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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
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
On this episode of This Thing Called Life Podcast, host Andi Johnson is going to talk to Shelly Sherman and Stephanie Jackson. They are discussing kidney health and an exciting new project that is being launched to shed light on kidney disease as well as prevention. No doctor or medical expert will kill you for your organs; In fact, no medical professional is aware of your donor status until your death is declared. Tune in for more information!
Episode Highlights:
- Host Andi Johnson has a few big asks. Will you join us and be a part of this interconnected life sustaining community by registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor? Will you make the commitment to become more educated about living donation and championing the donation cause?
- Shelly is associated with the Cincinnati, Ohito chapter of The Links, Incorporated and she served as the Health and Human Services Facet Committee chair.
- The Ohio central chapter was granted an award by Baxter International for increasing the awareness of kidney health in the communities in which Shelly lives and primarily in the African American community.
- What is GFR? Shelly has been working hard in the community to make sure people know where they are regarding their GFR, which lets them know how well their kidneys are functioning and what they can do to maintain kidney health.
- The Links organization was founded in 1946 on the premise of friendship, and Shelly wants to uplift and elevate people by providing health information.
- Stephanie and Shelly first met through collaboration with The Center For Closing the Health Gap.
- Shelly had goals in mind based on the grant they received regarding the number of people that they needed to touch and the number of community partnerships that they needed to do.
- Shelly and Stephaine share the experiences they have had with training sessions and connecting in the community. They hope people will continue to listen to the podcast and continue doing some things and spreading the word in their communities.
- When people are ill, you can see it on their skin and eyes. You can notice the effects of kidney and liver illness on the skin and other body systems.
- Garlic is great for decreasing inflammation; It has Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Manganese, a great alternative for your seasoning. If you want to decrease your psyllium, you can add more garlic, which is great for your heart and your kidney.
- The one thing is to avoid canned and packaged chicken breast because those can contain sodium and other preservatives.
- Raising awareness and making small changes goes such a long way in promoting healthier lifestyles. There is a great ripple effect too when you share information like this with those in your family and circles.
3 Key Points:
- Blueberries are an important food for kidney patients. They serve as antioxidants and are very good for healing. In addition, they help your body to increase urination.
- People talk about dialysis and transplant, and these are things that you want to avoid. By opting for a healthier lifestyle and changes in the food you eat, you can do that.
- There are so many ways you can just move your body, and Stephanie always tells people 15 to 20 minutes is sufficient. Make sure that your body is doing something that it doesn’t do every day.
Tweetable Quotes:
- “Whatever we are putting in our body, the body is going to use, and if we don’t put in things that our body can use, then our body is not going to be able to function the way it’s supposed to.” – Stephaine
- “Your body does need fat but only healthy fats because it helps everything stay lubricated and work well in all facets.” – Stephaine
- “So much of what happens to us is preventable, and a lot of it is due to a lack of information that is sometimes missed in our community.” – Shelly
- “Sometimes, we do have a mistrust of the medical systems, and we don’t get some of the information that we need to have, but we can share it and start to educate each other.” - Shelly
Resources Mentioned:
- LifeCenter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube| Twitter
- Andi Johnson website |LinkedIn
- Organ Donation Website
- https://www.cincinnatilinks.org/black-kare-initiative
- https://www.facebook.com/CincinnatiLinks
- https://www.instagram.com/cincinnatilinks/
- https://www.yoursweetestlife.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/yoursweetestlifewithstephaniej
- https://www.instagram.com/yoursweetestlifewithstephaniej/
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
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.
Resources:
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Tuesday Mar 28, 2023
Tuesday Mar 28, 2023
March is National Kidney Month. On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks with Mike McConnell about kidney health and community outreach.
Resources:
https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
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.
Resources:
https://lifepassiton.org/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
https://www.instagram.com/lifecentercincy/
https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH
https://twitter.com/LifeCenterCincy
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
March is National Kidney Month. On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks with someone who saw a vital need and acted on it in regards to living kidney donation, Brett Milam. Tune in to hear his journey as a living kidney donor.
