Celebrate #AmericanHeartMonth with a new episode of #BeTheGift Connections! We'll hear from Brian Montalbano, a two-time heart transplant recipient who received his first transplant at 9 years old and his second transplant in 2011.

Grief is one of the deepest pains we will ever experience. On this episode of #BeTheGift Connections, we’ll talk with donor family members about their journey through grief. 00:00 We’ll hear from Dr. Jason and Darla Brooks, who lost their daughter, Aleya, unexpectedly last year. They’ll share how they are using their experience to help others. 26:40 In our second segment, we’ll talk with Lisa Boullt, who recently published a book about her sister’s death thirty years later. She’ll share how...

The holidays can be a time for reflection, celebration and anticipation. On this episode of #BeTheGift Connections, we have three inspiring stories about the precious gift of life. We’ll hear from Suha Dabit, whose daughter, Nadia, was born with a congenital heart defect. Their journey led to a heart transplant and the creation of a foundation to help other families. Our second story features Jacoby Plyler, a woman who received a kidney from a family member, allowing her to have a healthy,...

November is #EyeDonationMonth! On this episode of #BeTheGift Connections, we’ll learn about the many ways eye tissue can be used to improve lives. Our guests include Shelly Cleek, a cornea recipient and Donate Life Ambassador, along with her surgeon Dr. Bernard Chang. We’ll also learn how eye tissue is processed and distributed at the Sierra Donor Services Eye Bank in Nashville from Dr. Erich Groos, Associate Medical Director, and Alyssa Hernandez, Director of Marketing. In addition, we’ll...

Join us for October's #BeTheGift Connections: "Donation 101: Brain Death" as we discuss what brain death is and the criteria used to declare it. We'll hear from Critical Care Dr. Nadia Froehling with Erlanger Health Systems and TDS In-House Donation Specialist Amy Layne explain brain death, the testing involved, and the separate roles of the hospital and Tennessee Donor Services. Wes Patten, TDS Family Care Manager will share how brain death is explained to families and how they are guided...

Join us for this episode of “BeTheGift Connections” as we recognize our Tennessee Driver Services Centers for the work they do to help save lives. We’ll talk with staff about their commitment to registering more Tennesseans. Ashley Beaumia, donor mother, will share the story of her son Blazer who registered to be a donor when he obtained his learner’s permit. We'll also learn about a special connection between the Greeneville Driver Services Center and Paisley Trantham, an infant waiting...

In recognition of August as #NationalMulticulturalDonorAwarenessMonth, #BeTheGift Connections will be exploring healthcare inequities that exist within communities of color and how this impacts attitudes toward organ and tissue donation. We’ll be talking with two physicians about the challenges and disparities facing the Black community when it comes to healthcare. We’ll also learn about an exciting new partnership between Meharry Medical College and Tennessee Donor Services working to...

Join Sierra Donor Services for a special edition of #BeTheGift Connections that focuses on supporting burn survivors. We'll hear from the Firefighters Burn Institute, a Sacramento-based nonprofit organization that works to serve burn survivors, from hosting youth camps and social outings to awarding scholarships. We'll also speak with Chris Donhost, Organ Recovery Liaison for SDS, as he describes how tissue donation is able to improve the lives of 75 recipients!

Join us for May's #BeTheGift Connections: “Going the Extra Mile” as we talk with some competitive athletes.Their accomplishments in sports are impressive, but what makes their stories even more compelling is they are organ recipients.We’ll hear how sports helped them overcome adversity. They are proof that a lifesaving organ transplant means a chance to live a healthy, active life doing the things they love.

Join us for the next #BeTheGift Connections. In recognition of #NationalDonateLifeMonth, we’re talking about giving and living. We’ll hear the perspective of a donor mother. Danyelle Stone will share the legacy her four year-old son, Grayson Meadows, left by saving the lives of others through organ donation. We’ll also talk with Dr. Derek Moore, transplant surgeon with Ascension Saint Thomas West in Nashville to learn about the process patients go through to receive a transplant. Lawrence...

March is National Kidney Month and a perfect time to talk about the need for kidney transplants! Billy Jarvis is a kidney recipient and an External Affairs Coordinator at Tennessee Donor Services. Billy is currently in need of a new kidney and was accepted into the Living Donor Paired Exchange Program in January. He and his living donor, Steven Jamison, will share their journey so far and what will happen in the next few months. We’ll also talk to Dr. Daniel Galvez, transplant surgeon at...

February is Heart Month and it’s the perfect time to talk about the Gift of Life. On this #BeTheGift Connections: “Stories from the Heart,” we have two special stories to share with you. Our first story truly illustrates the circle of life. We talk to two mothers…a donor hero’s mother from Tennessee and a recipient mother from Chicago, brought together because of a heart transplant. In our second story, we hear from an inspiring young woman who for years thought that a heart transplant was...

