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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 Feb 07, 2023
Tuesday Feb 07, 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. Many different entities come together to make it all possible. Today, Tracie Shelton, the Chief Administration Officer joins the show to share about her role in the organization. Tune in!
Episode Highlights:
- Andi reviews the departments that she has spoken with over this series and the value of how so many come together for the life-saving gifts of organ donation.
- The nature of working in an OPO is very gratifying and mission-focused. If you are looking to move into something that has more meaning and a way to give back to the community, a role at LifeCenter or in an OPO may be for you.
- Andi introduces Tracie Shelton, who is new to the OPO and is the current Chief Administration Officer.
- Tracie has extensive experience in healthcare. She is a nurse by background and has held a lot of leadership roles at high performing hospitals in the area.
- Life Center has been the opportunity of a lifetime for Tracie, she says. She explains when she came in and went to the community breakfast right away.
- Andi asks Tracie what it has been like to switch from larger organizations to a smaller one. She shares the benefits.
- Regulations are Tracie’s speciality and she wants to add value to support the mission and all teams.
- What does a typical day look like for the Chief Administration Officer since it can look different each day? Who reports to this role?
- The level of professionalism and work at LifeCenter is amazing, Tracie says.
- The relationships between LifeCenter and donor families are so strong. Tracie talks about that importance as she has seen the other transplant side in healthcare.
- What skills are necessary for a role like Tracie’s?
- Andi reminds the listeners that there are 104,398 men, women, and children who need an organ transplant. How can you help?
3 Key Points:
- Tracie sees being at LifeCenter as an opportunity of a lifetime because of the mission-focused and life-saving work.
- What does a typical day look like for the Chief Administration Officer since it can look different each day?
- You have what it takes when you have the leadership skills, you often need to just be. Tracie talks about confidence building, communication, and the feeling that you can really rely on each other.
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson finishes up the series on ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. There will be two additional guests for the series that will join in to share what they do within the OPO. Today, Matt Niles joins the show to discuss his new role at Life Center as the Chief Operations Officer. Tune in!
Episode Highlights:
- Andi reminds the audience that she has interviewed people in every department of the OPO because each one plays a critical role in the donation value chain. You can check out any of the interviews from previous episodes at : https://lifepassiton.org/ or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
- It truly takes a community to facilitate donation. Andi reviews everyone who is involved.
- The purpose of this series has been two-fold: 1) to explain more about the OPO’s role and functionality so that the audience understands how the organ, eye, and tissue donations come to be as well as the intricacies of the life-saving and life-healing process. 2) If you are considering a career change, especially to something with deeper meaning to you, you can learn more about the different roles to the piece of the puzzle.
- Andi introduces Matt Niles who is new to Life Center specifically but not new to the OPO world.
- Matt Niles shares his background in Organ Procurement. He has been in the donation field since 2001.
- Matt is from a small rural town in Pennsylvania. His family was very big on volunteering and he volunteered in their small community hospital when he was in junior high school.
- At age 14, he saw a pamphlet about organ donation in the hospital. He filled out the donor card that evening with his parents.
- Matt has been with Life Center for 3 months. Previously, he has been in many different roles that ultimately led him to being the COO here.
- Matt shares his goals as he has taken over the role of CEO with Life Center. He says a lot of changes are happening in the industry and he wants to best prepare everyone for moving forward in those changes.
- The field of transplant is relatively new, only being around for about 40 years so there are a lot of innovations and changes everyday.
- Matt has had friends who have received transplants and he has had a friend who passed away waiting on the National Transplant Waiting List and he is a donor family. He is very passionate about it being his life’s work.
- Organ transplantation doesn’t happen without donation so it is an incredibly important process.
- Matt talks about everything that he oversees. Andi asks him to share the expertise that he brings.
- Matt shares the personal story of his grandfather who was a donor.
- Donor families and the people waiting are Matt’s WHY and focus.
- Andi talks about the value of Matt’s outside perspective and ability to challenge Life Center for growth.
