My connection with Transplant House and my decision to join its board of directors was the direct result of seeing firsthand the challenges – emotional, financial, and otherwise – patients and families face with the unknowns of an organ transplant.  Many of us have personal connections to transplant patients, and my story involves a woman by the name of Diana.  She left her home in Miami with her family and arrived in Cleveland hoping to receive a liver transplant at the Cleveland Clinic.  Diana came to Cleveland without knowing anyone, unsure how to find housing, and uncertain as to how long she and her family could remain in Cleveland due to the expense of temporary housing in a new city.  

I met Diana and her family several months after they had arrived in Cleveland, at a time when they were facing the decision of returning home without a transplant because they were unable to afford the expense of staying here much longer.  My wife and I invited the family to stay at our house, and six months later a liver finally became available and Diana had her successful transplant operation.  While this story has a happy ending, as Diana is now home with her family and living a full life, other stories do not end as well.  It is in those less-fortunate stories where Transplant House can make a difference.  Transplant House is a place where transplant patients and their families can access affordable housing for their unpredictable extended stays while waiting for an organ. As was true in Diana’s situation, an ability to stay in Cleveland regardless of finances can be the difference between life and death. The Transplant House provides more than just affordable housing; it’s a place where patients and their families can find the emotional support needed to cope with the uncertainties and questions that surface when facing a life-changing surgery in an unfamiliar city.

I’ve seen firsthand the value of Transplant House and how it can impact the lives of transplant patients and their families.  It has become an important cause for me, which is why I’ve joined the board and made a financial commitment to support the facility that is now open in University Circle.  I invite you to learn more about Transplant House, and ask that you join me and make a contribution in support of its work.

– A message from board member Bill Mulligan