Hello, and welcome to the Give to Life podcast, where we have conversations about organ, tissue, and iodine donation. I'm Laurie Steele. I'm Joey Boudreau. I'm Sally Chintry.
We are all smiles because you choose to listen, and what we hope is that you choose to pass this along. Our goal is to make life happen, and we try to make it as easy as possible for you to join us in that mission. Absolutely, Laurie. We want you to listen in.
You can find us on iTunes, Google Play, or any of your favorite podcast apps. And listen, if you want to see some of what we're talking about, we post pictures, and we do updates on Facebook, donate live Louisiana. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram at Donate Life LA, and Ms. Sally, I'm hearing about a hotline.
Oh, yes, indeed. And for those of you who prefer to call in on a phone rather than all this other high check stuff, you can reach us at 504-648-3477. Oh, yeah, we still call each other, right? Yeah, that's still works, too.
So we want this to be interactive. Yeah, we want this to be interactive. We may use your audio. We want to know what you're thinking, and we want to make life happen.
So join us today. Let's get started. All right, guys, this is kind of a flashback episode for the gifted life. Those are fun.
We're going to be taking you back to Transplant Games 2016. Absolutely, Laurie. Just to see these guys maybe a year out or just a little bit older competing against other transplant recipients, giving it their best. It is amazing to watch them and to hear their stories.
We had a crew out there. It was so much fun. And to be on the ground level, we were all going for medals because it was the games. But once they crossed a finish line or once they completed a basketball game, it was like a victory no matter what.
That was awesome. And that's what we want you to hear. So enjoy. Laurie, still here at Transplant Games 2016.
You have a good time? Absolutely. I heard something different. These guys, you're not from Louisiana, I would assume.
Absolutely not. So where are we from? Australia. Australia, I love it.
I love it. The first time here. It's amazing, right? So we thought you guys needed to hear their stories.
So we have Glenn, Liam, Linden. So tell us what you received and how far out you are. So, I had a kidney. A third-hand years ago, I was lucky enough to get my transplant from my dad.
And he's live in Kicking Mother's World. Yeah, I love it. I'm lame. I've had two little transplants from five years out.
Hi, I'm Linden. I had my kidney transplant 32 years ago and it's all going well. Oh my goodness. And so you guys are three of how big of a team?
16 others probably. Now tell us how everything coming up wins. So you guys have games in Australia but how did you end up here? A lot of us have good friends and social media these days makes it very easy to keep in touch.
Yeah. So I'm going to go stack to one off. Also, you sometimes come to our games and through that we've made friendships and we've returned the favour and come to your games. Yeah, so we're going to cover the Australian games that anybody's listening up there.
We're going to hook that up one year, right? Absolutely. So tell us what you think about this and how it gets to compare to the games where you will. Oh, you cannot prepare this.
No, no. We might have a couple hundred people compared to thousands. And the trading opinions is just crazy. That's the first thing they heard.
We're going to get over the trading opinions like we just catch up and say hi, hi, hi. There's no trading opinions. Yes. We went to a production for interview and they thought we were going to be asking for pins or callers, which is fun especially for the kids here at the game.
So tell us what you're competing in. Basketball, volleyball, basketball. Okay. I mean, it's time to be violin-related.
Okay. So I've got basketball here tomorrow and then shopbook and discuss on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Wednesday, then back to City. Oh my goodness. Not everybody here at Transplant Games are here to celebrate life to 100 owners.
So no matter where you're from, that's the basic goal, right? It's also spread the message of what it's about. I mean, a second chance in life. Without our donors, we wouldn't be here today.
So it's a big thing to think about. Don't it's a big part of that world. So you're going to go back home to Alcarilla and you're going to tell them what about us. It's amazing.
It's just you. America is big. Yeah. So it's the accent.
So like food, accents, can you understand these? What? What was that? We just kept asking them to say things.
We just kept asking them to say things. I know. We love it. We love it.
We appreciate you guys taking the time. Thanks for coming here and taking this experience. You do know that we have a podcast, right? It's called Can You Read It?