- Matt has the perspective of a donor family, as an ICU and ER nurse where he cared for patients at their bedside, and as a clinician being a part of the process when the OPO comes in and provides the opportunity of donation to a family. He started out as a donation coordinator at the OPO in Pittsburg, PA
- When he wanted to go back to grad school he switched over to a large hospital as a director of the medical ICU and dialysis centers. He remained the chair of the hospital donor committee.
- After grad school, he had the opportunity to return to OPO as a director in Washington D.C.
- Andi asks Matt to share what a day in his work looks like and how it starts.
- What about the philosophy of some people in the community who believe that if they are a registered donor they will be killed for their organs?
- What does it take to qualify to be a donor?
- There are so many misconceptions in healthcare in general and even more in donation and transplants. Matt says it is their responsibility to acknowledge the doubts and fears but also bring the powerful truths and educate so families can make the right decision for them.
- Andi asks Matt to share what he finds most challenging about his role today.
- What does it take to be a COO at an Organ Procurement Organization?
- Andi reminds everyone that there are 104,398 men, women, and children who need a life-saving organ. Learn what being a donor really means or register as a donor at https://lifepassiton.org/or https://registerme.org/
3 Key Points:
- Matt Niles shares that his school of thought has always been that he won’t need his organs anymore when he is gone so he should give them to someone who does; It has been a very straightforward decision for him since he was 14 and led him to his career and where he is today.
- Transplant is a relatively new field, only having been around about 40 years. Matt says there are innovations and changes everyday that they need to stay on top of and ahead of and ultimately eliminate the deaths that are occuring on the waiting list.
- Matt clarifies what it takes to qualify to be an organ donor and that the hospital always 100% of the time tries to save all patient lives.
Resources:
- https://aopo.org/
- https://lifepassiton.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
- https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Episode 64: Understanding How Organ Procurement Organizations Are Financed
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson winds down the series on ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. If you missed the previous episode in the series, you can find them at lifepassiton.org or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Today, Andi talks with Maryanne Krumpleman, the finance manager. Tune in to hear how this piece of the puzzle comes together.
Episode Highlights:
- Andi explains how Life Center works with so many different entities to facilitate organ donation.
- The United Network of Organ Sharing houses the waitlist of the more than 100,000 people waiting for an organ.
- Andi reminds the audience of the ‘book ends’ to this process and that it is the people. The people who designate themselves to be donors or their families…it all begins with that yes and that is how everything unfolds.
- If you’re thinking about a career change, as many look to do something with more meaning, organ donation is a wonderful career path; They give back every single day.
- Maryanne Krumpleman is the finance manager of Life Center. Prior to COVID in 2019, she made the decision to leave corporate America where she had spent most of her career. She says it was the best decision of her life to start working for Life Center in 2020.
- Five years ago, Maryanne’s best friend’s husband was in need of a kidney. It turns out his wife was a match to be a donor which is very unusual. They went through the transplant process in 2017 and are doing very well today.
- What does the finance department do at the Life Center?
- Maryanne explains that they are a nonprofit organization but structured similarly to a hospital.
- How do all of the employees get paid as well as health insurance, insurance on the building, all other vendors that are included?
- After a family gives the authorization, Life Center’s finance department takes on the cost of donation.
- Andi asks Maryanne Krumpleman to explain the aspects of finance.
- There are many parts to the ‘checks and balances’ of the finances for Life Center. Maryanne explains how many things must get approved by the board of directors and Executive Director as well as audits and aligning with all government regulations.
- What is a sack fee?
- Healthcare in general is expensive and Andi explains there is a cost to make everything operate efficiently and appropriately.
- Maryanne explains that there is a pay scale for different types of tissues.
- Andi asks Maryanne what the most challenging aspects of her job are.
- All of the managers have a great passion for the overall mission.
- Maryanne explains that in a corporate world, all the meetings were about how much money could be made, the bottom line, etc. She shares how it is truly a breath of fresh air at Life Center because the focus is not on money but on the mission of saving and enhancing the lives of people.
- What kinds of skills would you need to fill a similar role to Maryanne’s?
- Maryanne talks about how they receive memorial contributions and how their responsibility is to use those funds to spread the word and utilize them well.
