Tissue Recipient
Stories

Tendon Graft Recipient

Vanessa Herrera Prokop

Whether she is out for a run, dancing or partaking in Zumba, Vanessa Prokop has always worked toward an active lifestyle. But the Florida resident’s way of life was impacted after a match of human foosball — a life-sized version of table table-top soccer — took a turn for the worst in 2019.

During the game, Vanessa’s leg had buckled as it moved laterally and paramedics were quickly called. Although her high tolerance for pain allowed her to initially walk-off the injury and sustained mobility in the days that followed with a brace, Vanessa reaggravated her knee the following weekend at her children’s marching band tournament. 

“Our team won and was headed to the finals, so we were all jumping in the stands and cheering,” Vanessa said. “As we’re all getting ready to leave I stepped off on the leg that was hurt and went completely down. I hit my head, my shoulder and my leg so hard that I didn’t even know what happened.”

A MRI was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, but Vanessa’s orthopedist was sure she had torn her ACL in her left leg. Her knee had become so unstable that walking down a flight of stairs had become a terrifying task, and Vanessa opted to limit most physical activities each day. Vanessa said she knew very little about allograft donations prior to her injury, and was briefly considering an ACL reconstruction with a portion of her own patellar tendon. However, Vanessa was hesitant about a procedure that would have required a second surgery site.

Countless meetings with doctors and hours of her own treatment research were held before Vanessa ultimately found herself corresponding with MTF Biologics. “I was definitely very intrigued with MTF Biologic’s process in how they cleansed the allograft tendon and preserved it in the way it should be,” Vanessa said.

Her surgery was scheduled eight months after she sustained her injury and the recovery that followed was longer than expected, as Vanessa’s doctor discovered a bone fracture in Vanessa’s knee during surgery. The newly identified injury left her on crutches for six weeks but Vanessa’s morale throughout physical therapy did not waver. She credits her husband and two teenage daughters for helping her throughout her recovery.

Vanessa, a registered organ donor, has the utmost gratitude for the gift of life her donor ligament has returned to her, noting how she can once again enjoy normal activities like dancing with her husband and daughters again. “I don’t know if I’ll have the right words,” Vanessa said in regards to writing a letter to her donor family. “I want it to be perfect, because it’s something that’s very special.” 

Vanessa believes more people should be educated on becoming a donor and the benefits behind allograft donations. “I think education is very important and it’s what people don’t always get at the doctor’s office,” she said. “People need education on it, because I was a little scared before I looked into it and read more about it."

Marzena Kononiuk (Tendon graft recipient with ACL reconstruction surgery)

Personal Encounter with Tissue Transplantation Helps Scientist Step out of her Comfort Zone

Marzena Kononiuk and her husband are the proud parents of three beautiful children. She has worked as a scientist helping to develop new tissue grafts at MTF Biologics' labs for almost twenty years. While tissue donation has always played an essential role in her work, her love for the cause grew when she found herself on the receiving end. Marzena loves the outdoors. She enjoys taking in the beautiful scenery as she hikes and loves spending time on the mountaintops as she skis.

On a ski trip to one of Maine's largest slopes, Marzena hit a patch of ice. Her leg twisted as she fell, tearing three of the four ligaments in her knee. At first, her injury didn't cause many problems, so she opted out of surgery. But as time passed, her knee became more unstable. She reached her breaking point when her knee collapsed under her as she rushed from one parent-teacher conference meeting to the next. "I remember laying on the floor, and all these people were staring at me. I couldn't get up on my own, and it felt like an eternity until someone finally helped me up." The moment she got home, Marzena called her doctor and scheduled her surgery.

Recovery was more challenging than she expected, but her family showed her love and support to help her recovery go as smoothly as possible. Nine months later, Marzena was doing so well that she joined Team Liberty and participated in the Transplant Games of America in Utah - something she had no idea existed before her injury. Not only did she earned medals for competitions in pickleball and a 5K run, but she also met countless donor families and other recipients while building new bonds.

Following that experience, Marzena began stepping outside of her comfort zone and has spoken publicly about her experience and volunteered for donor awareness events at work and with her local recovery organization, the NJ Sharing Network. "I've always known that we help people, but it took my personal experience to get involved. I'm not a person of many words, but I get emotional when I think about what my donor did for me. He gave me a part of him so that I can fully live my life. No words could express how grateful I am to him. All I can say is thank you." 

Erica Kirsch (Tendon graft recipient)

Hanging on by a Thread!

Erica Kirsch, a New York native, is an adventurous spirit. She loves discovering new restaurants with friends, hiking with her dogs, and playing guitar. A newlywed during the pandemic, Erica currently lives with her wife, A'Shanty, in New Jersey. Erica’s story began when she was in a serious car accident at the young age of nineteen.

The summer between her freshman and sophomore year of college, Erica was involved in a crash so severe that she was thrown out of her vehicle and damaged her right leg. Her femur was crushed, and her popliteal artery was severed. Following the accident, she endured several difficult surgeries: arterial bypass, numerous bone grafts, and more. Soon, Erica noticed that she was feeling some discomfort in her left leg. “I knew I probably had some damage,” she explained, “but compared to everything going on with the right leg, I told myself that I was okay and that I would deal with it when I had to”.

After a year, the swelling and buckling in Erica’s left leg became increasingly more painful. She booked an appointment with her doctor, who was surprised that she had been able to function so well, considering two of her ligaments were damaged – one was completely ruptured and detached, and the other was hanging on by a thread. Erica was worried that the doctor would not be able to fix her leg, but thankfully, with the help of donor tendons, he was able to repair the damage. Recovery was not easy. Erica endured several surgeries and a very lengthy recovery period, but she is now able to explore the city and experience the beauty of life without pain holding her back.

Erica had been a registered donor for as long as she could remember but had no idea that it would affect her personally. After surgery, she took time to acknowledge the opportunity she had gained because of another person’s sacrifice. She wanted her donor family to know that their loved one had positively impacted her life in a very significant way. “I have always been a donor for as long as I can remember, but now it's different,” she explains. “I do my best to spread the word. I want everyone to know how many people are touched by donation and how many can benefit from it. Because of tissue donation, my quality of life is better than it ever was before.”

Heather Prutzman

A Mother's Journey with Loss and Hope

Heather Prutzman lost her 25-year-old son Joseph Savage from a motor vehicle accident in October 2017. “He was my only child and It’s always tough to lose a child in general,” Heather says. “But not to have any other children has been incredibly hard for me.”

Joey was always an incredibly outgoing individual from the moment he was born. “He was always the type where he would either go big or go home,” Heather says. And it’s apparent Joey possessed that mindset at a young age. Joey spoke with his mother about being an organ donor when he registered for a driver's license at 17 years old. During that discussion, Joey turned to her with a smirk and said, “After all I’m JSAV. Why wouldn’t I want that on my driver’s license?”. JSAV has been Joey's nickname since he was in elementary school. He has been so popular since he was little and he still continues to be and referred to as JSAV. In fact, our team name for the NJSN 5k is Team JSAV33. The number 33 represents his football jersey number which he had since he started playing when he was 8 years old.

That selflessness perfectly describes Joey’s colorful personality. Since his death, Joey’s donations have made its way to a number of recipients. His heart, two kidneys and liver have all breathed new life into multiple people, and his corneas even brought the gift of sight back to two men. Heather wrote to Joey’s recipients, but prayed to hear back from one more than any other — the man who received his heart. 

Joey’s heart recipient was the first to write back, and Heather says it “was just like we always knew each other.” However, Joey’s gift of life impacted more than just those individuals. Over 120 additional recipients of bone, skin, and corneas received Joey’s gifts with Heather herself becoming one of his recipients in 2019. Heather was diagnosed with multiple myeloma — an illness where cancer cells accumulate in bone marrow — in June 2018, and the days since her diagnosis have been challenging. She explained how she has a history of back complications and how her cancer diagnosis worsened those symptoms. 

“I have been in excruciating pain the whole year,” Heather says. I was in so much pain I was crawling on the floor.” Heather had six cervical fusions, and decided to call the NJ Sharing Network to reach out about Joey’s remaining tissue grafts prior to her lumbar fusion. The NJ Sharing Network reached out to MTF Biologics and there were only three left at the time. And her surgeon Dr. George Naseef understood the importance of Joey’s donation to his mother. “I just can’t say enough about Dr. Naseef... he’s just amazing,” Heather says. “He’s just another angel here on earth, because I’m walking because of him. He was a piece of the puzzle that helped me get better.” 

Heather believes Joey gifted her the mobility in her back, knowing her love for riding and horses. She can now work toward returning to her love for equestrianism and her western pleasure horse, Gambler, who Heather’s “Florida family” gifted her a year before her diagnosis. 

“Joey saved so many lives and he did that on his own,” Heather says. “I think about all these people waiting, hoping, praying and fighting to stay alive. He’s given me my quality of life back and I need to enjoy that as long as I possibly can.” Heather hopes to be back on the saddle after completing physical therapy, and looks forward to returning to the water to fish with her husband John. 

“I would tell Joey he’s my hero,” Heather says. “I had his back for 25 years and now he’s got his mama’s back. He will always be my greatest accomplishment and there are not enough words to describe how proud I am of him. I am so beyond honored to be his mother, and I believe this was Joey’s gift to me to help me. To say, ‘keep going mom. You got this.’”

Tendon Graft Recipient

Tendon Donation Puts a Mother Back on Her Feet

When Kimberly Young arrived for a job interview at MTF, she knew the organization had something to do with transplants, and she was already on the donor registration list. Kimberly was the successful candidate for the position, but she had no idea that she would one day be a transplant recipient.

Kimberly loves racing dirt bikes. When she was 19, she took a bad spill and did substantial damage to her left knee. After an arthroscopic procedure, her orthopedist warned her that further surgery to repair her ACL was needed, but she declined. She thought that she was too young for surgery and figured a knee brace would do the trick, but the pain soon ended her racing.

Over time, a weakening gait and fear of falling led Kimberly to finally have surgery.  Because of her work at MTF, she knew about allograft surgeries. At the time of her surgery in 2001, the donor tendons required to reconstruct her knee were in short supply. As the date of surgery approached, she worried that the surgery would be cancelled, but a local donation came through and her surgery was successful. Years later, Kimberly is doing great and has returned to some of her favorite sports. She loves skiing and playing tag football with her teenage boys, and she is so grateful for the ability to walk miles of hiking trails with her family.