The Kids Did Life Podcast. Now I'm assuming we're going to have three new listeners. I'm not sure. Yes.
And we want more people to call in because the Get To Life podcast is available not only in the States, but across the world. Which is pretty cool. So ahead, we get to get called on the podcast. That is a good question.
Does somebody tell you this thing? No. He just smarted like that. So if you go to lopa.org slash podcast, you can hear all of these incredible stories not only here at the Transplant Games, but from across the world as well as as we hear them.
So if you have something only in Australia that you want to share with everyone, you just have to let us know. And you can go to lopa.org slash podcast. It's pretty cool. Lopa is the first working procurement agency to start it up.
And now you're on it. You're like super stars in the States. I'm Olympic. Yeah, as we appreciate that Transplant Games 2016 making great friends having a great time.
More to come. Lori Steele here at Transplant Games 2016. These guys stylish. Totally notice that from the plane ride over with Rie.
Hi, Rie. Hi. Hi. This is my sister, Shayanna.
And your supporter? Yes. Because why? You are a recipient, right?
I am. Tell us your story. I was a transfer in 2015. So this is new?
Yeah. So life before the transplant was... It was done a rock because I couldn't see much. I was legally blind.
Okay, so we needed a lot of support? My family definitely. Yeah, assistance. Yeah.
Alright, so by day you helped people become beautiful. Yeah, I'm a coffee-tolerant just by day. Yeah. And I...
Round the clock. 24-7 now. You look fabulous by the way. That was hard for you to do.
Yeah. So you got a transplant? Yes. And like now, it's perfect.
I have 2025 vision in my right eye. It'll be my left eye, no July 7. Nick Murk. So two owners.
And they're like, what's the last plant in the world? Everything is like me. Get your like that. Yes.
So you saw Sister struggling? Yes. Tell us what that was like. Were you that's hard, right?
Oh yeah, but she's hard for the independent. Even though she was struggling. I cannot tell that in all of the week. Her vision.
She tried to make it look like she wasn't struggling, but I knew that she couldn't see sex with the doctors. Yeah. And I knew what the numbers were. So I knew that she was struggling.
But she tried to talk. It was tough. So somebody said yes. Yes.
So she received that gift. Yes. And so have you seen... Is it like an attitude change?
Is it a mood change, right? Because... Yes. I have a donor mom and she knows that her sons, Cornelius, went to a recipient.
And she said, that recipient sees the world and I'm a baby son. The world would be beautiful. Absolutely so. Tell us your perspective.
So you see life in a different way. Absolutely. I couldn't see anything. I was leaving the blind before this transfer.
So now I can see things. I can see colors. I can see people. There's that permission.
It doesn't bother me. It's hard for me. It's hard for me. It's hard for me.
It's hard for me. It's hard for me. It's hard for me. It's hard for me.
It's hard for me. It's hard for me. It's hard for me. The living donors...
Just having emotional balls. I'm just happy to be here. But is it fun? It is fun.
I told you something about shearing for the best about seeing which they want. So why fun? I think it's because we were all together... We were loud.
Yeah, I know it's hard to imagine. I know it's hard to imagine. But we did that. So you experienced so far...
Transplant games and Evocia have it been. It's hard for me too. People are coming through as my first one. I love them coming back every time.
Yeah. Every time. Are you tagging along? I know.
I always used fabulous. Every game. I thought they were making up in the seats. It's allowing us to be picked in the tie- down.
Yeah. Hey, for Transplant Games 2016. Now, I don't know if you know, wanna tell you as well, we have a podcast. It's called the Gifted Life, so you can download on your podcast apps or local.org slash podcast.
You guys are gonna be on it. Oh, stop. Devast, all my podcast. We're starting something new.
Yeah, so we want you guys to listen. We want you guys to listen as well. It's all about spreading awareness and saving more lives. Absolutely.
And improving more lives. All right, on to Ray, we're gonna say Team Louisiana, one, two, three. Team Louisiana! Laurie Stealer here having a great time at Transplant Games 2016, making new friends, right?
We're friends. Yeah, and we're learning and we wanna share with you. So we heard this story on a shuttle out of the airport, at the Transplant House of Cleveland. We're so passionate in a story.