- Andi says the generosity of the community has been overwhelming to see over the years and the importance of educating the community in return.
- home at the end of the day.” -Maryanne
- “Today there are 104,869 men, women, and children who are in need of a lifesaving organ and also today 21 of those individuals will die because the organ they needed was not available,” says Andi. She explains how you can help.
3 Key Points:
- Maryanne’s eyes were opened to how many people are on the list waiting for kidneys specifically when she was alongside her best friend and her husband going through the transplant process.
- There are many aspects of the finance department. Maryanne explains all aspects from weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. and how all the monitoring and auditing works as well as in accordance with the government.
- Life Center is passionately committed to the mission of saving and enhancing lives. It is challenging and very rewarding. The organization is set apart by how all of their functions work together for the overall goal and truly making a difference.
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Community Heroes: Se puede tener ataúd abierto.- Ep 47
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 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 Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson continues the series on ‘The Donation Process Through The Lens Of The OPO’, exploring how things work and who is involved. If you missed the previous episode in the series, you can find them at lifepassiton.org or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Today, Andi talks with Katie Wright, a family aftercare coordinator with Life Center. . Tune in to hear her personal connection to the organization as well as her career path.
Episode Highlights:
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Katie, a family aftercare coordinator introduces herself. She has been with Life Center for nine years.
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Andi asks Katie what led her to begin working at Life Center; She shares that her brother was waiting on the transplant list and ended up passing away while he was waiting. He went on to be a tissue donor. He was young at 32.
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Katie used to work in the communication department and she actually started up the aftercare department when Life Center wanted to make a bigger support system for donor families.
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What exactly does aftercare do?
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Katie talks about outcome letters which thanks families and explains what they know about what their gifts and how they helped.
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What is the communication process between recipient and donor family?
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“Every recipient and every donor family handles their grief and their survivor's guilt and medical bumps in the road differently”, says Katie. She explains that some families want the letter and sometimes they don’t. Their department balances that to meet the needs of what people want and need.
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Andi asks Katie to talk about how Aftercare helps in bereavement.
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Katie talks about events and live streaming to reach families and give opportunities for them to connect with other families.
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Andi shares her perspective on families interacting with each other as she has seen it play out.
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Families receive a memorial gift from Life Center too to celebrate and remember their family members.
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What is the Donor Family Council?
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Andi asks Katie to share how her family personally remembers her brother.
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Katie and Andi talk about The Path Of Life located in a local park, Mt. Echo. Families receive ribbons of remembrance to tie on trees if they choose.
- Andi asks Katie what the most rewarding part of working at Life Center is.
- There are many people struggling with grief; Andi says lifepassiton.org has a lot of resources and encourages checking it out.
3 Key Points:
- How does the Family Aftercare Department contribute to the value chain of organ, eye, and tissue donation? Andi and Katie discuss what they do and how it impacts lives.
- Katie’s personal experience with her brother being a tissue donor at 32 after passing away waiting on the organ transplant list which prepared her to be the one who actually helped start up the aftercare department which Life Center specifically created to provide more comprehensive care and support for donor families.
- Recipients and donor families sometimes do want contact and others do not. The aftercare department helps facilitate the communications if/when it is appropriate to meet everybody’s needs.
Resources:
- https://aopo.org/
- https://lifepassiton.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
- https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
During this episode of This Thing Called Life podcast, host Andi Johnson talks to Debbie Hayes. She is a healthcare leader in Cincinnati, and specifically she leads a number one ranked hospital in the Cincinnati region. Tune in to hear her experiences and perspective on kidney donation.
Episode Highlights:
- Debbie began as a nurse at Christ Hospital. She worked her way up to being CEO, also led the Board of Directors at LifeCenter Organ Donor Network for 9-10 years.
- She started her career 34 years ago as a student nurse aide. The one thing that always amazed her about this organization is that you are given opportunities to grow and develop your talents.
- The pandemic was one of the most challenging times in the history of healthcare, but it has also been one of the most rewarding times. Because of the extraordinary efforts of an incredible team of people working they have still kept that mission of the organization at the forefront of everything that they do despite every challenge.