Now, as Kimberly walks down the halls of MTF Biologics, she leans on her left leg when she stops to talk to others. “I lean on my donor for support now,” Kimberly explains. “Not only did my donor give me back my life, but my donor also saved my son’s life.” Kimberly was inside an ice cream parlor when her youngest son slipped out the door and into the path of a car that was backing out. As any mother would, Kimberly dashed between her kids, rushed out the door, and saved her son from the moving car. “Immediately, I thanked my donor.  If it wasn’t for my tissue transplant, I couldn’t have gotten to my son in time,” Kimberly recalled with tears in her eyes.

Today, Kimberly continues to work for MTF Biologics and is a strong advocate for donation, sharing her story with others.  She has also been participating in the Transplant Games of America since 2014, an event held every two years, that brings thousands of recipients, donor families, and supporters to participate in athletic and recreational competitions.  “Participating in the games is another way I get to honor my donor for the generous gift I can never repay,” says Kimberly.

Placental Tissue Recipient

Placental Donation Gives a Veteran a Fresh Start

Anyone who meets Pete will tell you he loves to make people laugh. A Marine officer and proud father of three, Pete enjoys spending his retirement years gardening, cooking, and fishing.

A fishing trip took Pete’s life in a direction he did not anticipate. A simple pimple on his right leg near his ankle became infected after he stepped into the water. Before he knew it, the wound had grown to the size of a quarter and had become so debilitating that he could no longer walk without severe discomfort and pain.

As a veteran, Pete visited the VA Hospital where he receives most of his care. His wound was diagnosed as a venous ulcer and required treatment. Every week for the next ten months, Pete underwent every treatment imaginable for his wound. Despite various treatments, the wound would not get better. Pete began to lose hope. Finally, his physician suggested advanced treatment options that used placental grafts from MTF Biologics. Pete was skeptical at first, but was running out of options. “What do you have to lose? Nothing else has worked so far,“ exclaimed Pete. 

Over the course of two months, Pete received 4 placental grafts and his wound progressed to closure. “I had no idea that you could put a placenta graft on a wound and it would heal,” remarked Pete after seeing the results. 

Weeks after his wound treatments were completed, Pete felt like a new man. “I never thought I would enjoy saying this, but I love being able to shower again – something I couldn’t do before because of my wound.” Pete has now moved to another state to be closer to his son who is a nurse. He enjoys being able to move around again, and he is now so active that he has lost over 40 lbs. Pete is waiting to have knee replacement surgery, and he is grateful for the donated placental grafts that provided reprieve from his condition.  

He wrote letters to his donors’ - mothers who generously donated the placental grafts that helped him heal. “All I can say is thank you. You have really changed my life. I could barely walk before, but you have given me hope through your donation.” 

Tendon graft recipient

Rejoicing on the Road to Rapid Recovery

Veronique is a clinical researcher and active sports enthusiast who enjoys cooking soul food for her teenage son, volunteering with non-profit organizations, and working as a community activist on issues affecting African-Americans in her community. However, the fast pace of her vibrant life came to a screeching halt one unexpected day. She lunged down to jump during a cross-fit class but heard a loud pop as she landed. Her right knee buckled and swelled. The pain was excruciating.

Veronique was later diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), so her surgeon recommended using allograft tissue for the transplant she needed. “Working in my prior role as a tissue recovery specialist, I knew the importance of tissue transplants. But becoming a tissue recipient, I got firsthand knowledge of just how much allograft tissue can accelerate healing time. It was a beautiful thing to see and experience,” said Veronique.

Twelve weeks after surgery, Veronique recovered full range of motion in her knee. Day-by-day she regained the needed strength. Soon, she was even able to begin playing softball again. “I have always believed that organ and tissue donations change and improve lives. I now have full range of motion of my right knee and can do the things I love to do again—hanging out with my teenage son, staying fit, and doing volunteer work that gives me life. This new bond that I now have with my donor—I will carry it with me forever.” Veronique is forever grateful for the selfless gift of tissue donation.

Donnamarie Collins

Donor's gift enables Donna to continue serving Veterans and Donor Community

Life sometimes takes you on circuitous routes right back to where you belong. After working for Executive Leadership in Donor Services at MTF for 8 years and developing a deep compassion and respect for donor families and the power of organ and tissue donation, Donna and her husband were transferred to Maine. It was there that she found her calling working as a recreational therapist for a Veteran’s Home in Maine. In Donna’s presence, one always feels extraordinary energy, and inevitably there is laughter. In addition to entertaining her friends, family, co-workers and ‘her veterans’ with her wit, Donna loves to spend time helping others. What irony that her desire to help others led to Donna needing the gift of a donated tendon to get her back on her own two feet.

Hoping to become a volunteer for an organization that helps adults and children with disabilities experience outdoor activities, Donna decided to ramp up her ski skills with some private lessons. Unfortunately, right after the lesson, she took a tumble and injured her knee. Laughing, Donna adds that shortly after that, she fell down the stairs to the parking lot. So, while she would like her story to be based on a dramatic athletic injury, she admits it could very well be due to a clumsy trip down the stairs. Surgery soon followed, and Donna feels extreme gratitude to the donor and the donor family who provided the tendon that allowed her to get right back to her very full life, and back to helping others.

The outdoor adventure volunteer experience was out, but Donna believed she had found her true calling as a recreational therapist for seniors who served in the US Military. Known as a cruise director at heart, Donna lives life to the fullest providing fun, social experiences for older Veterans, dedicated to making every day count!

Who would guess that another job transfer would bring Donna back to MTF Biologics, again supporting Executive Leadership, this time for the overall organization. “I now see how everyone at MTF, the donor families and the surgeons all form the fabric of Saving and Healing Lives”

Donna has brought her enthusiasm for helping others by being a strong advocate and volunteer for Team Liberty, the Transplant Games team for the NJ Sharing Network, and actively participates on various Committees at MTF. She is also still engaged in helping Veterans, and seniors or others struggling with disability.

Liz Arango-Howshall (Bone and Skin Graft Recipient)

Carpe diem!

Liz loves life and seizes each moment of every day. She is an active visual artist and entrepreneur. She splits her time between teaching private art classes, motivational speaking, running her “positivity through the arts” programs, and working at a local community college. She also cares for Shelby—her beloved dog. Liz’s vibrant life came to a screeching halt as she slipped and fell down some steps four years ago. 

Struggling in anguish, Liz attempted to pull herself to safety. Her injuries were worse than she had imagined. X-rays revealed multiple fractures to her left leg, foot and ankle. Surprisingly, she had also sprained her right ankle. Liz worried about the impending impact her injuries would have on her fast-paced life. “Being confined for seven months was truly agonizing. As a widow with no surviving relatives, I endured because of my community of friends who cared for me in my town. Thanks to my village, my stubborn nature, and donated bone and skin graft from a very generous donor, my recovery was successful.”

Several surgeries later, Liz is finally back on her feet. "I've had three surgeries. Thanks to MTF Biologics, I’m back to my busy schedule," remarks Liz. Her experience brought the issue of donation and transplantation into renewed clarity. Due to her cultural upbringing in Puerto Rico, she was previously skeptical about organ donation, a challenge sometimes faced in Latino cultures. Today, things are different. “I have reflected on my experience and now see how wrong I was about donation. My heart is converted, and I am now a registered donor! I don’t know who my donor is or where they are from, but I am forever grateful for donor families like theirs. My donor is now part of the artist that I am.”

Bruce Stroever (Bone Graft Recipient)

Retired CEO of MTF Biologics, now a grateful recipient

His tenure as President and CEO of MTF Biologics did not prepare Bruce for the fact that he would join the more than 8 million tissue recipients the organization has helped through tissue transplantation.

As a child, Bruce had significant dental work to fill multiple cavities. As an adult, he had root canals, broken teeth and eventually removal of two molars. Chewing properly became difficult so he made the decision to replace those molars with dental implants. Bone grafts were necessary in order to regenerate healthy bone growth, which would serve as a scaffold for the dental implants, and for Bruce, there was only one choice – MTF Biologics tissue.

The success of the grafts have provided a lasting result, enhancing his quality of life, enabling him to enjoy time with his family during his retirement years. 

Dylan Vitucci (Bone Graft Recipient)

Fearless pediatric recipient beats bone cancer to save arm

In May of 2017, doctors diagnosed Dylan Vitucci with osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer in children and teens. The osteosarcoma was discovered in her right humerus after Dylan suffered a fractured shoulder while playing soccer, just a few weeks before her eighth birthday. Although Dylan noticed some discomfort a couple days prior, it took a soccer ball striking her in that same shoulder to send her to the hospital. The injury quickly became a blessing in disguise for Dylan and her family as her doctors became alarmed when her range of motion didn’t return despite her fracture healing. 

A biopsy was recommended and taken from Dylan’s shoulder in hopes of identifying why her arm had decreased mobility. Doctors were not immediately certain of the specifics concerning her cancer, but they were confident Dylan had a form of sarcoma. But Dylan never seemed worried, according to her father. “I think she knew she was going to beat it,” he said. “I don’t know how, but she had something over her that made her feel completely comfortable.”

A request from her surgeons came to MTF Biologics and they contacted all 30-plus recovery partners across the United States about the urgent need for an upper humerus graft, and her best match came from another pediatric patient that had died. Dylan endured an 11-hour surgery to remove the tumor and undergo shoulder reconstruction using the donated allograft along with other prosthetics. She followed her surgery with nine months of chemotherapy, and even spent her first day of third grade in the hospital receiving treatment. But thanks to tutors and even a video-equipped robot, she never skipped a beat.

This confidence Dylan possessed allowed her to power through some difficult moments. Throughout her recovery she faced a number of complications: a blood clot on the outside of her heart, a collapsed lung and a fungus infection throughout her bloodstream. Yet she and her family continued to live by the motto, “a smile can get you through your toughest day.” And they had. Dylan, who is a triplet with another older sister, frequently exchanged laughter with her three siblings throughout the duration of her recovery. Her sister Sydney would even station herself next to her bed holding hands when that laughter seemed too hard to come by. Before long Dylan was escorted back to school in style with the help of her local fire department, and was warmly welcomed by all her teachers and classmates. 

Dylan is now cancer free and she  is beyond grateful to her donor family’s generous gift of life, and MTF’s role in transplantation. “Thank you to my donor family for their special gift that helped me get better,” she said. “I now have movement in my arm which allows me to do all the activities I could do before I had cancer. I can now play soccer and swim again. It means everything to me that you were so nice to give me the gift of donation.”  Dylan hopes her story reveals to everyone how much you can help and change someone's life through the act of donating organ and tissues.

