Gift of Life

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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.

  1. 3D AGO

    Gift of Life 98 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    Some inspire. And some ask us to lean in and truly listen.   This is one of those episodes.   In Episode 98, we introduce you to Shawn Kortes — a husband, a father, and a man courageously fighting for more time.   Shawn is in need of an O positive kidney transplant.   His story is real. It’s raw. And it’s unfolding right now.   He shares openly about:   Living with kidney failure The emotional weight of waiting What it feels like to depend on the generosity of a living donor His hope for more birthdays, more holidays, more everyday moments with his family     This conversation isn’t just about medicine.   It’s about time. It’s about love. It’s about the power of one person saying yes.   If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to wait for a life-saving organ, this episode gives you a front-row seat to that reality.   And if you’ve ever considered becoming a living donor — this may be the story that moves you to take the next step. Shawn's links to help: https://nkr.org/RJV252 Listen now. Share widely. You never know who might be the miracle someone is praying for.       Let’s Stay Connected:      Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com  Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com  Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast  Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife        BJ Odom’s Book     More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget  Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO  Available in paperback & eBook!     If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:   Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms. Share this episode with family and friends.   Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.   Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

    50 min

  2. MAR 3

    Gift of Life 97 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    Imagine entering this world on December 16, 1991… and just weeks later, on January 22, 1992, receiving the ultimate second chance — a heart transplant.   In Episode 97, we introduce you to Laszlo Mark, who is now celebrating 34 incredible years with his donor heart.   This is more than a survival story. This is a life fully lived.   Laszlo shares what it means to grow up knowing your life began with a miracle. He reflects on the challenges, the gratitude, the responsibility, and the deep awareness that every birthday carries extra meaning. From childhood milestones to adulthood purpose, Laszlo’s journey is powerful, thoughtful, and inspiring.   And today? He’s not just living — he’s giving back.   Laszlo is actively studying and learning more about the transplant world, diving deeper into the science and community that saved his life. His passion to understand transplantation from every angle makes this conversation especially compelling.   This episode is filled with hope, perspective, and the reminder that transplantation doesn’t just extend life — it creates decades of impact.   You’ll hear: • What it’s like to grow up as a transplant recipient • How gratitude shapes daily living • Why 34 years post-transplant is such a powerful milestone • What drives Laszlo’s interest in studying the transplant world today   This is a meaningful, fascinating conversation you truly don’t want to miss.       Connect with Laszlo:     Email: jlmark@mun.ca Instagram: @lasz.lore       Let’s Stay Connected:     Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife       BJ Odom’s Book     More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO Available in paperback & eBook.     If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message:   Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms. Share this episode with family and friends.   Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.   Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

    57 min

  3. FEB 24

    Gift of Life 96 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    In this episode of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we’re joined by Madison Staiger, a liver transplant recipient who received her life-saving transplant in December 2018 and recently celebrated her seven-year anniversary.   Madison shares how her journey began in February 2018, when what she believed was the flu quickly turned into a life-altering diagnosis of autoimmune liver disease. She walks us through the transplant evaluation process, the emotional challenges of waiting, and the moment she learned she was number one on the transplant list.   We talk about recovery after surgery, including time spent in the surgical ICU, being on oxygen for months, and learning to manage lifelong medications. Madison also opens up about the mental health side of transplantation and how working with a transplant-focused psychiatrist helped her navigate life after surgery.   Now thriving, Madison works as a program coordinator at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center — the same hospital where she received her transplant. She’s currently pursuing her second master’s degree and gives back through volunteer work with the Humane Society and Lifeline of Ohio.   This episode is an honest and hopeful conversation about resilience, gratitude, and finding purpose after receiving the gift of life. Let’s Stay Connected:   Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com  Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast  Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife   BJ Odom’s book  More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget   Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO  Available in paperback & eBook!   If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message: Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.  Share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

    25 min

  4. FEB 17

    Gift of Life 95 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    Last week, we introduced you to heart transplant recipient Bill Barschaw and his powerful journey of survival. This week, we continue that story through the eyes of his wife and caregiver, Val Barschaw.   After walking beside Bill through his heart transplant and witnessing the realities of hospital life firsthand, Val felt called to share what she learned — not just for patients, but for families and caregivers navigating the healthcare system. That experience inspired her to write the book:   Surviving the Hospital: Six Secrets Every Patient Should Know   In this episode, Val shares:   What it truly means to walk the transplant journey as a caregiver The emotional toll families experience during long hospital stays The importance of patient advocacy How knowledge can empower patients and caregivers during medical crises     This is a meaningful, eye-opening conversation that honors caregivers and highlights the vital role they play in every transplant story.        Let’s Stay Connected     Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife        BJ Odom’s Book     More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget  Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO  Available in paperback & eBook        Help Us Spread the Message     If this episode touched your heart: Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, celebrating caregivers, and sharing hope.   Follow Val Blog about humor benefits:https://gnanow.org/blogs/why-every-patient-advocate-should-pack-a-humor-toolkit-the-science-backed-strategy-that-s-transformi.htmlBlog about preparation:https://gnanow.org/blogs/take-control-of-your-surgery-why-proper-preparation-can-change-everything.htmlBook purchase is anywhere books are sold, Amazon, B&N, etc and my site:https://hospitaltohealth.com/products-listwebsite:  hospitaltohealth.com