- “We are definitely grateful for all of our hospital partners throughout our service area who are able to facilitate organ, eye, and tissue donation”, says Andi.
- Many people who have organ failures of any kind are not able to fully experience what life is all about,which is why Debbie is passionate about this.
- Andi inquires, during the pandemic, “Did that affect patients waiting for kidney transplants at Christ Hospital?”
- One of the trends that she has noticed during her time at the Life Center is that living kidney donation continues to increase. Debbie explains her thoughts about why we are seeing more people making that choice to be a living kidney donor.
- Andi had the opportunity to interview a young woman who was actually waiting for a kidney, and she was listed at Christ, and she just could not say enough about what a positive experience has been with her team there.
- There are probably a million-plus surgeries that occur in the country requiring donor tissue, which is very interesting.
- Andi recalls a story about a young woman who was a volunteer and ambassador, and she has been waiting for a kidney for about three years, and unfortunately, she passed away. But she was able to be a cornea donor, and it just meant so much to her husband and young daughter.
- Debbie talks about who/what experience has helped shape her into the leader she has become.
- Andi asks Debbie to give advice to someone who is just starting out in their career in healthcare and may be inspired to lead a healthcare system down the road.
3 Key Points:
- Debbie shares how she maintains the passion for the work that she has been doing. She was recently named CEO of the Christ Hospital after serving as interim for a period of time, and just as an outsider looking in, it seems like health care leaders don’t tend to stay put with this same place for so long. She shares what it is that kept her at Christ all of this time.
- During the pandemic, things at the LifeCenter were quite dramatic. Debbie talks about the changes they have had to undergo during this time to attract people to sign up to be donors.
- There are about 750,000 people a year in the United States that have kidney failure. If we could get a transplant for every single one of those patients when they needed it, wouldn’t that really make an impact in the United States?
Resources Mentioned:
- LifeCenter | website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube| Twitter
- Andi Johnson website |LinkedIn
- Organ Donation Website
- https://www.donatelife.net/nmdam/
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Community Heroes- El don de la vida.- Ep 46
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
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
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Episode 61: Why Do OPO’s Need A Quality Assurance Department?
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson talks with Sarah Kepf to continue the series on “The Donation Process From The Lens of The OPO” where she has been taking listeners through step by step how the donation process works and all of the different departments and people involved within the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). If you want to know more about how the gift of life comes to be through donation, tune in now!
Episode Highlights:
- Andi reviews the previous speakers in this series of exploring the process of donation through the OPO- Organ Procurement Organization.
- The Process begins in Donation Support services with donation coordinators as the following step. There are also the family services coordinators, organ recovery specialists, and tissue recovery technicians. Andi has interviewed people in each of these departments - if you missed it be sure to check the episode list!
- Organ, eye, and tissue donation is deeply collaborative. It takes a community of hospitals and staff, transplant centers, the OPO, sometimes the coroner, and funeral homes.
- Did you know that a donor can have an open casket? Andi says, “The body of a donor is treated with the utmost care and integrity.”
- The Quality Assurance Department is critical to the donation chain. They ensure that the OPO is compliant in the recovery process as well as all policies are correct. They work closely with regulatory agencies to make sure that the organization is working in line with them.
- Sarah Kepf introduces herself. She has been with Life Center for 11 years; She started as a tissue chart reviewer and is now the Quality Assurance Manager.
- Fresh out of nursing school Sarah joined The Life Center. She shares how she journeyed through her career to where she is now.
- Andi asks Sarah to talk about The Quality Department’s role in the donation value chain.
- Sarah’s department works closely with auditors and surveyors from a regulatory standpoint.
- There is also a safety standpoint of the Quality department; Sarah is the safety officer. If an event occurs, she is interviewing staff members or she is testing different incidents.
- Sarah says they are also heavily involved in process improvement which is up and coming to ensure that the organization is running as smoothly as possible and staying up to date with any new changes.
- The Quality department started with two people and they now have eight.
- Sarah talks about how they continue to stay true to the mission of enhancing lives and honoring all in the very important process they follow.
- Andi asks Sarah to give examples of incidents that she may have to investigate.