Chris Zero (Bone Graft Recipient)

Allograft tissue provides a helping hand for pain relief

The importance for organ and tissue donation was something that remained with Chris after he watched his mother die waiting for a heart transplant. He worked in orthopedics as a surgical technician, which exposed him to allograft and eventually brought him to MTF Biologics where he trained new technicians.

Years later, when Chris developed cervical osteoarthritis and began to lose sensation in his hands, he knew that only one tissue graft would be used in his healing and recovery – the one processed in the building where he had worked for over 20 years. Pain free and feeling his best, today Chris now lives in a place he calls paradise. He spends his days enjoying time with his loved ones and doing things he once dreamed of doing again - fishing, photography, and painting.

Will Calhoun (Bone Graft Recipient)

A man in motion

Will Calhoun was a man in motion. A physically active job, a busy parent, an active coach, and member of his church didn't leave him much time for sitting. As a carpenter, he was used to lifting heavy objects every day, and didn't give it much thought. But this time, something felt different. Immediately, he felt the pain in his neck which radiated down his left shoulder to his arm. He continued trying to work as usual, but a few months later, he began to feel numbness in his arms and shoulders, making lifting impossible. By the time Will finally saw a neurosurgeon, strength and sensation on his left side was almost gone and he was diagnosed with 2 herniated disks in his cervical spine. The evenings he spent passionately coaching special needs children in baseball and coaching a wrestling team would come to an end, as would the weekend fishing trips with his daughters. No longer able to work as a carpenter, the financial strains began to have an impact on his family. Surgery was the only option if he wanted to return to the life he once loved and to care for his loved ones.

Will's surgeon inserted a bone graft into the disc space to stabilize the cervical disc segment. Immediately following his surgery, the pain in his arm, neck and shoulders were instantly gone. Within 3-4 months, he was back to doing carpentry work and soon after was back to coaching again. Will later learned that the bone graft used in his surgery came from donated human tissue and that he could write to the family who donated this precious gift to him. In his letter to them, he expressed his gratitude for the blessings of the gift bestowed to him. "Your special gift and donation has allowed me to continue working and providing for my family, coaching, and enjoying precious weekends fishing with my daughters again. Something good came from the loss of this life, and I was the blessed beneficiary of this gift".

Frank Perez (Adipose Tissue Recipient)

Regaining His Footing

Frank Perez is a family man. He is married with four wonderful children and a grandson. Frank loves being able to provide for his family, but after complications from diabetes, his entire livelihood was jeopardized. Frank spent most of his life as a heavy equipment operator and working in solar farms but had to stop when his left toes were amputated due to osteomyelitis – a serious bone infection which was complicated by diabetes. In 2018, Frank began to have problems with his right foot as well. He lost a big toe as well as his 2^nd and 3^rd toes from complications of diabetic foot ulcers that would not heal. He had always taken great care of his feet but spending 14+ hours a day on them took a toll.

In 2019, Frank noticed a new ulcers on the little toe of his right foot. His podiatrist began a familiar regimen of cleaning, irrigation, and standard medications. The treatments were not working, so Frank’s podiatrist discussed the possibility of amputation. He explained that if he amputated Frank’s little toe, he would likely need to amputate a significant portion of Frank’s right foot as well. Not wanting to take the risk, Frank opted to participate in a new study his podiatrist suggested as a last-ditch effort to save Frank’s toe, one that involved treatments with donated human tissue in the form of adipose.

While Frank’s initial prognosis was not good, to his surprise, his toe began healing within a week. “It was pretty amazing stuff,” Frank remarked. “I was dumbfounded by it.” About a month later, the ulcer on his toe was basically gone.

Frank is grateful for having received the donated tissue that helped his wound close. “Thanks to my donor who gave the adipose tissue that helped me. I am saddened for the family who lost their loved one, but some good came of it because they were able to help me.” Frank is now getting back into his routine and doesn’t let anything slow him down. “I can continue to take care of my family. I get up every morning and take walks, climb ladders, and can go fishing again.” Thanks to the gift of donation, Frank has regained his footing and looks forward to a vibrant life for many years to come.

You can view Frank's video story on our YouTube Channel.

Patricia Horwath (Placental Graft Recipient)

Back on the List Again: Wound Healing Brings Hope for Organ Transplantation

Patricia Horwath and her husband Barry loved to travel even while she was awaiting a kidney transplant which was necessary due to her diabetes. Unfortunately, their passion for traveling was jeopardized after a leg injury resulted in the development of a non-healing wound on her foot. “She’s the most important thing in my life,” Barry exclaimed. “We’ve been married 47 years, and I want us to actually be able to do stuff again.”

After 10 weeks of unsuccessful skin grafts, her podiatrist tried placental grafts from MTF Biologics. The placental grafts accomplished just what Barry wished for. After three applications of placental tissue, her wound was completely healed. Because transplant recipients can’t have any open wounds, Patricia was removed from the transplant list. The couple estimates that they lost about a year of waiting due to the wound on the bottom of her foot. Patricia is now back on the transplant waiting list, with hopes of receiving a kidney transplant one day.

Thanks to the placental grafts, Patricia has a chance at life without dialysis and the opportunity to resume living life to her fullest. Patricia is incredibly thankful to the mothers who donated their placentas after giving birth, and Barry was deeply affected by her recovery.

“ You don’t know how much it meant to us. It felt like I lost half of my partner. Patricia was stuck in this house for almost a year, and the only time she was able to get out was when I would take her to the doctor. Now I’m finally getting her back. Without the donated placental grafts, Patricia’s wounds would never have healed. ”

Naheima Sears (Skin Graft Recipient)

Surfing the Tsunami

Imagine being CEO of a fashion company when a monster wave threatens your life. Naheima, both a proud mother of three children and an avid surfer, experienced just that. While catching waves in Sri Lanka, she had a terrible surfing accident. Naheima hit the ocean floor and was bruised badly from her neck to her knees. During her treatment, the doctors discovered a tumor growing in the back of her breast. Naheima was diagnosed with breast cancer on her daughter’s birthday. The devastating news hit her like a tsunami.

As part of her healing journey, Naheima received 5 months of chemotherapy. During her second round of treatments, she also received immunotherapy. In time, Naheima underwent a mastectomy. During the breast reconstruction procedure,  her surgeon used donated human skin grafts. A common concern for women undergoing treatment is how natural they will look and feel afterwards. Naheima’s response was simple: “I couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Naheima has become more comfortable talking about her experience. She has reached out to her community and connected with others who had been through similar experiences. She realized the impact that donation had on her life and wrote to her donor family. “I definitely will be living my life more fully and will try to care for myself a little bit more.” Upon reflection, Naheima says “I think I’ve always been an extremely positive person and thought life was precious, but this definitely added a different layer of perspective. And to be honest, there is not a day that goes by where I don’t think about the gift that I was given. It sits on my heart. How could I not think about the person that gave their life, you know?” Naheima is grateful for the gift of life and looks forward to catching the perfect wave again soon.

Sue Pilon (Skin Graft Recipient)

Without Missing a Beat

At age 52, Sue was diagnosed with breast cancer, the third generation of her family to battle the disease. Her maternal grandmother died of the disease but her mother, now deceased, was a 25-year survivor. It was her mother’s experience as a breast cancer survivor that greatly affected Sue’s attitude towards her diagnosis.

“When it was my turn to face this disease, I was determined to not just beat it. I wanted my life back completely. Breast reconstruction was not offered to my Mom and her quality of life wasn’t the same after cancer,” Pilon said. “Given all the advances in breast cancer treatment and reconstruction options in the years since, I was certain there was a path available that would get rid of the cancer and yet allow me to get back to the way I looked and felt before the surgery.”

The University of Michigan Breast Cancer Center and Plastic Surgery Department provided the answer. Since Sue’s cancer was discovered very early, and her overall health was very good, she was a candidate for reconstructive surgery using dermal skin grafts. Her mastectomy and reconstruction all occurred on the same day and she left the hospital 24 hours later, cancer-free and not requiring any additional reconstruction.

“This is a tremendous gift I’ve been given. I am extremely aware and appreciative
of the fact that a family, at the worst possible time, was asked if they were willing
to make a gift of organs and tissue from their loved one, so that other people –
strangers – might have a great quality of life after breast cancer without missing
a beat. I thank my donor family in my heart every day,” said Pilon.

Bobbie White (Skin Graft Recipient)

Having Faith to Reconstruct Life After Loss

Bobbie was embracing her graduate studies in psychology when she learned that she had breast cancer. “I didn’t sign up for this but here I am, among the group of millions of women plagued by this disease,” she remembers.  She was single and spent a lifetime working and caring for children with special needs, especially those with diabetes like herself, helping them to cope with their condition.  Her faith and training had taught her how to deal with these tough situations and Bobbie was ready to give this her best fight.  

Three months after her diagnosis, Bobbie had a lumpectomy which was followed by double mastectomy after the cancer began spreading to her lymph nodes. In a single surgery, the cancer was removed and both breasts were reconstructed.  Her recovery was swift and Bobbi was soon enjoying days of fun in the snow with reconstruction results that were better than she expected.  

Following her surgery, Bobbie learned that donated skin was used with her breast reconstruction. “Someone died to help me heal again. What a gift!” remarked Bobbie as she was overcome by gratitude by the kindness of the donor family who made this possible.  Bobbie later learned that even with a diagnosis of cancer and diabetes, you can donate corneas to give sight to others. Today, she honors her donor family by becoming a registered donor and lives each day in gratitude for the gift that has been given to her.

Jason Ray (Donor) and Kenneth Williams (Bone Graft Recipient)

I have my life back

Tissue recipient Kenneth Williams (far left) suffered for nearly 20 years with debilitating back pain from an old weightlifting injury. The retired aircraft engineer battled degenerative disk disease in his back. “It was like someone had a chisel in my back and was constantly hitting it with a hammer,” said Kenneth, who lives in Southern California.

While Kenneth struggled with his disease, a family in North Carolina also struggled with the tragic loss of their beloved son. Jason Ray (above right) was the team mascot for the University of North Carolina’s basketball program who was struck and killed by a car while attending a New Jersey basketball tournament in March 2007. However, hope would come for both Kenneth and Jason’s family in the form of organ, eye and tissue donation. 

Kenneth could only find relief through a surgical procedure on his back that required donated tissue—tissue that he received through Jason’s gift. "Jason's spirit lives on through people like me," stated the father of five and grandfather of six.