Episode Highlights:
- Andi previews National Kidney Month and the importance of education. Kidney disease, diabetes is often referred to as the silent killer.
- There are more than 37 million Americans who have Kidney disease and high blood pressure which often leads to kidney failure.
- More than 90,000 people are waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant.
- To get more information about kidney health and prevention, please visit lifepassiton.org or nkf.org today.
- Guest, Brett Milam, shares when he first thought about kidney donation. He saw a fellow journalist through Instagram who made it seem really doable.
- Andi asks Brett to talk about the process to become a donor. He went through UC Medical Center.
- Brett says you don't pay anything to be a living donor and the commitment was not overwhelming. The Medical Center even reimbursed his parking tickets.
- Andi talks about the safeguards in place for routes of discrimination.
- How long do you need to be off work?
- Brett shares what it feels like when your organs are reconfiguring after surgery.
- Brett has visited dialysis centers and talks about what it is like.
- What if your family needs a kidney after you have previously donated?
- The fall after his surgery he went skydiving for the second time in his life. He talks about the drawal to do it.
- He overcame his fear of public speaking to champion this cause and in 2022, Brett decided to work for Life Center.
- Andi asks Brett to talk about mental health. He had a personal journey with depression that he navigated through and what helped him overcome.
- What is talk therapy?
- If you are struggling with mental health, Brett has advice for you. He said do not fear telling your primary care physician that you are struggling mentally. You may have to go through different therapists and/or medications but it is very worth it.
- Andi talks about recognizing managing new normal after covid and how Life Center decided to offer counseling to their staff.
- Brett loves to read. He talks about what he enjoys reading. He recently read Stranger In The Woods.
- Brett did not know who his donor recipient was but it was still such a fulfilling experience.
- Andi reminds listeners that there are 103,933 men women and children who need life saving organ transplants. What can you do to help?
3 Key Points:
- March is National Kidney Month. Many Americans have kidney disease and high blood pressure which often leads to kidney failure which then in turn requires dialysis or kidney transplant. It is important to be educated to be out in front of the disease in prevention.
- Brett Milam shares that it was a simple calculation for him to decide to be a living kidney donor.
- Life Center’s mission and purpose drew Brett in. He thought he would work in journalism forever until a perfect turn of events led him to use his skills for this specific organization.
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson highlights March as National Kidney Month. Kidney disease is often referred to as the “silent killer” because so many people have experienced it and complications that cause it without knowing it for an extended period of time. Tune in so you can be educated about this important topic and proactive with your own health.
Episode Highlights:
- Do you know what Kidney health is?
- Do you understand your family history as it relates to kidney disease?
- Andi says, “More than 37 million Americans have kidney disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which lead to kidney failure often.” What does that mean?
- More than 90,000 people in the US are waiting for life saving kidney transplants.
- Andi lists the signs of kidney disease and encourages the listeners to visit nkf.org for more information.
- How can you create generational health?
- In Cincinnati, LifeCenter is working with The Links Incorporated and Closing The Health Gap and will be holding their first ever forum on this issue of diabetes and kidney disease.
- Andi says they have seen an increase in children being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and that is the wrong way to be trending.
- Andi says the partnership forum will open the conversation for physicians and others who have been through the experience so that everyone can be educated to take steps they need to for generational health.
- You can find out more about Closing the Health Gap at https://closingthehealthgap.org/
- There will be a lot more content coming on the podcast this year. For previous episodes visit https://lifepassiton.org/
Tweetable Quotes:
- “More than 37 million Americans have kidney disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which lead to kidney failure often.” -Andi
- “More than 90,000 people in our country are waiting for life saving kidney transplants.” -Andi
- “This is a great month to start the conversation about kidney health and understand if this may impact you.” -Andi
Resources:
https://closingthehealthgap.org/
https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson finishes up the series of exploring all the parts and roles in the donation process at the OPO. There is one final position to cover, the Executive Director of Life Center, held by Barry Massa. He is also President of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). Tune in.
Episode Highlights:
- Donation truly takes a community. Andi reviews how many entities come together to make everything happen.
- Barry Massa is the Executive Director of Life Center and has had that position since June of last year.