    48 min

  5. FEB 10

    Gift of Life 94 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    In this powerful conversation, we sit down with transplant recipient Bill Barschaw as he takes us back to the moment his life changed forever. What began as a routine medical visit unfolded into a diagnosis that would reshape his future — and ultimately lead to a life-saving heart transplant.   Bill shares how a routine checkup in 1990 led his primary doctor to refer him to a cardiologist — a decision that would alter the course of his life. His cardiologist recommended a right heart catheterization to get a deeper look at his heart function. That test brought questions — and then answers. After the cath, Bill was diagnosed with idiopathic viral cardiomyopathy — a condition that weakened his heart muscle for reasons doctors couldn’t completely explain. With medications, Bill managed his condition for years. Though the road was far from smooth, the treatments kept him going and living life as fully as possible. Bill recounts how, as his condition progressed, he eventually became a candidate for a heart transplant. Thirty-five years ago, he received a new heart — a moment that gave him renewed life and hope.   This story is a testament to: • The importance of perseverance — even when the diagnosis is uncertain. • The power of medical testing to uncover hidden conditions. • The gift of transplantation in rewriting the future.   Whether you’re a transplant patient, a caregiver, or someone seeking hope through hardship, Bill’s voice brings encouragement and clarity to the journey.   Next week we introduce you to his wife Val Barschaw who has written a book  "Surviving the Hospital Six Secrets Every Patient Should Know”    What idiopathic viral cardiomyopathy is — and why early diagnosis matters  How a right heart cath can change the course of care  The emotional and physical journey toward transplant  The impact of gratitude and community in the organ transplant world.   Let’s Stay Connected:   Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast  Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife   BJ Odom’s book  More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget     Available in paperback & eBook!   If this episode touched your heart, help us spread the message: Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platforms.  Share this episode with family and friends. Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

    37 min

  6. FEB 3

    Gift of Life 93 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    In this deeply moving episode, we meet Caroline Mozare, a courageous young woman whose life changed forever after years of being undiagnosed—until her body could no longer fight on its own.   What began as unanswered questions and quiet suffering led Caroline to the hospital, where she learned the unthinkable: she needed a liver transplant to survive. As her condition rapidly declined, Caroline spent many critical days unconscious, unaware of how close she came to losing her life. During that time, her husband stood in the gap—making impossible decisions, praying for a miracle, and later becoming the voice who would gently tell her everything that happened while she was gone.   Caroline’s story is raw, real, and profoundly human. She opens up about the physical pain, the emotional toll, and the silent strength it took to endure what no one should have to face—especially at such a young age. This episode is not just about transplant; it’s about love, resilience, faith, and the unbreakable bond between two people walking through the darkest days together.   This is a story that will stay with you—one that reminds us how fragile life can be, how powerful hope is, and how lifesaving the gift of organ donation truly is.       Let’s Stay Connected      Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com  Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com  Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast  Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife       From Host BJ Odom      More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget  Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO  Available in paperback & eBook       Help Us Share the Gift of Life     If this episode touched your heart, please help us spread the message:   Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform Share this episode with family and friends     Together, we are raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community

    40 min

  7. JAN 27

    Gift of Life 92 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    Welcome to Episode 92 of Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast.   This week, we share the powerful and faith-filled story of Michael Adams, a double lung transplant recipient whose life has been defined by perseverance, courage, and gratitude.   Michael’s journey began as a young boy diagnosed with severe asthma. Years later, doctors discovered the true cause — cystic fibrosis — a diagnosis that explained the countless hospital stays, relentless treatments, and repeated brushes with death that followed. His childhood and adult life were marked by oxygen tanks, infections, and moments when breathing itself felt like an impossible task.   By the age of 39, Michael’s condition had reached a breaking point. At one point, he was read his last rites — a moment no family ever expects, and no patient ever forgets. Yet, in the midst of that darkness, hope arrived through the miracle of transplantation.   Thanks to the gift of life and the generosity of an organ donor, Michael received a double lung transplant — a moment that changed everything.   Today, Michael is breathing freely on his own — something he once could only dream about. In this episode, he opens up about the fear, the faith, the waiting, and the overwhelming gratitude that comes with receiving a second chance at life. His story is a testament to the power of organ donation and the incredible resilience of the human spirit.   This is more than a transplant story — it’s a reminder that miracles happen, hope endures, and every breath is a gift.       Let’s Stay Connected      Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com  Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com  Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast  Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife       From Host BJ Odom      More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget  Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO Available in paperback & eBook     If this episode touched your heart, please help us spread the message:   Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform Share this episode with family and friends     Together, we are raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

    32 min

  8. JAN 20

    Gift of Life 91 The Organ Transplant Podcast

    This week on Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we share a powerful and honest story of survival, accountability, and redemption.   Our guest, Alyson Jeter, opens up about her journey to a life-saving liver transplant following alcohol-related liver failure. In her own words, Alyson courageously shares the realities of addiction, the road to recovery, and the moment she was given a second chance at life through the gift of organ donation.   Her story is one of humility, growth, and hope — a reminder that transformation is possible and that every donor gift has the power to change not just a body, but an entire future.   This episode sheds light on:   The realities of liver failure and transplantation The importance of personal responsibility and recovery The life-changing power of organ donation What it truly means to receive a second chance     Alyson’s testimony is raw, real, and deeply moving — and it reminds us why awareness, compassion, and grace matter so much in the transplant community.         Let’s Stay Connected      Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com  Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com  Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast  Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife         From Host BJ Odom     Check out BJ’s memoir:     More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget      Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO Available in paperback & eBook         Help Us Spread the Message     If this episode touched your heart:   Subscribe to the podcast Leave a 5-star review on your favorite platform Share this episode with family and friends     Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings. Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.

    19 min
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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.

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