Now, simple tasks like driving, sitting or standing for more than 15 minutes at a time, traveling on an airplane, and taking walks on the beach with his wife are possible without pain for Kenneth. "I have my life back," said Kenneth. "My wife can tell you I became withdrawn due to my pain. Now she says I’m back to the way I used to be.”

Chris Mitchell (Tendon Graft Recipient)

Three transplants later he is biking and snowboarding

It was the beautiful scenic landscape and challenging terrain that drew Chris Mitchell to Utah’s invigorating outdoor activities. Extreme sports like snowboarding and mountain biking are the activities he loves doing the most. Unfortunately, along with the thrill of extreme sports, knee and shoulder injuries are common and Chris has had more than his share. But donated tissue has helped Chris come back from surgery for the repair of both his left ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and his shoulder.

Two and a half months after his last surgery, Chris was back on his bike riding about 3,000 miles over the next year and snowboarding 83 days. Although he has tempered his level of activity to avoid additional injury, he is thrilled to be back enjoying the sports he loves.

“I’ve had three transplants which have allowed me to continue to participate and do the things I love doing. I registered to be a donor decades ago, but I never expected to benefit from donated tissue. My tissue transplant experience has brought this close to home, bringing everything full circle to me. It gave me a new lease on life; allowing me to participate in the sports and activities that I love. Receiving a tissue transplant is a much more intimate connection for me since this gift is implanted inside of me. I had a chance to write to my donor’s family, thanking them for their generous gift. I am forever grateful to the network that exists which allowed me to heal including donors & their families, the staff recovering the tissue, surgeons and hospital staff who cared for me.”

Joe Rothpearl (Bone Graft Recipient)

Driven to Overcome

In 2011, Joe Rothpearl suffered a catastrophic injury to the C6-C7 spinal segment in his neck. This spinal segment provides essential structural support and flexibility to the neck, and plays a vital role in protecting the spinal cord.

So, when doctors told Joe he would be a quadriplegic relying on a ventilator, he was left with an important decision to make—approving a fusion surgery. Joe gave his surgeon the thumbs up, and his injured disk was soon replaced with a donor bone. 

Within 2 years, Joe had two more surgeries, one of those involving donor bone to another area of his cervical spine.  After his third surgery, Joe began the road to recovery.

Although Joe's injury has led to his diagnosis with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, he looks forward to every day and his passion for Dodge Challengers to help fight the pain. He even developed a blog, Every Day Brings New Challengers, for the sole purpose of sharing unique photos of Challengers. This blog quickly turned into a website, ChallengeroftheDay.com, in order to share even more. But his passion doesn't stop there.

Joe has also developed an impressive collection of die cast Challengers over the years—a hobby he picked up as a kid.

"Throughout the years I had a lot of days where I needed a smile and Challengers always came through for me," he says. "Joy is all I ever feel when I open a new die cast or sit or drive in mine, or even just stare at any scale version."

He has developed a noteworthy following across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and hopes his collection of photographs and videos bring a smile to those who may need it.

Furthermore, Joe's gratitude for his donor has inspired him to actively encourage others to become organ and tissue donors themselves. "You never know, who around you, is already a recipient", he notes. "And there is no greater gift a person can give in this world. It is the gift of a lifetime."

Jim Noble (Tendon Graft Recipient)

Grateful for Life's Second Chances

As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jim Noble is no stranger to the need for second chances.  He has made a career of seeking justice while protecting the public, which sometimes means offering other people a second chance at life.   Little did Jim realize that he himself would soon be on the receiving end of a second chance—through the gift of tissue donation.

Jim ruptured the ACL in his left knee while playing intramural soccer at Texas Tech University.  In youthful exuberance, he was hesitant to have surgery at that time.  He enjoyed basketball, tennis, and running 5K’s, 10K’s and half marathons.  As time marched on, the effects of the injury began to take an even greater toll on his body.  Casually skiing down a slope or simply stepping off a curb often came with excruciating pain.  How would this outdoor enthusiast ever be able to return to the active, east Texas life he knew and loved?

After consulting an orthopedic specialist, Jim knew that surgery was his only hope.  His surgeon suggested using donor tissue to optimize his chances of quickly healing.  Jim diligently underwent physical therapy.  After four months of rehabilitation, Jim was able to re-engage in light running.  His is knee was once again stable, he was pain-free, and he was back to competing in sprint triathlons again!

Jim remains passionate about donation and transplantation.  “You certainly become more grateful for donation when you benefit first hand.  It improves your quality of life in a very tangible way,” shares Jim.  In fact, Jim’s family has a rich heritage of donation.  His father felt so strongly that he donated his body to UT Southwestern Medical School.  Jim signed the state registry to become a donor as well.  “I think it is important, while you are healthy, to make the donation decision, and not push that decision off to your survivors,” Jim reflects.  He is grateful for the second chance at a vibrant life both as a middle-aged athlete and with his daughters.

Lesley Geller (Skin Graft Recipient)

Knowledge is Power

Lesley is a motivational speaker, life/business coach, and an optimistic fitness fanatic. As a mother of two young men, she found herself unprepared for the life-threatening storm brewing. “My mother died of pancreatic cancer,” Lesley recalls. “She also had the BRCA gene mutation.” Since offspring of carriers have a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation, Lesley was tested at the urging of her family. The results confirmed that Lesley was a carrier. She was now at increased risk of becoming part of the 1 in 8 U.S. women who will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. Armed with this knowledge, what would she do?

As a precaution against ovarian cancer, Lesley immediately had her ovaries removed. Doing so lowered her risk of ovarian cancer from 40% to 0% and lowered her risk of breast cancer from 85% to 40%. Initially, she was adamant, however, that she would not have a double mastectomy. But she recalled her 23-year old son saying: “Mom, that’s still almost a 50% chance of getting the disease.” Lesley knew that at all costs, she had to avoid the risk of later having to look into her oldest son’s eyes having to tell him that she had gotten a cancer that could have been avoided with the mastectomy. Simultaneously, her sister decided to undergo the preventive procedure. She did this as a preventive measure despite a history of normal mammograms. After surgery, however, tests revealed precancerous cells in the removed breasts. Terrified, Leslie immediately called her own doctor and said: “We need to schedule the double mastectomy. I’m not going to go sit and wait for it [cancer] to get me!”

After a very difficult surgery, Lesley prepared to return to work a week later. She learned that the tissue graft used in her reconstructive surgery came from a donor. "I was so touched. I had never even heard about tissue donors. I was just kind of astounded and really touched that someone would go out of their way to be a donor and never even know its possibility". A tempest of emotions left Lesley sobbing, "With an 85% risk of developing breast cancer, I lived in fear of my future. Yes due to the generosity of a skin donor and preventative breast reconstructive surgery, I am now empowered by what the future holds," Lesley proudly exclaims.

Denise Cantrell (Skin Graft Recipient)

Resilience: Surviving Breast Cancer

Denise is a musician with a passion for living a vibrant life.  She loves writing music and also practices yoga—one of her favorite hobbies. To her dismay, Denise was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. The diagnosis was particularly jarring because only a year earlier, her mammogram test was negative. “I started experiencing pain under my armpit. I didn’t think much of it at first, but then the pain was persistent,” Denise recalls.  The shocking news came as she was departing on a long-anticipated trip to Paris with her husband.  Denise was urged to repeat her mammogram as soon as possible.  The biopsy confirmed her worst fear—Denise had stage 2A breast cancer.  Days later, she underwent a total bilateral, skin-saving mastectomy. 

Denise made a slow but steady recovery. Six weeks after her surgery, she was even able to begin yoga again. Shortly after that, however, Denise experienced complications, so a second surgery was needed. Following surgery using donated human tissue, Denise recovered well from the surgery and is back to enjoying life. 

Denise and her husband are passionate about organ and tissue donation and are both registered donors. “I really didn’t realize that you could donate something other than the major organs and corneas. That’s what you hear about in the media.  Donated tissue helps so many people, like myself, with surgeries every single day."  Denise and her husband look forward to one day touching other’s lives with the generous gift of donation.

Barbara Boyer (Bone Graft Recipient)

In the saddle again

A retired schoolteacher, Barbara loves open spaces, mountains, and outdoor adventures.  But spending time with her horses is her greatest passion. After two horseback injuries exacerbated her back pains, an MRI revealed that she needed back surgery. Her surgeon, a horseman himself, reassured her that she was going to ride horses again and suggested using donated human tissue for her surgery.

Six months later, Barbara was on her way to recovery. For the first time in her life, she finally experienced complete relief of back pain. With the help of her local equine therapeutic center and robust physical therapy, she is riding her horses again. “This tissue transplant has enabled me to live life to the fullest - everyday. I love being able to stride again and not walk with mincing steps for fear of pain. My motto is ‘just keep moving’. I am not only riding my horses again but I can now travel once more.”

Barbara has written to her donor family to thank them for being a part of her recovery. She is now a registered donor and is planning to donate her body to research so that medical knowledge about arthritis and other conditions can be advanced through her donation.

Janna Levin (Tendon Graft Recipient)

Judoka looks ahead to National Championship

Janna Levin is a Judoka – a practitioner of the Japanese martial art of judo. Judo is a dynamic sport that demands both physical prowess and great mental discipline, and Janna has found it to be a great outlet. As a mother, wife, and teacher, she carries the principles of the sport from the practice mats into her everyday life. In 2015, with her sights set on placing at the National Championships, Janna suffered a significant knee injury, a severed anterior cruciate ligament and damage to the meniscus. Cruciate ligament tears often have serious implications, sometimes resulting in permanent damage to the knee. To give her the best chance at a full recovery her surgeon strongly suggested surgery using human donated tissue to replace the severed tendon. While she waited to have surgery, Janna maintained her strength with intense physical therapy. Immediately following her last class of the semester, she had her surgery.

Recovery from ligament tears is a lengthy process, taking several months. Fifteen weeks post-surgery, Janna was able to run on a treadmill and is back in the classroom, managing many long hours on her feet. Janna is slowly getting back to judo, and she is determined to compete at the Judo National Championships once again. Her young sons can’t wait until she can tolerate falls again, so they can practice throwing her on the mat during judo class. And Janna looks forward to spending time with them doing something they all love to do.

Janna was unaware that she would be able to thank her donor family until a hospital staff member gave her information about how to write to them. Janna wrote to them following her recovery. "This tissue will allow me the opportunity to enjoy being active with my family, maintain the level of exercise I'm used to, and make a bid at the National Championship in Judo next spring. With this donation, you have given my life back to me." Although she has always been a supporter of donation, she is grateful to be a recipient of this gift.