- Life Center is part of 56 Organ Procurement Centers across the United States; 48 of those are members of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). Barry explains what AOPO does.
- Andi asks why some centers aren’t a part of AOPO.
- Andi asks Barry what some of his biggest challenges are.
- “The whole donation and transplantation system has been under the microscope as of late”, says Barry.
- Barry talks about their positive outlook and taking on the focus to a more proactive stance and educating where misinformation is happening.
- The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine was asked by Congress to do a research study on the entirety of the donation and transplantation system which was reported in February 2022. Barry talks about the results
- Some people who need to be on the transplant list are not because of one reason or another. Barry explains.
- An executive order by former President Trump addressing issues with transplants and encouraging more transplants to occur stirred the change. Barry said it started as a Kidney Health Initiative.
- Barry talks about the trends over the last 5 years. He also talks about taking a systematic approach to ensure that organs are used and don’t have to be discarded.
- What changes do hospitals need to have?
- What government agencies need to come together to dialogue more change?
- What does donation and transplantation look like in the next 5 years?
- Andi asks Barry to share the biggest misconceptions he hears.
- Andy defines Barry as a bridge builder who desires to do the very best he can to improve everything.
3 Key Points:
- Barry explains how AOPO works and the beauty of working together to save lives.
- Every OPO has looked to see what they can do better. Organ donations and organs transplanted have gone up over the last 5 years and many are working to continue that.
- In 5 years, Barry envisions a much more cohesive donation and transplantation system that allows more people to get transplanted.
Resources:
https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
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.
Resources:
https://lifepassiton.org/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
During this episode of This Thing Called Life podcast, host Andi Johnson speaks with Donna Jones Baker who recently received the gift of life through the donation of a kidney and a heart. Donna has learned to appreciate organ donation and its ability to help save so many lives!
Episode Highlights:
- February 14th is National Donor Day, a day to honor all those who have been affected by organ donation.
- Donna was originally born in Paducah, Kentucky and went to Murray State University.
- After getting married, Donna lived in Baltimore for 22 years before moving to Cincinnati to become the CEO of The Urban League.
- Had it not been for the heart attack that she suffered, Donna believes she would still be at The Urban League.
- Initially, Donna received a Z-pack for what she thought to be a cold or a flu.
- Donna was able to make it to the hospital after suffering from a heart attack where she was equipped with an LVAD.
- Doctors wanted to give Donna a heart transplant, but couldn’t because they discovered cancer on her kidney.
- After doctors removed her kidney, Donna was placed on the transplant list for a new heart and kidney.
- According to the numbers, people of color suffer disproportionately from the effects of COVID.
- The months between her kidney removal and kidney/heart transplant were very scary for Donna.
- Doctors feared that Donna’s remaining kidney would not be able to support her and that she would have to go on dialysis.
- The same doctor that fixed Donna’s LVAD performed her heart and kidney transplant.
- Donna had to be careful with the medications that she took because the heart and kidney don’t want the same things.
- With the help of her husband, Greg, Donna was able to make it through a transplant during a pandemic.
- Donna advises those going through a similar situation to try not to think about it all the time.
- The gifts of life and grandchildren keep Donna grateful for every day that she opens her eyes.
- Through the pandemic, Donna has remained in touch with her children and grandchildren via Zoom.
- Working in organ donation is a tough job, but one that saves many lives.
- Donna hopes to schedule a trip to Baltimore to visit her grandchildren once the pandemic is over.
- Right now, there are over 100,000 people in need of a life-saving transplant surgery.
3 Key Points:
- After initially thinking she had the flu, Donna agreed to host a round table event on Friday the 13th. That following Sunday, she suffered a heart attack from Giant Cell Myocarditis.
- Many African Americans decline to become organ donors out of a fear that if someone of note needed an organ, doctors would take it from them without consideration for their lives.
- To stay in touch and grow with her family members, Donna has started a Sunday night Zoom Bible study.
Resources Mentioned:
- LifeCenter (website) (Facebook) (Instagram) (YouTube) (Twitter)
- Andi Johnson (website) (LinkedIn)
- Donna’s Story
- Urban League Of Greater Southwestern Ohio