healthcare: Beth has worked as a nurse for over three decades, bringing compassion and purpose to every role she has held.
- Symptoms Overlooked: Early warning signs such as back pain and fatigue were ignored until Beth discovered her blood pressure was alarmingly high—260 over 180—before teaching an aerobics class.
- First Transplant Experience: Beth recalls her first kidney transplant from a deceased donor and the time she spent on peritoneal dialysis beforehand.
- Living with Gratitude: She reflects on the gift of life she was given, sharing how she now lives with deep gratitude and purpose, never taking moments for granted.
- Choosing Nursing as a Calling: Inspired by the care she received, Beth pursued nursing school and built a career dedicated to patient care.
- Diverse Nursing Career: Over the years, Beth worked in physical medicine and rehabilitation, cardiac care, and wellness, blending personal passion with professional expertise.
- A Family Friend’s Gift: Beth’s second transplant came from her mother’s longtime friend—who became her perfect living donor match.
- The Difference with Living Donation: Beth shares how the experience of having a living donor was unique—allowing her to build an ongoing relationship and celebrate life together.
- Community Inspiration: Beth believes her donor’s act of generosity inspired many others in the Fort Thomas community to register as organ donors.
- Raising Awareness Through Storytelling: Her journey has helped alleviate fears and spread awareness about the importance of organ donation.
- The Power of Living Donation: Beth emphasizes how living kidney donors can make a profound and immediate difference in someone’s life.
- Celebrating Milestones: Every September 18th, Beth and her donor celebrate their transplant anniversary together, honoring the bond and the gift of life they share.
📝 Key Takeaways
- Every Organ Donation Extends Far Beyond One Life. Beth’s story shows how organ donation not only restores health but also inspires communities to register, talk openly, and advocate for donation.
- Living Donors Create Unique Bonds. A living donation carries a special connection between donor and recipient—allowing them to celebrate milestones together and share a lifetime of gratitude.
- Purpose Through Gratitude. Beth transformed her personal health journey into a 35-year nursing career, using her experiences to fuel compassion, service, and advocacy for others facing similar challenges.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“So then went to the hospital. They ended up finding out that I had just had complete renal failure. They tested me, and I had no kidney function whatsoever.”
- Beth Otto on her firsthand experience of Kidney Failure
“Thank you from the bottom of my kidney. I don't ever take a moment for granted. I live every day as hard and as fast as I can, and try as hard and as fast as I can to help everybody else have that same joy.”
- Beth Otto
“So that's why I went back to nursing school, and that's where I felt like what I gained from being in the hospital, and the care that I received while I was getting my transplant, I was like, Okay, this is I gotta do this.”
- Beth Otto on going to nursing school
“And so I really always wanted to become a heart nurse, okay? And so I ended up getting and working in cardiac and the cardiac unit cardiac rehab, and I did that for 19 years, and then I worked alongside wellness and cardiac care.”
- Beth Otto on her roles as a heart nurse
“And the perfect match is obviously an identical twin. She was the second-best thing, just a perfect match. She said the only thing that would have been better was if I had had a twin.”
- Beth Otto on her 2nd kidney transplant
“I guess they differ because I have the ability now to be with my donor all the time. Yeah, we go out frequently. We, you know, celebrate each other's successes, stories, and lives. We're all family, right? Her husband always says, “they're all here”, and so that's just a really fun way, and it's really true.”
- Beth Otto on how the 2 transplants differ
“That's what I hear often from people who have been donors, living kidney donors, as much of a blessing as they have been to that person that they're able to help, they feel they were equally as blessed because they were able to give this gift.”
- Andi Johnson
Resources:
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
Tuesday Sep 09, 2025
Tuesday Sep 09, 2025
This episode of TTCL will feature an interview with Luis Santiago from NFH 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/