We said, you have to hear this. So this is Brian, this is David, and we're here to tell you about the Transplant House of Cleveland. Of Cleveland. All right, so you're a recipient.
You're a recipient. At least you have been two times. Hard workers, right? Because they wanna pay it for, they wanna get back.
So tell us what you got going here. Well, in 2013, I had to move from New Jersey to here. I had a liver transplant diagnosis, but about a six month life expectancy. The waiting list in New York was two years.
So we came here to Cleveland. Of course, we had a check into a hotel. There's a Ronald McDonald House for children. There's a hot lodge for cancer, but there's no place for transplant patients and their families to stay.
And it's very isolating to be 100 to a miles from home. So the Transplant House is here in Cleveland, but it's really no one from Cleveland is here. Louisiana and South Carolina are all over the place. So my wife and I spent two months alone in a hospital in the hotel room waiting for my transplant.
We then spent, I then got transplanted. We had five months in the hospital. My wife spent everything alone in the hotel. She's great, by the way.
Oh, she's good. Care givers, hello, got a dearest husband. I don't know, right? I got very lucky.
So five months alone and you know, we're isolated. You know, my family and friends. So as I was recovering, people here in town, basically said, hey, we have a project that we'd like to have started. We've been dreaming about it.
We won't have a transplant house. Wow. Well, they told the right people after my wife spent seven months in the hotel. Five months in the Cleveland winter, you all from Louisiana.
In the winter in Cleveland, it's not good. And we just decided it would be the right thing to do. So we became the founding donors. And we opened up, we got a little bit of a 16 unit apartment, beautiful place.
David started getting furnished. Then once we had the brick and mortar, we're very easy to say to people locally. How about helping us out? So it turned out to be a free time.
It's a great cause. We're open. We're open 18 months. We've had over 7,000 nights that we've provided for families, transplant patients.
32 and a half years ago have come with us, have been successfully transplanted. And have returned help. So what a story that has been kept in life. And I love listening.
Like after the transplant, you guys were being invigorated. You feel great. Wouldn't even tell that something could happen in 2013. But this is pretty cool.
That's crazy, right? And then we have David here. So you're in New Jersey, you spread the word. I did a national spell.
Yeah. It's one of our best volunteers at the transplant house. From Ohio. That's pretty good.
You ain't gonna raise. More work. I don't know which one. David, you had a Liberty Kidney.
The Liberty Kidney in the office of 1997. I had a Liberty Kidney in the following up. I had a referring to the New Jersey, which is a cousin of sorts. OK.
So you do this for the recipients? You do this to honor them? I do this because I think I didn't have people reaching out to me. So I wanted to make sure others didn't have to look at the same problem I went for, which is isolation.
Even though I'm with family, I'm so isolated from people who weren't with transplants. So tell us exactly what you do hands on at transplant house? I do a lot of everything. OK.
I jack it all trades. Everybody's about it too. We need to pick that up. And we tried to get off the ground.
It was successful. So there's really nobody. 100% of what comes into our house goes to patient care. And without the donations, we wouldn't exist.
And David put out the volunteer. Thousands of hours of volunteering by the local people. Not people who are just talking to people, giving them all fixing odds and ends. Sending up events, carrying events.
Keeping an air-conditioner for the first, to the second floor and not the other. And then dropping everything to interview. Yeah. To help spread the word because that's what it's all about.
So people want to learn more about what it is that you're doing, where you are, if they want to help. We have a website. The transplant house of Cleveland. It's a very nice website.
Again, people differ free. And as you go there, there's information on who we are, what we do. There's family interviews in there. You can actually see people that are staying there, talking about their experiences.
And of course, there's a way to donate online, or try to check in. Everything's on the website. Very good. And so what do you guys think about the games so far?
Fantastic. That's my fourth time participating. It's great to be home, playing in the games here at home. Because I've been to Pittsburgh.
Grand Rapids, I've been to Wisconsin. And they've been to Great Cities. And now it's here. And we get a chance to show off Cleveland.