Carrie Dailey (Bilateral Shoulder Surgery Recipient)

A girl, her guitar, and a promise

For as long as she can remember, Carrie would wake up each day relocating her dislocated shoulder after a night’s sleep. A rare genetic disorder, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), caused the ligaments and tendons in her body to stretch like taffy, resulting in joint dislocations, especially in her shoulder. Her physical injuries were so debilitating, it kept her from fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse like her mother.

 After multiple failed surgeries using her own tendons, Carrie was diagnosed with EDS and her physicians now understood the reasons for her graft failures. They decided to use donated tendon to repair her right shoulder. The surgery was successful but a few months later, her left shoulder failed and a second donated tendon enabled her left arm to be functional again.

 “The surgeries not only gave me back the full use of my arms, it gave me freedom from that feeling of defeat by my disorder. I am going to get to do the things that give me life again – playing my guitar, fishing with my grandfather, hugging with both arms, walking my dog, driving my car, and above all gain my independence back’, said Carrie. 

 A few years ago, Carrie lost an uncle who was a tissue donor. In her letter to her donor’s family, Carrie shared her promise, “I promise to always look for ways to give back to others, just as you did by making that decision, whether I do that in my career, personal life, or elsewhere. Your ability to see the potential in your loved one during the time of difficulty is so inspiring that I promise to do that in my life as well. I will find the potential in others and do my best to help them overcome their battles just as your family helped me to overcome mine.”

You can view Carrie’s video story on our YouTube Channel.

Ivy Chang (Tendon Graft Recipient)

Donor Gets a Dancer Back on Her Feet

An active young woman, Ivy Chang didn’t know much about tissue donation or allograft surgery – even though she works as a nurse, but that all changed after a skiing accident.  The damage to her ACL was extensive, requiring that the tendon be replaced with a donor tendon.  Although the surgery put her active lifestyle on hold, she is finally through with all her physical therapy, and feels fully recovered. 

Ivy is back to her much loved dance classes, and is trying out jazz! She says this gift of donation has her excited about skiing again, hiking, dancing and caring for her young puppy.  “I will be forever grateful for this gift your family gave me” wrote Ivy in a letter to her donor family.  “During my recovery, I also signed up to be a donor so I can give others the same opportunity to receive this very special gift”

Mary Louis (Skin Graft Recipient)

Grateful for the Gift

It was an ordinary Friday afternoon when Mary, an energetic teacher in Houston, was wrapping up her workday. She straightened her room, erased the whiteboards, and then checked her email. To her surprise, she saw a stunning message from her physician: "The results from your biopsy are back and we are 80% sure that it is cancer," it read. The news was devastating. "What does this mean?"... "Are you sure this is my diagnosis?" she wondered. She spent the weekend in turmoil, thinking about what she had just read but unable to ask questions about her condition. None of this made sense. Mary runs marathons and practices yoga. She's vegan and eats a gluten-free diet. "It couldn't be me," she thought. Mary had always been a picture of health. In fact, cancer had never visited her family tree. Her life had been consumed with teaching students by day and by night. After years of saving, she was finally able to buy a cozy vacation home in the French countryside. How could cancer be touching her life, her body, especially now?!

The news became more devastating. Mary had triple negative breast cancer--the most aggressive type of breast cancer-- affecting mostly young, pre-menopausal minority women. Traditional treatments for this type of breast cancer are not effective. After visiting with an oncologist, Mary immediately began chemotherapy and subsequently chose to have bilateral mastectomy to avoid the possibility of cancer affecting the other breast. A few months later, she scheduled breast reconstruction surgery and decided to use donated skin graft for the procedure. Mary had learned from a cousin that using donated skin grafts was an option to improve the outcome of reconstruction and she believes her surgical results are excellent.

Gratitude is a word that comes to mind often to Mary. She's grateful for her new perspective on life, family, friends, and her donor gift that enabled Mary to feel whole again. "I've always been a donor. I registered a long time ago but feel honored to be part of the receiving end of this cycle of giving. I've always been a giver, but this has awakened me to a whole new level of gratitude for the generosity of such a gift". Today Mary enjoys running again, spending vacations at her countryside him in France, and speaking to small groups about her cancer journey.

You can view Mary’s video story on our YouTube Channel.

Sandeep Chiplonkar (Tendon Graft Recipient)

Father Restores Active Lifestyle

As a tissue recipient, Sandeep Chiplonkar’s work at MTF Biologics hits very close to home. While playing basketball, he suffered an injury, resulting in a torn ACL. After 3 years of wearing a knee brace and not being able to return to an active lifestyle, Sandeep sought a second opinion and followed his surgeon’s recommendations to have ACL reconstruction surgery using a donated tendon. 

A decade after his surgery, Sandeep’s knee remains fully functional and he no longer wears a brace.  Now a father, he spends countless hours with his active son, enjoying the parks and other fearless physical activities. 

Sandeep believes in paying it forward and is a registered donor. A member of the Asian Indian community, Sandeep is a fervent advocate for donation, and like many who share the Hindu faith, he believes in the concept of Karma, duty and selfless giving. Today, he loves sharing his story to audiences and teaching others about the importance of signing up to be a donor.

Sterlynn Clendenin (Skin Graft Recipient)

Climb of a Lifetime

For Sterlynn, a 30-year-old who loves hiking and other outdoor activities, moving to Colorado was a dream come true. This was the perfect place to combine her work as a philanthropic event planner with her love of outdoor activities like camping, tennis, and running. Unfortunately, five months after she moved, she received a devastating diagnosis. She had breast cancer. Although both her mother and grandmother had been struck with the disease, the diagnosis was still shocking for a vibrant young woman like Sterlynn.

Hundreds of miles from her friends and family on the east coast, Sterlynn found herself facing the biggest uphill battle of her life. Nevertheless, she courageously forged on. Completing 6 rounds of chemo, Sterlynn chose to have both breasts removed. In a single surgery, the cancer was taken out and each breast was successfully reconstructed using donated dermal tissue. As difficult as it was to deal with the loss of her native breasts and adjust to the new ones, Sterlynn was thrilled with the results of her breast reconstruction.

When Sterlynn learned that donated skin was used in her surgery, this tugged at her heartstrings. “My work with philanthropy relies on the generosity of people to give so that others can get the help they need. Now, I am experiencing generosity of a different kind—generosity in a deep and personal way,” remarked Sterlynn. As one of the 3.1-million breast cancer survivors in the United States, Sterlynn feels blessed to have received the precious gift of life. Through tissue donation, she proudly reclaimed her life with a renewed sense of vigor.

Kelly Gilbert (Skin Graft Recipient)

Learning to Live Her Best Life

Kelly is an instructional specialist that loves being in the classroom and making a difference in the lives of children. Happily married with a four-year-old daughter, she enjoys reading, outdoor sports, and spending time with her friends. About once a month, Kelly meets up with friends she met when she started teaching 15 years ago.  During those times, she enjoys catching up over coffee and sharing play dates with the other mothers.  Over time, however, she began to sense that something was wrong.

Kelly felt a small pea-sized lump in her upper left breast. Knowing that breast cancer ran in her family, her husband encouraged her to get it checked out. Her doctor suggested she get a mammogram, which was soon followed up with an ultrasound and a biopsy.  A few days later, on a Friday afternoon, she got a call from her radiologist. Her test results were not good, but another radiologist would review the results with her on Monday.  After an agonizing weekend of waiting anxiously, Kelly learned that she had a very aggressive form of cancer called triple negative breast cancer. Further testing also revealed that she had the BRCA gene. 

Armed with that knowledge, Kelly decided to undergo a bilateral mastectomy. During her breast reconstruction procedure, donor tissue was used. Kelly was already a registered organ donor, and her experience with donation only strengthened her feelings. “It was really difficult to think about what that family had to go through, but knowing that it really helped you,” Kelly says. “It’s a selfless act that takes a lot of courage to step up and do.”

“The tissue transplant has allowed me the opportunity to heal psychologically and emotionally. I am able to feel whole as a woman and heal through this journey. The confidence due to my reconstructed breasts will ensure that I am able to watch my daughter grow up and make a lifetime of memories with her and my husband.”

Now, Kelly jumps at the opportunity to live her life to the fullest. Just this year, she and her close friends made a point to go on vacation together. “While I was working and being a mom to a young child, I had put a lot of things on the backburner. Even simple things like going to a concert or going out and doing different things that I used to do all the time. Now I jump to say yes to things I want to do instead of making excuses for why I can’t.”

Sandy McManus (Tissue Graft Recipient)

Taking Time to Smell the Roses

Sandy McManus is a dedicated healthcare worker. When she isn’t serving the needs of others, she enjoys playing with her dogs and seeing the beauty of the surrounding nature. There is, however, a notable complication. She has suffered with chronic sinus infections her entire life, which had virtually eliminated her sense of smell. At 26 years old, Sandy’s septum was deviated. She underwent plastic surgery to fix the problem. Years later, Sandy was ejected through the windshield during a car accident. After a series of plastic surgeries, her nose unfortunately fell again. By then, Sandy had grown weary from the painful surgeries and their side effects.

Thankfully, Sandy found a surgeon in Dallas that was able to end the longstanding saga with her nose. Using donated costal cartilage tissue, the surgeon reconstructed Sandy’s nose. A week later, Sandy could freely breathe through her nose again. For the first time in decades, she also enjoyed a normal sense of smell. “My nose is perfect now,” Sandy exclaimed. With self-confidence restored, she can now enjoy a rejuvenating night’s sleep and no longer suffers from sinus infections. Best of all, Sandy can take time to smell the roses once again. She spends her weekends volunteering to help with the emotional and physical needs of children and adults through horse equine therapy. Sandy had also never considered being a donor before. Now Sandy gleefully exclaims, “The surgery made me so happy that I want to become a donor and bring joy to someone else.”

Richard Pawling (Skin Graft Recipient)

Skin donation makes difference for burn victim

On June 24, 2006, 16 year-old Richard Pawling and his sister were riding their dirt bikes when they suddenly collided. “I don’t even remember what happened. All I know is that somehow we crashed and my gas tank exploded,” said Richard.

Both Richard and his sister were burned, however, Richard’s injuries were more serious. Richard had third degree burns over approximately 65% of his body. He was in the hospital for 95 days, and required 26 different surgeries. He also required skin grafts to heal. “Very early in my healing process I received donated skin. My doctor told me what it was and where it came from. I’m very grateful for it.”