Our Tennessee County Clerks are key partners in helping Tennessee Donor Services  save and improve lives. In the January  #BeTheGift Connections: “Connecting with our Clerks,” several county clerks share why increasing donor awareness is important to them.  Grainger County Clerk Angie Lamb’s husband’s life was saved through a liver transplant.  A good friend of Loudon County Clerk Riley Wampler is a double cornea recipient.  Wayne County Clerk Stan Horton’s brother-in-law is leading a full...

Imagine giving a priceless gift that costs nothing — a gift that not only changes lives but can save them. That’s the gift of organ and tissue donation.  And what better time to talk about it than during the season of giving. On the December #BeTheGift Connections: “A Season of Giving,” we share two special stories of giving and the impact it has on others. In this month’s program, Lisa Rousseau shares the story of her daughter Jessie Starnes, a 9-year-old, who left a lasting legacy of giving...

Did you know that all major religions support donation as an act of love and generosity?  On November’s #BeTheGift Connections: "Faith, Beliefs, and Donation", in observance of National Donor Sabbath, we explore how one’s faith and beliefs can influence the decision to be a donor. We hear the extraordinary story of a donor hero and his heart recipient, and the role faith played throughout. We also talk with a hospital chaplain and a minister about the spiritual aspects of being a donor and...

In October’s #BeTheGift Connections we learn about the importance of tissue donation. More than 2.5 million people receive a tissue transplant each year to repair injuries and defects, restore sight and improve or restore mobility. Sometimes a tissue transplant can even save a life. We also learn about the many tissues that can be donated and how they are used. In addition, an orthopedic surgeon discusses how donated tissue is frequently used to repair orthopedic and sports related injuries.

In September's #BeTheGift Connections,  we celebrate our partners at the Tennessee Department of Safety (TDOS).  September is National DMV Appreciation Month. We talk about the successful partnership between Tennessee Donor Services and the TDOS Driver Services Centers. Plus we have personal stories from Driver Service Center staff who share their connections to transplant recipients. It’s an opportunity to recognize and thank our Driver License partners for their commitment to asking...

August's second episode of #BeTheGift Connections continued our focus on National Minority Donor Awareness Month. The discussion examines the inequities affecting communities of color in healthcare, donation and transplantation. We also talk with two physicians about the challenges relating to these disparities and creating greater awareness and acceptance of organ and tissue donation. In addition, a donor family member and an organ recipient join us to share their moving stories. Register to...

Did you know nearly 60% of patients on the national transplant waiting list are from multicultural communities?  In our August #BeTheGift Connections we focus on National Minority Donor Awareness Month. It is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation within minority communities. This first program, in a series of three, highlights the personal stories of five people of color touched by donation and transplantation. Register to be an organ and tissue...

Nationally, almost 80,000 patients last year received a cornea transplant. In the July edition of #BeTheGift Connections: “The Marvelous Gift of Sight,” Dr. Erich Groos, Associate Medical Director for Sierra Donor Services Eye Bank and Dr. Deborah DiStefano walk you through how donor tissue gives hope to many who are blind or visually impaired. In addition, we will explore the important role of an eye bank and talk with two cornea recipients who have received the Gift of Sight. Register to be...

In the June #BeTheGift Connections: “Being Dad,” we recognize Father’s Day and the influence that fathers have on their children, we talk with three dads who are organ recipients. They share how the gift of life has enabled them to play an active role in their children’s lives. Plus, they relate how being a recipient has impacted how they view their role as a father. Register to be an organ and tissue donor at BeTheGiftToday.com. 

In the May #BeTheGift Connections: "Birth Tissue: A Mother's Gift," we learn about a living tissue donation that many are not familiar with… Birth Tissue. According to the American Association of Tissue Banks, there is an increasing demand for this type of tissue because of its versatility and numerous clinical applications. Today expectant mothers can choose to donate their placenta after the delivery of their baby, thereby helping as many as 100 patients live a better life. In this...

On the April #BeTheGift Connections: "Saving Young Lives,” we highlight April being Donate Life Month and the week of April 25th being designated National Pediatric Transplant Week.  We have two inspiring stories about remarkable young people. One is a story of Kainen Boring, a donor hero, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 17. His family knew he had talked about being an organ donor and it was important to them to follow his wishes. The second story is one of a family’s love for one...

In the March #BeTheGift Connections: "The Miracle of Living Donation," we learn about living organ donation through two special living donor stories. In addition, we have a conversation on the advances in this area of transplantation with a transplant surgeon. Our guests include Finley, a three-year-old kidney recipient, Dr. Alan Koffron, Surgical Director for the Erlanger Health System Kidney Transplant Center in Chattanooga, and living kidney donor Elise who donated a kidney to Crystal, her...

In recognition of National Heart Month and Valentine’s Day, we have a couple of special stories on February's #BeTheGift Connections. Marcia Cunningham, a heart recipient, shares her transplant journey of waiting for and receiving a new heart. Dr. Jonathan Menachem, a transplant cardiologist with Vanderbilt Health Transplant Center discusses the strides that are being made in the field of heart transplants, resulting in more lives being saved. Plus, Bonnie Chakravorty and Doug Turley, a...