Cleveland's been changing. It's been slowly climbing up. We've got a lot of great restaurants, Great Hospital. Yeah.
Much of the events and it's right next to each other. They're always competing, which is good. I hope you guys have spread the word as well. But local.org slash podcast.
You'll be hearing more about the transplant house. Thanks for being our partner. Thanks so much. We need your help.
We need your help. Thank you. Yeah, you'll probably see him. All right.
I hope you get out. I'll be down. I'll be down. I'll be down.
I'll be down. I'll be down. I'll be down. I'll be down.
You'll be right down. It's going to be fun. Morgan Transplant Games 2016, everyone. Glory skill here.
Transplant Games 2016. What a day it has been, especially in track and field. Because lots of medals being won. I guess.
That's true. This is Tony and Jim. We've been hanging out today. What a beautiful day, number one.
Absolutely. Transplant Games overall. It's been fun. Oh my gosh.
It's been incredible. Make it memories. Make it memories and experience that it's just really hard to put into heart. Yeah.
So you have to be here. Maybe in two years when they host the games again somewhere in the US, we can all build a bigger team Louisiana. Absolutely. We are a family.
We're a loud family. You guys notice that? They've been allowed us in the country here. Is there Tony?
You've been running today. But tell us why you're here. I'm here in honor of the gift of life I've received. I've received a heart transplant in June of 2009.
Wow. And I'm just here to honor my donor to share my story and encourage others to either become Oregon donors and just come out here and have fun with us. Yeah. And you bought your biggest family.
I started. So what is it like watching your wife accomplish all that she sets out to accomplish? It's really humbling. God's been really good to us through all of this experience.
And you know, it's just to see her at a time when she could barely walk from one room to the other in our home. And now we're running 800 meter races under bigger dialysis. It's a common room in Austin. Wow.
My goodness. Now, she seems to be wearing a medal, Jim. She is. She's the silver medal today.
And the other biggest spread. No, I don't know who was happier. You or him. I wasn't sure when they announced.
You were all like, yes, right? So what does that feel like? I mean, it sounds like when we talk to all the team Louisiana, it's like we say goals for ourselves. Yes.
We come out here. We want to cross the finish line to honor that hero. But we want to do well, too. And then you got to stand up on the box.
Hands up high for a winner. Not you. But not only a winner by having this gold medal, but just a winner because someone said yes. And so tell us what life was like for you.
He said you could barely walk. And then now no one would even know that or suspect that had happened to you. Yes, prior to transplant. Life was different.
Simple chaos were different problems. And I just didn't know which way this was going to end up. And once I got to Lechner and I figured out what the problem was and told me I needed a heart transplant. I just had to give it up to God.
And I just had to let it go either way. It was supposed to play out. Now Jen, they've had lots of events here. Not only are we competing, but like last night we honored donors.
So to you, donation means what? Wow. Words just aren't really adequate to describe the experience that we had last night to see the beautiful service with the not only music to hear some of the stories and even in our own Louisiana family. They were so grateful with Royal and Janice and their stories with Jane.
It's just been an awesome experience. Very spiritual, very compelling sense that there's no reason why E-O was shouldn't be an old-and-done woman. And life happens sadly. And there are tragic events that do happen in life.
But we can also reclaim part of that life through the gift of life. To see Royal and Janice who lost their son and his heart beats in Jamie and to see their joy. Even today and their celebration for Jamie because their son Cameron lives home through Jamie. He's a great athlete and so it's been an awesome day to be here.
Yeah, performing bonds or making memories donation to you is, if you had to describe it in a few words. All I can say is that it's truly the most helpless gift. Oh really? How do you know you can be able to someone else?
I mean, it's what's allowing me to have the second chance and just allowing me to experience more years in life. And to do well. It's amazing to watch her in action. When you're out there, it's like just love running.
Like it was just on here. It's me. We're going to win. I love it.
Alright, so this whole experience is your first time at the game? Our first time here. Alright, so for those watching who haven't been, do you recommend that they're tied to donation in some way, shape or form? I would say absolutely.