Today, Richard is married with two children. He has completed college and has his own taxidermy business. “I’ve learned from this ordeal. Donation is a very good thing and tissue is very much needed for patients like me.”

Karen Hanks (Tendon Graft Recipient)

I Can Finally Walk Again

Riding horses was Karen’s delight. It gave her a chance to be outdoors and enjoy nature. But when a horseback riding accident left her with an injured knee and the need to use crutches to get around, she was determined to fight back.

“The accident not only hurt my knee but my confidence in what I could now do.” Complicating her recovery was the fact that Karen also had Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease which can impact mobility, especially walking.

Treatments for her knee were limited due to MS. Without surgery she would be wheelchair bound. Her surgeon informed her that she would need a graft from human donated tissue since her own tendon could not be used. Several months after surgery, Karen was back at work running her own company and participating in life again. 

“While I can no longer ride my horses anymore, I am so grateful for the very simple things in life like getting out of bed and spending time with my family. Although MS has made this a bit more challenging, I can finally walk again,” Karen said. “This tissue transplant has allowed me to put my knee back together and thus, my life.  Without it, I would not have walked. I will always be grateful for the donor’s family decision which is changing my life in so many ways.”

Julie Dey (Bone Graft Recipient)

Back in the Great Outdoors

Julie Dey promised her family a life filled with great outdoor adventures when they relocated to Utah.  Little did she know that one of those adventures would result in her own life-changing experience. On Memorial Day weekend in 2013, she crashed while riding her daughter’s dirt bike. The top of her tibia was crushed. Repairing it required a talented surgeon, a titanium plate, seven pins and donated human tissue.

“I was in pretty bad shape and the extent of my injuries was far greater than what we imagined.” Extensive physical therapy helped her learn how to walk again. Six months after her surgery, the donated bone implanted in her tibia had produced enough bone growth that her surgeon was able to complete additional surgery needed to repair her knee.

During her hospital stay, Julie received a packet from the hospital staff that provided information on writing to her donor family. “Not a day goes by that I am not filled with gratitude for this generous gift,” she wrote. “The donated tissue has really blessed my life.  It has allowed me to walk again. What a miracle.”

Hunter Johnston (Osteochondral Graft Recipient)

Back on her feet

Hunter Johnston was an active high school senior when a serious car accident dramatically changed her life. This vibrant eighteen year old suffered a head injury, a contused lung, bilateral hip dislocation and multiple fractures to her face, fingers, pelvis, sacrum, and ankles. Many surgeries later, she was found herself wheelchair bound facing intense physical therapy. Physical therapy got her back on her feet but only with crutches as her left leg could really not handle any weight bearing activity.

Five months later, Hunter underwent another surgical procedure to her left hip that determined she needed to have the head of her femur replaced. The only replacement option for her damaged femur was an osteochondral allograft. An osteochondral allograft is used in a grafting technique indicated in patients with articular cartilage damage to help restore the normal functioning of the joint. After waiting for about three months, Hunter received the call she had been anxiously anticipating...a donor graft had been found.  According to her surgeon, the “graft fit like a glove."

Only six weeks following her surgery, Hunter was walking again! Today, Hunter is working full-time at a job that requires her to stand on her feet for over eight hours per day. “Since the accident, I have changed to become a donor for both organs and tissue because without people to provide the donations, I wouldn’t be where I am today," she said.

Regina Harris (Skin Graft Recipient)

The Gift of Donation Turns Personal

Regina Harris had spent her career working as a nurse and helping to set up healthcare facilities at US Military installations around the globe.  Among her many roles, an area of great pride was training staff on the importance of organ and tissue donation, and offering families whose loved ones would not survive about their options for donation.

Little did she envision that she would be on the receiving end of those difficult conversations, as a recipient of donated skin.

As retirement loomed on the horizon, Regina and her husband made the choice to settle in Arizona on the outskirts of Phoenix. 

Just as they were settling into their new life in the desert, Regina went in for a routine mammogram, and was asked to return for an MRI due to some suspicious looking tissue in her breast.  As a healthcare provider, she asked to look at her own films, and was horrified at what she saw.  The suspicious shadows   looked like a large piece of gauze were thinly folded inside the layers of breast tissue.  Biopsy results were positive.  Less than a month later, she underwent a double mastectomy.   

Regina feels very fortunate to have the option of having her post mastectomy breast reconstruction at the same time as the mastectomy.  Donated skin helped her heal, and be able to resume her work within 8 weeks of her surgery.

“I’m proud of the role I played in organ and tissue donation during my career, and I am so grateful for the tissue donation” said Regina, “I really look forward to the opportunity to give back by sharing my story, hopefully inspiring others to appreciate the value of donation”.

Lara Marinich (Bone Graft Recipient)

Bouncing Back: Beating Bone Disease!

Imagine being an active female athlete with a love for competitive sports. You passionately play lacrosse, touch rugby, and field hockey. Your life, your friends, and your world centered on sports, but that has ended because you now live in immense pain. That is the situation Lara Marinich found herself in. The high school junior was diagnosed with Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD), a debilitating condition that can cause bones to deteriorate and die from insufficient blood flow.

After three years of pain, Lara underwent surgery to restore circulation to her knee. Disappointingly, the pain and the OCD persisted. Lara began to lose hope. “I was in a dark place,” she recalled. In desperation, she underwent a second series of procedures. Her new surgeon replaced the dead bone with donated bone and repaired her damaged cartilage. Physical therapy was a grueling, 5-month ordeal. Lara wore a full-leg brace initially and a partial brace for another 2 months. Finally, she was on the road to recovery.

Because of donated tissue, Lara is looking forward to vibrantly getting back into the game of life. “I had no idea that tissue donation would impact my life,” Lara reminisced. “I can’t fully express how thankful I am for the surgery and the good things it will bring,” Lara wrote to her donor family. Although sad that her donor family lost a loved one, she is glad that their compassionate gift continues to give back to the world through her. “I will forever memorialize my donor,” Lara resiliently proclaims.

Debbie Torrey (Skin Graft Recipient)

A Survivor

A positive outlook on life and work in health care has prepared Debbie for many setbacks she has experienced. As a second time survivor of breast cancer, she did not hesitate to move forward when told about options for breast reconstruction using donated dermal tissue following her mastectomy.

Pleased with her outcome following surgery, Debbie is grateful for the gift that has allowed her to feel secure, special and alive again. She is a survivor. Debbie continues her journey by journaling about her experiences, gardening, and spending quality time with her grandchildren.

“You and your family member will remain in my thoughts with appreciation, generosity, and kindness,” wrote Debbie in a note to her donor family.

Laurie DeClara (Skin Graft Recipient)

I Will Survive

Laurie was only forty when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. Her journey mirrored her mother’s, having also been diagnosed at a young age. After learning that Laurie’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a 2nd time, Laurie’s friends urged her to schedule a follow-up mammogram. Although it had been 10 years since she had first been diagnosed with and treated for cancer, as soon as Laurie saw her radiographic image, she knew the news would not be good. This time, the type of cancer was different. It was more invasive and would require a mastectomy. Fearing the recurrence of a 3rd round of cancer in the other breast, a 50% risk according to her oncologist, Laurie opted for a bilateral mastectomy. “As a wife and mother of four active boys, I need to be here for my family. I needed to survive,” she said.

Deciding to undergo the mastectomy was the easy part for Laurie. She was not, however, prepared for the emotions that would follow. Laurie’s considering a bilateral mastectomy raised questions like: “What will I look like? Will I still feel feminine? Would a mastectomy be noticeable in clothing?” These were some of the many questions that flooded Laurie’s mind. Her plastic surgeon immediately put Laurie at ease with the reassurance that after a single surgery, she will not only have the cancer removed but will also have new breasts in place that will give her the confidence to feel as feminine as she always has. A couple of weeks after her surgery, Laurie was self-assured once again. She was pleased with both her outcome and her decision.

Laurie was pleased to learn that donated skin grafts used with her breast reconstruction surgery. As a healthcare professional, Laurie was elated to find that donated tissue could be used to help so many people in so many ways. She later discovered that her donor was a woman - possibly a mother, daughter, aunt, or sister. She was so moved by the generosity of her donor’s gift, that she was compelled to express her gratitude to her donor’s family. “Thank you for giving me such an amazing gift. You have given me back to my family. You have made it possible for me to live out my life. I want to honor your loved one’s memory with strength and grace.”

Tracey Warren-Hein (Skin Graft Recipient)

Donated Tissue Helps Mother Continue Fight

At 43 years young, Tracey Warren-Hein was a busy, active mother of 2 young boys. Her days were filled with her family, and enjoying an active outdoor life, which included pleasure and competitive horseback riding. Always conscience of her health, Tracey had a routine mammogram in May of 2017, and the results were negative for any kind of growth or lump, however in August she felt something. And she knew it just wasn’t right.

Tracey had Stage 3 Triple negative breast cancer. By September she underwent a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Tracey did her best to keep all their family routines the same, focusing on her life, rather than her illness. In June, 2018 after chemotherapy and radiation were finished, she underwent breast reconstruction surgery. It wasn’t until after the surgery that she learned that her surgeon used donor skin with her procedure.

“I had no idea skin was even something people could donate” she said.

Full of gratitude, Tracey wrote to her donor family, and included these words “The donated tissue has allowed me to heal enough to continue my cancer battle,” she wrote “I have two beautiful smart sons who mean the world to me.  I am determined to beat cancer.  Your family member will remain in my thoughts for their kindness and generosity”

Evan Walker (Bone Graft Recipient)

Back in Full Swing

In 2015, high school football tackle Evan suffered a season-ending broken collarbone.

Collar bone breaks often fuse back together without surgical intervention. Unfortunately, Evan’s injury required surgery with a plate, six screws, and donated bone grafts (DBX Putty) to heal properly. Six months after his surgery, Evan was literally back in full swing. He earned a spot on the varsity baseball team as pitcher and had a great season. Evan’s pitching arm is as strong and fast as ever and his golf swing is better than ever.

Looking ahead to college and hoping for a career in sports management, Evan takes with him his story of donation. Evan is an active donation ambassador for MTF and the local organ recovery program in his home state. His story touches the lives of people who are not aware of the success of bone donation after death. He inspires individuals to say “yes” to donation.

Evan sent a letter of gratitude to his donor family, thanking them for helping to restore him to health and mobility. Not a day goes by that Evan and his family say a silent thanks to their donor’s family. Evan’s Mom notes, “We are so thankful that Evan was able to have the tissue donation so that he could be a fully functioning 17-year-old boy and get back to the activities he loves, including sports, hanging out with his friends and volunteering at our church food pantry”. 

