Gift of Life
The Organ Transplant Podcast. Gift of Life is Hosted by BJ Odom, a double transplant recipient who received a life-saving heart in 2003 and a kidney in 2015. BJ knows firsthand the power of organ donation. After receiving a heart transplant and facing the challenges of anti-rejection medication, he needed a second transplant – a kidney. Now, BJ shares his inspiring journey and those of others in the organ transplant world. Hear from those in the medical field, transplant recipients, donor families, and more, all to raise awareness about the lifesaving gift of organ donation.
Episodes
Welcome to The Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, where every story beats with hope and every voice makes a difference. I’m your host, BJ Odom.
In this powerful episode, we shine a light on National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month — a time to elevate voices, shatter myths, and inspire communities to say “yes” to life-saving organ, eye, and tissue donation.
...
What inspires someone to donate a kidney to a complete stranger?
For Jeri Gill, it started with a viral YouTube video—a woman surprising her husband with a custom baseball card revealing she was his living kidney donor. That moment planted a powerful seed in Jeri’s heart. She couldn’t shake the thought: Could I do something like this for someone else?
A short while later, a Faceb...
Chris shares the ups and downs of his journey with heart failure and how the LVAD has given him the strength, energy, and freedom to keep living fully while he awaits a transplant. From connecting deeply with this podcast to inspiring his family and others, Chris reminds us that there’s hope before the transplant too.
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In today’s heart-touching episode, we sit down with Kristin Worthen, a devoted mother with an incredible story of courage, faith, and unwavering love. Kristin shares the journey of her amazing son Theo, whose strength and resilience will inspire anyone who hears it.
At Kristin’s final ultrasound before giving birth, she received devastating news—Theo had a severe heart defect. What foll...
Today’s story is one of remarkable strength, unwavering faith, and relentless advocacy that lights a fire in all of us within the transplant community.
We are honored to welcome Sierra Hill — a devoted wife, loving mother, passionate mentor, and fearless warrior.
After giving birth to her son, Sierra was diagnosed with severe heart failure due to peripartum cardiomyopathy. Her world sh...
In this deeply moving episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we sit down with Stephanie King, the strong and loving mother of 8-year-old Emily, a young girl whose courage has already inspired so many.
Emily’s life has been marked by medical challenges most of us can hardly imagine. At just two years old, she underwent her first double lung transplant. After facing...
In this moving episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we meet Patches Rich, a loving mother whose heart journey began around the birth of one of her children. Doctors urged her to undergo a cesarean due to heart concerns, but life moved forward — regular cardiologist visits showed no major red flags.
That all changed years later.
Patches learned her heart was enlarged ...
In this powerful and emotional episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we meet Mindy Wilson, devoted mother to 6-year-old Wilson Perry. What began as a simple lung infection turned into a life-altering journey spanning over a year, involving three different hospitals. Now, young Wilson is at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, bravely awaiting a life-saving lung tran...
In this week’s powerful and inspiring episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we welcome Darci Gibson, Founder and President of Off The List — an organization born from her own personal journey through the kidney transplant process.
Darci knows firsthand the emotional and physical toll of waiting for a life-saving kidney. Now, she’s on a mission to chan...
As of today, more than 103,000 individuals are on the national transplant waiting list. Of those, approximately 86%—nearly 90,000 people—are waiting for a kidney transplant.
This week, we revisit Dan Daggett, a familiar voice and a determined fighter who is still waiting for his life-changing kidney transplant. Dan remains on dialysis, but his spirit and story continue to inspire.
Caregivers are the unsung heroes in every transplant journey — offering love, strength, and unwavering support when it’s needed most. In this week’s touching episode, we continue our conversation with George Cecere, the devoted caregiver to his partner Terri, whom we met in our previous episode.
George shares how his personal caregiving experience inspired him to start TCH Caregiv...
At just 16 years old, Terri Cecere faced a life-altering diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After enduring 10 rounds of chemotherapy, doctors warned her of possible long-term effects on her heart and kidneys. Life moved forward… until age 42, when Terri was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy—and her journey toward a heart transplant began.
In this inspiring episode, Terri shares the p...
How many times have you walked into a furniture store and walked out with a couch, a chair… and a kidney? Sounds unbelievable, right? But this week on Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we’re sharing a story that’s as heartwarming as it is miraculous.
In Episode 54, you’ll meet Dayna Cohen and Jake Rowland—two people brought together by chance, whose connect...
Love is in the air—and so is life, hope, and inspiration! As Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast kicks off Year 2, we’re celebrating with a very special guest: Sophia Renner, Engagement Manager for SODA: Student Organ Donation Advocates.
Sophia joins us to share how SODA is empowering the next generation of organ donation advocates and making waves across college campuses nation...
In this very special episode, we continue to honor National Donate Life Month by welcoming a truly inspiring guest—Renee Collins, a heart transplant recipient whose story is one of strength, perseverance, and love.
Renee opens up about her health struggles that began long before her transplant journey. She shares her experience living with atrial fibrillation and enduring several ablations. But eve...
Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast | Episode 51
In this heartfelt episode, we welcome back an old friend from my radio days, Al Brock, who is celebrating two years with his new liver after a transplant at Vanderbilt H...
In this milestone 50th episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we bring you an extraordinary story of resilience, determination, and the power of the human spirit.
Derek Lindstrom didn’t just run—he lived to run. With 114 marathons behind him, his heart was his engine. But when his heart function plummeted to a devastating 6-10%, his life took a dramatic turn. By the tim...
In this heartfelt episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we sit down with Dan Daggett, General Manager of WMPI I-105.3 in Scottsburg, Indiana. Dan’s journey with kidney disease is ongoing as he awaits his first kidney transplant. While he hopes for a living donor, he remains open to receiving a deceased donor kidney, knowing that every transplant is a precious gift.
Dan...
In Episode 48 of The Gift Of Life Podcast we delve into the touching journey of Sam Dey – a tale of resilience and the preciousness of life. Sam's existence has been intertwined with the challenges of heart disease, influenced by a family lineage burdened with similar struggles. However, his true trial began in 2008 when the weight of his relentless work ethic manifested in a heart attack. Amidst his whir...
In this episode 47 of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we welcome Emilee Brock Burdette, whose kidney journey began at the tender age of 4. Living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) her entire life, Emilee has faced countless challenges, yet her unwavering faith and resilience have guided her through every step. With both her mother and grandmother also battling CKD and dialysis, Emilee’s...
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