I did not know what to expect by coming to the game. But now that I'm here, I'm hooked. I mean, there are just so many incredible stories here, so many incredible people. And it's just kind of nice to form bonds with people that have walked the same ones that we have.
Yeah, and then you? Absolutely. This is the way life is meant to be left. I mean, it's people helping people.
There's hope, there's encouragement, there's sportsmanship to the match. It's just, it's a great experience. It's something that you just have to experience. For yourself, there's no way anybody that comes here can come back and explain to those people that have never been here.
So you need to get on board and be at the 2018 Olympic Transplant Games. And so, but Team Louisiana, do you think we're the loudest? Absolutely. I would think so.
Do that. Having a good time. Yeah, maybe every year at Transplant Games 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. Congratulations to you.
Thanks for coming and supporting. It's really quite the experience. And we'll have more stories like this coming up. We're here at Transplant Games in America with Michael and Cynthia Davidson.
And Michael, this is not your first Transplant Games, huh? No, I went to the one Houston. Now this year you're on a kind of separate and special team in the Disney Team Louisiana, right? Yeah, this year I'm on the Quarter San Street Club because of my 25th year as a Transplant participant.
So, pretty exciting. So, you've got a special pin, but then there was a special dinner in your honor, right? Your dinner at Rocker Roll Hall of Fame, stop the fun. All the other Transplant people grew on the 25-year group.
And what did you make 25 years? On a long hard fact, it was very exciting. What a birthday present. It was June 8th.
June 8th. Oh, so you just made it. That's great. That's great.
So, Miss Cynthia, how was experience for you? Well, it was very exciting. Back when Michael was transplanted, you know, they gave you no expectations of life expectancy. I really didn't know what to think.
And to be here 25 years later, with the same heart, it's hard on the month, it is very, very exciting. So, thankful to the donors family, you know, which was in the Chicago area to get Michael this wonderful gift award. Now, have you reached out to your donor family? We have reached out to them, but LOPA contacted people in Chicago and they weren't able to go back from the record and everything fine, anything on the...
It was very secretive back then, so they didn't share that information at all, so we haven't been able. But if they're listening in, people in Chicago area, thank you so much. Yes, thank you. Yeah.
And I know you guys have just embraced all the donor families here and been so grateful. Favorite memories from the 2016 Games? My favorite memory is, well, the opening ceremony is a lot of fun, very exciting to see all the other donor families and others, people who are able to go to and everything. And the 4th century party, that was fun too.
And that was your first time? That was your first time from Team Louisiana? Yes, it was. Very exciting.
And what events did you participate in? Or participating in? We did trivia, and we did cornhole, and we're doing volleyball today. That's the first time for us, I think, huh?
Yeah, that's gonna be an exciting game. That's gonna be an exciting game for Louisiana. That's gonna be an exciting game. So have you made any new friends this time, or what ends people that you met in 2014?
Yeah, we've met all, and last being, we met a family from Arizona. We ran into them a few times, everything, to be able to catch up with them and kind of reconnect with them. Were they heart recipients as well? Actually, they were a donor and a recipient.
The gentleman received a kidney from his daughter, but the wife had died, and they had donated her organs. Wow. So they were both a recipient and a donor family. It was really nice people, and we were so glad to see them again.
And then all the new people that are here on our team, plus, you know, I mean, we've got a... Yes, we've expanded our family, huh? We've expanded our family, huh? Yes, we have our family.
Yes, and loving our new members and hoping we'll add more, even more in 2018. Yes, you're coming back in 2018, right? Yes. Do they have a 27-year club?
No, you just keep getting up for a century, right? I do give you a number as you increase. So you get a different number for your shirt and everything. Oh, so you get a special shirt, too?
I think you get to see the shirt. It's about gonna be the 27 club. Oh, that's great. That's great.
In addition to being a veteran of the Transplant Games, Michael is also a veteran of the podcast. He was on episode 28, which you can listen to on lope.org.org. And you can learn more about our donor families there as well. Again, guys, a flashback from Transplant Games 2016.
I mean, that's incredible. Yeah. All those stories. Yeah, Lord, just to think, you know, a year ago, two years ago, some of these people were, you know, struggling, you know, hoping for that second chance of life.