Angela Hadfield (Birth Tissue Donor & Recipient of Skin and Pericardium Grafts)

A life-changing donation inspires to change lives

Angela was born with a condition that remained undiagnosed most of her life. In childhood she began having seizures. As a teen she suffered severe headaches. Her symptoms worsened to include vision problems, short-term memory loss, and tingling in her extremities.

In 2013 Angela was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation. This rare congenital condition forces the brain downward into the spinal canal.   Without surgery her plight would continue to worsen and possibly end in death.

Angela’s doctor performed brain surgery using skin and pericardium grafts to relieve the pressure causing her debilitating symptoms. “I am humbled. I know that somewhere out there, there is a grieving family who looked past their loss and made the selfless decision to allow donation to occur,” Angela recalls. She is grateful for her successful surgery and the generosity of the donor families that made it possible.

In 2021, Angela was presented with the opportunity to donate her birth tissue following the delivery of her firstborn. “As a recipient of skin and pericardium grafts, I know how impactful tissue donation can be. When I learned that I could donate my placenta during my pregnancy, I knew that I wanted to do so - I wanted to give back! It is so special to know that others can live fuller, healthier lives from this new life that came into our lives!” remarked Angela. 

 Today Angela is a donor development coordinator who spends time supporting hospitals with donation services.  She additionally enjoys an active life of running, hiking, and raising community support through the Chiari and Syringomelia Foundation.

Turia Pitt (Skin Graft Recipient)

Donor Tissue Rescues Runner After Australian Wildfire

Turia Pitt, a fitness enthusiast, mining engineer and model, was caught in a freak firestorm while competing in a 100 km ultra-marathon in Western Australia in 2011. The 24-year-old was helicoptered out of the remote desert, barely alive, with horrific burns to 64 percent of her body. Unable to find the donated skin needed to save her life in Australia, her doctors turned to the United States. MTF Biologics provided Turia with the life-saving gift of skin.

Post skin grafting and extensive physical therapy, Turia continues to compete in triathlon and iron-man events. She’s a bestselling author, a motivational speaker and mentors thousands of individuals world-wide through her online goal setting programs.

“I want to thank Americans for their generosity, especially the donors and their families who said yes to donation and saved my life”, Turia said. “I would not be here today without their decision to give the gift of life. To these special people I say Thank You and Bless You, I carry your generosity in my heart as I do what I love – train, run and enlighten others to achieve their personal best.”

In 2016, Turia Pitt and her fiancé, Michael, traveled to the U.S. to thank her donor families for her life-saving gift.  During her time in the U.S., she visited MTF Biologics and met with staff members who were a part of the process of making this happen.  

Sgt. First Class Joseph Fontenot (Bone and Tendon Grafts Recipient)

Saluting Our Soldiers

Sgt. First Class Joseph Fontenot is a proud soldier in the 101st Air Assault division of the U.S. Army. This Louisiana native has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, has lost friends in combat, and was named “Military Times Soldier of the Year” in 2015. Little did this husband and father know the battle he would soon be fighting to recover from a career-threatening injury. With adrenaline pumping during an intense training exercise, Fontenot did not realize the extent of the injuries sustained while exiting a Blackhawk helicopter. Despite rupturing his ACL, MCL, and meniscus during this pre-deployment military exercise, Fontenot did what he was trained to do—soldier on.

As the day progressed, Fontenot’s knee continued to swell. Due to the complexity of his surgical needs, Fontenot was sent to Keller Army Community Hospital at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Using donated tissue, he completed a series of three different, specialized surgeries on his right knee. After 18 months of surgeries, five months on crutches, and extensive physical therapy, Fontenot fiercely recovered.

“I can honestly say that without having this tissue transplant, my military career would be over,” Fontenot recounts; “It’s given me a new lease on life.” He once again enjoys canoeing, kayaking, and being part of a team of soldiers defending freedom at home and abroad. MTF Biologics proudly salutes Sgt. First Class Joseph Fontenot, his wife—a fellow veteran, and the other men and women that protect and serve our nation. MTF Biologics further honors the many donors and donor families committed to sharing the gift of life that makes essential partnerships with military installations and Veterans Administration hospitals possible, bringing innovations in tissue transplantation to our nation's veterans.

Breast cancer survivor and recipient of skin grafts

The Gift That Saved My Life

Sandy has been married to her high school sweetheart since 2001. A mother of two, Sandy was the first person in her family to diagnosed with cancer. While on vacation with her family, she felt a tug in her right breast during a morning run. Immediately, she knew something wasn’t right, but was not able to get an appointment for several months.

When she was finally able to see someone, both her primary physician and her OB/GYN decided it would be in her best interest to get a mammogram and exploratory ultrasound. The ultrasound led to a biopsy, and the biopsy revealed that Sandy had Stage II invasive ductal carcinoma. She knew that she wanted a double mastectomy. “I couldn’t live with knowing that I was going to do one side and the other side is like a loaded, ticking time bomb. I just couldn’t.” Following her bilateral mastectomy, Sandy underwent chemo and radiation, treatments that would ensure that she was technically cancer free.

Sandy remembers the day she learned that donor tissue helped give her the life she has today. “My husband who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, kept the information until he thought I was ready. He gave me my documents about my skin grafts, and I learned that it came from somebody who lost their life. I was given this gift, and I’m absolutely overwhelmed in both sadness for the family who lost a loved one, and in gratitude that I was given a second chance.” Today Sandy is learning to enjoy life at a slower pace and taking time to reflect - something her journey has taught her. She later wrote to her donors’ families to thank them for their gifts. “If you were ever on the fence about being a donor, I hope my story proves how important it is. It can truly change someone and save their life.”

Breast cancer survivor and recipient of skin grafts

A True Survivor

Joni was no stranger to breast cancer. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984 and went through a series of treatments and reconstructions. In 2013, Joni was diagnosed herself. Among her closest friends, Joni is described as the most caring person with a big heart. When Joni was diagnosed with breast reconstruction, she was ready to fight. Joni’s number one concern during her breast cancer treatment was always her children, her parents, her family and friends. One of her closest friends, Chris, describes a time that she visited Joni and, despite looking tired and in terrible pain, “Joni would not stop smiling. She always put on a happy face for everyone around her. Joni fought this terrible disease with dignity and grace. My friend Joni would have chemotherapy on a Friday and wake up at 6am on Saturday morning to take her children to their soccer games. She always found the positive, even in her cancer.” Joni elected to have breast reconstruction after her bilateral mastectomy with implants and donated dermis. She was so proud of her breasts that were ‘bigger and perkier’ than before cancer. “Joni is not only a mother, survivor and a fierce woman, but she is my hero,” says Chris. Today, Joni enjoys her full life with her family including her four beautiful children who are thankful to have their mom with them – a true survivor.

Breast Cancer Survivor & Recipient of Skin Grafts

Living My Best Life!

Adrienne Brown is a wife, proud mother of a son and daughter, and a seasoned IT professional. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, has always been a runner, and has recently picked up biking. Because cancer runs in her family on both her mother’s and father’s sides, she has regularly received mammograms since her mid-thirties. On Tax Day in 2019, however, she received shocking news. Despite her diligence, her breast cancer had gone undiagnosed.

During a routine visit, her OB/GYN did an examination by hand. “I just don’t like what I feel,” the doctor said. Following a mammogram, an MRI, and a biopsy, Adrienne found out she had three tumors. Fortunately, her husband was there when she received the devastating diagnosis. “It’s kind of a shock to the system. You think you can prepare for this type of thing, but you can’t—especially when it hits so close to home,” Adrienne reflects. “We now had to tell the kids,” she continued.

Being a native New Yorker, Adrienne refused to simply give up the fight. She first underwent six rounds of chemotherapy to attack the largest tumor. The next step in the procedure was a mastectomy. After speaking with someone who had been through the experience, she selected the option to have both the mastectomy and breast reconstruction in a single procedure. The surgery using donated skin grafts ended successfully.

“I would like to express my gratitude to my donor’s family. The best way to do that is to live my best life,” Adrienne proudly proclaimed. “Breast cancer warriors need to know they can still look great after a mastectomy! I didn’t know that,” commented Adrienne.  “Now, I’m interested in becoming a donor too,” she concluded.

ACL surgery (tendon graft recipient)

The Treasured Gift of Tissue Donation

Dr. Schwartz is passionate about using his gift of holistic medicine to bring healing to his patients. As an avid sportsman, he enjoys rejuvenating through an intense game of tennis. Imagine his dismay as his knee buckled when he darted toward the ball. The pain was excruciating and his ability to walk and hike was significantly compromised.

Over time, his knee began to deteriorate due to his torn ligament. “I knew I needed surgery to regain stability in my knee,” he recalled. Thanks to receiving human donated tissue, Dr. Schwartz successfully walked a full mile only three days after his surgery.

In gratitude, Dr. Schwartz wrote a Valentine’s Day letter to his donor family to thank them for their most precious gift. “I may be one of many who benefited from the treasures granted after your loss,” he exclaimed. “I am so grateful for tissue donation and will think of your loved one as I continue my recovery,” he wrote. He hopes donor families know the powerful impact their sacrifices make on lives like his.

ACL reconstruction surgery (tendon graft recipient)

Paying it Forward

Nicole Walsh is a wife, mother, and an athlete. She’s been playing volleyball since she was twelve years old, and she loves going for runs. One snowy day, as she darted back and forth on the volleyball court, a poor landing led to a torn ACL and meniscus—ligaments critical to stabilizing her knee.

A few complications delayed Nicole’s surgery for almost two months. During that time, with the help of family and friends, she managed to care for her three children while building the strength she needed for her recovery ahead. Finally, Nicole was able to have the surgery and could not be happier with the outcome using donated tendons. “If I hadn’t gotten this done, I would have never been able to get back to the life that I have today!”

Dental surgery (bone graft recipient)

Finding a New Voice

Spending decades in medical sales did not prepare Don Snyder for his role as a patient. This father of two spends his professional life supporting physicians who care for ophthalmology patients during critical procedures. “I’m used to being on the other end, not the patient.” What started out as a toothache led to one of the most frightening moments of his life.

In 2019, Don began to experience pain in the back of my mouth and learned that he had an infection in his wisdom tooth. Further x-rays showed his wisdom tooth buried at the bottom of his jaw, just below the cyst that was causing him so much pain. After consulting with friends, Don found an oral surgeon that had experience with complex oral surgeries which would require cutting through his neck to grind out the tooth. “I knew this was going to be a difficult surgery to get the tooth out. The wisdom tooth was in an area surrounded by critical nerves and blood vessels. I was really scared,” recalled Don. 