- If an error occurs it is a chance for improvement. The other departments have an understanding of how Quality is improving work for everyone.
- How can someone get involved in the quality department? Sarah shares that it is beneficial to have a medical background as well as attention to detail and ability to critically think.
- Andi asks Sarah what is most challenging about her role.
- Healthcare is ever-changing so Quality really has to stay on top of changes and who the changes will impact as it could be one department or could trickle down to another as well.
- Sometimes people question how regulated organ donation is. Andi and Sarah discuss myths people believe. Sarah brings up how they have laws that heavily regulate everything.
- If you are interested in life center career opportunities or becoming a donor, you can check at https://lifepassiton.org/
3 Key Points:
- Organ, eye, and tissue donation takes a community working together. Hospitals and their staff, transplant centers, many in the OPO, coroners, and funeral homes.
- The Quality Assurance department ensures that the organization remains audit ready and that they are compliant with their regulatory and government bodies. Sarah shares how they do that.
- The Life Center continues to grow and flourish with their mission to enhance lives through donation while honoring those who gave. Sarah and Andi talk about how it is done in such a way that looks out for everyone.
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Episode 60: Finding Your Way Through Grief with Chamoda Palmore
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
During this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson speaks with Chamoda Palmore, a father to a son that was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident on his way to football practice in 2014. As a man, Chamoda knows that he might grieve differently than other people, but as someone going through his own journey of grief, he knows it’s important to find a way to grieve.
Episode Highlights:
- Chamoda is a business owner that lost his son, Chamoda Kennedy-Palmore, to a motorcycle accident.
- Throughout his journey of grief, Chamoda has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions.
- It takes a lot of patience to get through the grieving process.
- Chamoda has leaned heavily on his faith, friends, family, and various support organizations.
- After meeting a woman who lost 2 children to a car crash, Chamoda was able to put things into perspective.
- Even 6 years later, it doesn’t feel real to Chamoda, it feels like someone is missing.
- Chamoda found it difficult to engage with other people, staying away from family functions and gatherings.
- If you have other children or people that depend on you, it’s important to find some level of normalcy again.
- Giving back through Chamoda’s Candy Cafe and Chamoda’s foundation has helped Chamoda heal.
- Right now more than ever, people all over the world need support and care from anyone that can give it.
- Chamoda’s 2 daughters and wife have all dealt with Chamoda’s death in different ways.
- When tragedy first strikes, it’s like the rainy season in April and it moistens up your heart to bloom in May.
- It’s important to plant the right things, love, support, passion, during the initial phase of grieving.
- Chamoda understood that it was a slippery slope to turn to a path of destructive behavior if grief is not handled correctly.
- For about 2 months after his son died, Chamoda couldn’t open the bible.
- Chamoda is comforted by knowing that as a tissue donor, Chamoda’s death was able to help many people.
- The local driver’s ed has incorporated Chamoda’s organ and tissue donation into its program.
- It’s hard for men to speak about their grief, but it’s important to find someone to talk to about their feelings.
- Men feel that they have to be so strong for the family but that doesn’t mean they can’t let it out somewhere else.
- Around the holidays, it’s important to find different ways to express your grief.
- Chamoda helped more than 30 people as a tissue and cornea donor.
- When his son died, Chamoda felt like an infant that just needed to be held.
- Have patience with those in your life that has lost someone; eventually, it will slow down, but for now, listen.
3 Key Points:
- Chamoda likens his journey of grief to that of a baby’s journey of learning to walk. Right now, he is holding onto the banister as he guides his feet.
- Giving back to other people out there that are hurting can help someone heal and get through their own grief.
- Chamoda’s organ and tissue donation, now a part of their local driver’s ed video, has helped encourage others to become donors.
Resources Mentioned:
- LifeCenter (website) (Facebook) (Instagram) (YouTube) (Twitter)
- Andi Johnson (website) (LinkedIn)
- Chamoda’s Candy Cafe (website, Facebook)
- What's Your Grief
- Grief In Common
- Refuge In Grief
- The Center for Loss
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
Community Heroes-Those Impacted By Organ, Eye, And Tissue Donation- Ep 45
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
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