And look at what they're doing with it now. Talk about inspiring it, uplifting it, and they all seem so happy and just thrilled to be participating. Yeah, I just love all of these stories. I love Team Louisiana.
I love the new friends and partners we made from not only across the country, but across the world. It's incredible. Look, you want to see more here, more? You can go to lope.org on our podcast page.
You can click on these videos. You can also go to our YouTube channel. We've been using these stories in churches and civic groups and schools across the state, and you can use them to, it's all about making life happen. Join us today.
As we do an every episode of the Give the Life podcast, we love to honor a hero. And today's hero will be Byron Bowe, Keith McDowell. Yes, and this story comes to us from his sweet little wife, Tracy, who helps to spread awareness about donation with us at Lope. She tells us that Bowe loved to be outdoors, fishing, golfing, cooking on the grill.
He was a sincere friend and a person who gave to anyone he knew was in need or having to do without. He was a good Samaritan that would stop and help countless strangers that were stranded on the side of the road. He was not afraid to stop an accident and help people that were hurt by comforting them until he arrived. He was a loving son, brother, father, and he was also my best friend and the love of my life.
Once the children came along, they were first in his life and he gave them his all. As a father, he was hands-on, diapers and all. He was the dad that put down the remote, got on the floor, actually played with these kids. He was funny and enjoyed the feeling of being a kid again.
I think it was his way of escaping from the worries of the world for a while. The three of us miss him very much. Everyone who knew Bowe was blessed to have them as part of their lives. My life will forever be changed.
I still cannot imagine our life without Bowe. The only way possible I have been able to endure this much pain and loss is the comfort of being held in the hands of God and knowing so many other lives have been blessed through his unselfish act of donation. Now on our website, you can read more about Bowe's story. You can see these sweet pictures that Tracy sent to us of Bowe and his children.
And again, Tracy is one of our advocates and talks about donation and talks about this story. And she actually gives us insight into who Bowe saved. So check that out, lopa.org, click on our heroes page. You can see Bowe's story and so many more heroes.
Thank you, Bowe, for the gift of life. At this point in the podcast, we take your questions and hopefully provide the answers that you are seeking. Joey, this one comes in to us. Does organ donation work along the same lines as blood donation?
For example, an O-Negative donor can give to anyone, an A-positive donor can only give to a positive recipient. Is the question coming in? That's a great question. And yes, in a way, but I'm going to explain it.
So the list comes out when we have a donor that's a blood type O. For the most part, the list will be filled with O potential recipients. So the integrity of the list doesn't change that much. It doesn't go directly to, you know, you won't see a bunch of A-B's or A-B's or different things like that.
However, under certain circumstances, it is possible, especially when we're talking direct donation like we had talked about before, if you know someone who needs a kidney or a liver and they may be an A-B, and you're a no, you can still donate to them. So the list kind of maintains the same A-B-O, the same blood type, but it is still possible on certain circumstances to be able to donate across those that are acceptable the same way that blood type is acceptable. All right, good question. Good answer.
You have a question for us, info at lopa.org. Remember we had a hotline out there as well. It's 504-648-3477. We may use your question.
We may use some of your audio here on the podcast. So Lori, are you saying that phone number is 504-648-3477? Yes, please call. We'd really like to hear more questions because we have just a powerful group of people here that can answer them for you.
There you go. We want to provide you with what you are seeking. So call us today. All right, guys.
We hope you enjoyed a look back at Transplant Games 2016. I just thought it was incredible. It was very special thanks to Team Louisiana going out traveling out to Cleveland, Ohio representing Louisiana in such a way that they did, and of course sharing their wonderful stories with us. And thanks to all the participants who are spreading awareness across the state.
They just did a fantastic job and sharing their stories is just awesome. Yeah, and you still have access to these stories, lopa.org. You can click on our podcast page or visit our YouTube channel. So if you have to do a presentation at a school or at a civic group or you just want to talk to your church or something like that, you can use these stories testimonials about the power of donations.
So go out, do something today that you don't normally do to help us make life happen. Have a good one.