The surgery was a difficult one. “My surgeon was surprised that my jaw had not broken,” exclaimed Don. Over the years, the cyst had grown and eaten into his bone. Donor bone and two plates were used to stabilize and fill the gap taken by the wisdom tooth and cyst. Following surgery, Don continued to heal and he credits his medical care and donor for that. “The donated bone really helped with the healing process.” 

In reflecting on the whole experience with his wife, “Someone else is part of my mouth now. Imagine that!” Her reply was, “I hope they also gave you a better voice.” He couldn’t agree more.

Jessica Rogers (ACL surgery with tendon graft)

Regaining a Limitless Life

Jessica Rogers, a New York publisher and outdoor enthusiast, lives an active lifestyle with her two wonderful children. Together, they hike, bike, and enjoy the many thrilling experiences nature has to offer. “I can’t sit still,” Jessica explains, “So, blowing out my knee was devastating.” Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time Jessica had injured her knee. Almost thirty years ago, she severely injured her other knee. The recovery process was long and horrific.

Jessica chose physical therapy instead of surgery because she wanted to avoid the grueling healing process she experienced before. At first, her life returned to normal. Eventually, Jessica’s knee gave out again while she was playing with her children. The pain was so severe that she would cry herself to sleep at night. Surgery was unavoidable.

Six weeks after her surgery using donated tissue, Jessica was back on her feet. She had finally regained the strength in her knee and was able to get her life back. If Jessica could tell her donor family anything, it would be this: “The gift you have given is not one that I take lightly. I couldn’t be more grateful for getting my limitless life back,” Jessica reminisces. “Having a piece of someone’s loved one in my body motivates me.  I push myself harder than ever. I’m living not just for myself but for them too. I want to make my donor proud!”

Emily Biancamano (Hip Repair with a tendon graft)

Overcoming an Eleven-Year Saga

Emily Biancamano’s life changed drastically after she was injured in a car accident in her twenties. She got married and had a son, but the pain continued returning. Emily tried everything from acupuncture to injections, but the pain in her hip kept worsening. For eleven years, she bounced around from doctor to doctor seeking relief. She endured several surgeries to remove scar tissue and repair the torn labrum in her hip. This health-conscious wife and mother was trapped in a debilitating cycle of chronic pain.

Emily’s painful journey finally came to an end when an orthopedic surgeon noticed bony impingements were repeatedly tearing the labrum cartilage that lines the hip joint. The surgeon used donor tendon to reconstruct Emily’s labrum. Within days, Emily was miraculously recovering. Already, she could tell that her chronic hip pain was over.

Donor tissue gave her the ability to do things that she hadn’t been able to do since she was back in high school. “Even though it seems like it’s so simple, this tiny piece of tendon I received changed my life. I can go on walks, ride bikes, and even chase my kid through the yard,” said she exclaimed. Emily is thankful for the gracious donor gift she received. She is also grateful that she has overcome an excruciating cycle of pain and now enjoys life more fully. 

Susan Quiroga (Breast reconstruction with skin grafts)

Finding Her Voice

For Sue, the topic of tissue donation was a labor of love. She spent most of her adult life advocating for tissue, organ and blood donation. One of the greatest benefits of her work was hearing the many heartfelt stories of hope and healing made possible through transplantation. She never imagined that one day, she too would have a personal story of her own to tell.

Six years ago, Sue’s life was turned upside down. She was juggling life as a busy mother of four, working full time, and caring for her elderly mother. Just when life seemed busiest, she heard those chilling words: “You have breast cancer.” Sue’s world came to a screeching halt. She recalls thinking, “I need to protect my kids and not have them worry about me. I want my husband to know that everything is going to be okay, and I needed to shield my mom from what I was going through.” In reality, Sue was even unsure how all of this would end.

Following her surgical consultation, a bilateral mastectomy was her only option. When she heard her physician ask, “What size would you like to be?” Sue realized she did have choices and sensed that everything would be okay. Sue’s plastic surgeon told her that donated dermal tissue would be used for her reconstruction surgery. “I was overcome by gratitude and humbled when I realized I was going to be a tissue recipient,” exclaimed Sue.

Two months after her breast reconstruction surgery, Sue was asked to speak about her experience. “I didn’t hesitate, even though I had never done public speaking before,” Sue said. “I was so humbled by the generosity passed on to me by my donor families, I was willing to go out of my comfort zone and make the gifts count even more. My donors’ gifts gave me strength.” Sue had found her own voice and now has her own story. Through the precious gift of life, Sue has reclaimed precious time with her family and is on a personal mission to educate others about donation and transplantation.

Kristina Cardosa (Breast reconstruction with skin grafts)

Not Taking Any Chances!

Although Kristina has never had breast cancer herself, those two words have greatly affected her life. It’s the reason that she never had a grandmother to visit and the reason why her mother cried at age 38 after finding a lump in her breast. Kristina remembers spending Easter weekend looking at her mother through a glass wall because she was too immunocompromised from a bone marrow transplant to be with her family. Thankfully, her mother beat the disease and has been cancer-free for 30 years.

When genetic testing became available, Kristina and her sisters knew that they needed to get tested. She was guilt-ridden when the only test that came back negative was hers. One by one, her sisters went through double mastectomies and breast reconstructions. Despite being negative for the gene, Kristina felt uneasy. After she had her fourth child, Kristina decided to listen to her gut. She was not going to take any chances with the disease that had caused so much turmoil in her life. She wanted a double mastectomy.

Kristina had her mastectomy in May of 2017. She was relieved that she was cutting down her chances of getting breast cancer by almost one hundred percent. Kristina allowed MTF to video her procedure. It was at that time that she learned that donor tissue would be used with her procedure. “I feel so honored that they wanted to film my procedure. I hope the video and my story will allow donor families to witness how the gift of tissue donation is used to help women who are faced with making a decision to have a mastectomy and breast reconstruction. There are really no words for the generosity of my donor’s family. Thank you for such an amazing gift."

Jennifer McGinnis (Breast Reconstruction with skin grafts)

Taking The Leap

Jennifer McGinnis is an industrial-organizational psychologist who loves physical activity, getting together with friends, and spending time with her family and rescue dog. However, she was very concerned about her cancer risk. After battling breast cancer for ten years, her aunt passed away, followed by two friends who lost their lives from breast and ovarian cancer. Jennifer consulted her gynecologist, who recommended genetic testing to see if she was at high risk of developing breast cancer.

After Jennifer tested positive for the BRCA1 gene, she had a tough decision to make. “I’m data-minded and believe in science, but choosing to have a life-altering surgery is difficult. It’s like jumping out of an airplane. Getting yourself over that hump to make a decision is the hardest thing.” Three years later, Jennifer took the leap and had a risk-reducing double mastectomy and oophorectomy to reduce her cancer risk.

Jennifer opted for breast reconstruction with implants. Although Jennifer knew that tissue would be used to create the pocket for her breast implants, she didn’t realize they were made from donated skin grafts —until she received information in the mail. Now, she volunteers with an organization that educates individuals about genetic testing and high-risk cancer. She loves empowering others to make informed decisions as they embark on difficult new journeys.

Jennifer is incredibly grateful to her donor family and wrote to them, expressing her gratitude for their gift, which has helped her feel whole again. “They offered a gift that, as a 40-year-old woman, enhanced my life and allowed me to have the longest, healthiest, most fulfilling life possible. And I don’t take that for granted,” she reminisced.

Brianna Sawyer (Breast reconstruction with donated skin grafts)

Breast reconstruction with donated skin grafts

Brianna Sawyer, her husband, and two young boys had just purchased a large piece of land in Idaho and were enjoying an active, busy outdoor lifestyle. When the pandemic hit, the young family felt fortunate to be able to thrive on outdoor activities. Brianna made another lifestyle change and lost 90 lbs when she felt a lump in her breast.

At only 31, it was hard to believe that the diagnosis was indeed breast cancer. Brianna’s young boys were told that ‘Mommy had a sickness,’ and they jumped in to help with her care. They helped cut her pigtails and even chose her wig. After undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy, the next step was a double mastectomy. Brianna’s surgeon elected to use donated skin tissue to help support the reconstructive implants.

Only five days after her mastectomy, Brianna was hunting Easter eggs with her boys, and her recovery included camping, boating, riding dirtbikes, and jumping on the trampoline with her kids, and once again enjoying an active lifestyle.

Brianna wrote to her donor family to express her gratitude, “I will get more years of adventures with my family. Thanks to the selflessness of your loved one. One can never fully repay for a second chance at life, but I am going to give it my absolute best shot!”

Brianna is cancer-free, and although she will have to continue diligent scans and follow up, she is confident, joyful, and full of hope for the future.

Cleft palate surgery with dermis skin grafts

Blake Altorfer's Story

During her pregnancy with her second child, Rachel and her husband received the news that baby Blake would be born with a cleft lip and palate. A cleft palate is a condition where the cleft doesn’t fully close prior to birth, and is open on the roof of the mouth. A cleft lip occurs when the lip doesn’t completely form, and leaves an opening in the lip.

Working as a speech therapist with the Autistic community, Rachel was not as familiar with all the current treatment for cleft palates, but with her training, she was aware that if not properly repaired, Blake would have issues with eating and speaking, and could suffer from frequent ear infections.

After meeting with the cleft team at Barrow’s Neurological Institute, a plan was made. Blake’s first surgery was at four months, where his lip was repaired. His second surgery was to place ear tubes to help prevent infection, and repair the palate with a dermis graft from a tissue donor.

Rachel expressed that cleft palate’s often have a third world country image. Many US medical missions are served with the purpose to repair cleft lips and palates in these countries. However, they occur with almost the same frequency in the US, where they are very successfully repaired.

Rachel and her husband were grateful to learn that while Blake did indeed have a cleft lip and palate, it had occurred without being a part of any other syndrome, and he was a healthy baby.

Blake’s repair was a part of a study to evaluate a better outcome for speech, using a z shaped suture line as opposed to the standard straight line. “It’s almost like karma,” Rachel said, “my father passed away many years ago, and was a donor. I remember when our family received a thank you letter from a recipient.”

Just prior to Blake’s surgery, Rachel had professional family photos taken. “I knew I would miss his wide little grin” she said. “Even knowing this was best for him, my heart hurt a little that he would change”.

Indeed, Blake was a beautiful baby, both before and after his surgery, and is lucky to have two brothers to share his healthy life.