This Thing Called Life

Community Heroes: Se puede tener ataúd abierto.- Ep 47

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

 

Episode 63: How Does A Family Aftercare Coordinator Help Donor Families? With Katie Wright

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:

• Katie, a family aftercare coordinator introduces herself. She has been with Life Center for nine years.

• 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.

• 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.

• What exactly does aftercare do?

• Katie talks about outcome letters which thanks families and explains what they know about what their gifts and how they helped.

• What is the communication process between recipient and donor family?

• “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.

• Andi asks Katie to talk about how Aftercare helps in bereavement. 

• Katie talks about events and live streaming to reach families and give opportunities for them to connect with other families.

• Andi shares her perspective on families interacting with each other as she has seen it play out.

• Families receive a memorial gift from Life Center too to celebrate and remember their family members.

• What is the Donor Family Council?

• Andi asks Katie to share how her family personally remembers her brother.

• 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Episode 62: Awareness Of Kidney Donation with CEO of Christ Hospital, Debbie Hayes

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:

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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/

Community Heroes- El don de la vida.- Ep 46

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

Episode 61: Why Do OPO’s Need A Quality Assurance Department?

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:

1. Organ, eye, and tissue donation takes a community working together. Hospitals and their staff, transplant centers, many in the OPO, coroners, and funeral homes.
2. 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.
3. 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. 

 

 

Resources:

https://aopo.org/

https://lifepassiton.org/

https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH

https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

Episode 60: Finding Your Way Through Grief with Chamoda Palmore

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:

1. 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.
2. Giving back to other people out there that are hurting can help someone heal and get through their own grief.
3. 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

Community Heroes-Those Impacted By Organ, Eye, And Tissue Donation- Ep 45

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

Episode 59: A Mother’s Story About A Tragic Loss And A 15-year-olds Mission To Always Help Others.

On this episode of This Thing Called Life, Andi Johnson speaks with Aimee Cordrey. She will be sharing the gift of life that her son, Nicholas has given to many recipients and how influenced others to do the same. She will also be reflecting some light upon the life of her son and sharing her story of grief and pathway to healing. Tune in now for this special story.

Episode Highlights: 

• Aimee Cordrey is married to Darren Cordray. They have been married for over 20 years and been together for a little bit longer than that. They met in college, and they have two sons Richard, a 19 year old, and Nick, who would be 17, but he is forever 15. Both of them are athletes, very different yet very similar in their interests and just how they approach life.
• In the middle of the pandemic Aimee and her family had been quarantined like everyone else for quite some time. School had just ended. Nick had just finished freshman year of high school and it was Memorial Day. Nick and Aimee went shopping that day to get some hamburgers and some vegetables and different things to grill out.
• Nick hadn't seen his friends because of quarantine. Aimee allowed him to go meet some of his friends at a local ice cream shop that was within walking distance of their house because one of his best friends was leaving for vacation the next day and she was going to be gone for two weeks.
• Nick decided to take a shower at night. All of a sudden Aimee heard the water go on and then they heard some really heavy, intense breathing, they were shocked. They thought it was our other son Richard, playing video games. She went to the basement, but it was not Richard, it was Nick.
• Nick loved life and he approached everything with this attitude of – "I can do it." His family really believed he was going to be okay and pull through.
• Aimee explains how and when they went about the conversation of Nick being an orgn donor. The hospital staff acknowledged all the protocols that they have in place, and they contacted Life Center.
• Nick had not yet been able to get his temps. He would have been eligible for them. The month that everything happened, he had actually registered as an organ donor.
• The letter that Aimee received said that Nick saved five people with seven organs, and probably impacted 40 to 50 others. The only thing Nick was unable to donate was his intestines, which they initially believed he was going to be able to do until they started doing the surgery.
• Aimee shares her thoughts on what it all meant to her, Darren and Richard to know that Nick helped so many people by donating his organs. 
• “Learning that sometimes bad things happen to good people and learning to be ok with that and it is not even being ok with it, it's just accepting it- that is one piece of it. The donation piece brings that pride.” -Aimee
• Aimee thinks that being able to talk about organ donation enables her to talk about Nick. 
• Andi feels like Aimee is doing so much just to help people understand the magnitude of the donation and its impact.
• Andi asks Aimee about the project that she is working on at his school in his honor. 
• One of Nick's friends, Grayson, started a change.org petition. He wanted to have the school board name the soccer field after Nick.
• There isn't a lesson here when it comes to losing a son. The only lesson that Aimee has learned is that bad things happen to good people, and she has learned that when you encounter a loss like this you integrate it into your life, you don't overcome it.
• Grief is something that has stages and some stages may be re-visited at times. It is ongoing.
• Nick loved everything. All of the time he was researching,  reading to understand deeply, caring deeply, everything was with passion, everything was with full intent. He didn't do anything without truly caring about it. If he was gonna do it, he was doing it 100% all in and that's what Nick was, and he is.

3 Key Points:

1. Nick had a brain aneurysm that his family didn't know about. Nick did not complain of a headache that day. He didn't have any signs of anything that day. He had an amazing day, and it was that quick. They called 911. They were very quick, they took him to the hospital, his aneurysm ruptured three times. At the hospital, they did surgery on him and for 9 days his family thought Nick was going to make it. 
2. Aimee tells the listeners how Nick was able to help other people through the gift of life that he was able to give. 
3. Each one of us is different. Unique as people, Aimee thinks everyone's grief is very unique. She needed to be around other people. Aimee thinks that the donor family council is amazing. They are a source of strength. They are unshakable.

Resources Mentioned:

• LifeCenter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube|  Twitter
• Andi Johnson  website |LinkedIn 
• Organ Donation Website

Community Heroes: La fe y la gratitud por la donación.- EP 44

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

Community Heroes: If You Donate A Portion Of Your Liver, Will It Grow Back?- Ep 43

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.

 

https://lifepassiton.org/

https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH

Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555