We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know truly amazing families since we opened our doors in 2014. Below are some of their stories of their transplant journey, the emotions they experienced and reflections on their time at Transplant House.
As an oncology nurse at a small community hospital, Kathie Holmes is all too aware of how a person’s life can change in an instant, with a single diagnosis. She’s seen it many times. As the wife of a man whose lungs were destroyed by COVID-19, she’s also aware of the uncertainty severe illness brings, of the financial hardships, and the ongoing struggle to be heard. She’s lived it.
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Jack and Barb Goltz are long-term guests at Transplant House. Their story touches upon so many themes we see time and again with those on the transplant journey – waiting, advocating for oneself, multiple procedures, a longer road to recovery and having to uproot one’s life quickly to travel away from home for a chance…
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Erika Marx believes in the connectedness of all of us. It’s something she experienced first-hand when constant pain and exhaustion led her down a path to a diagnosis of a rare medical condition and the decision to give the gift of life to someone she’d never met, while healing herself. “I didn’t have a doctor guiding…
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Doug is a pastor in the small town of Culloden, West Virginia. A year ago, a parishioner approached him, seeking advice: A friend was in need of a partial liver transplant and she had the right blood type to help. However, she had two small children and risked losing her job to take time off…
Read More »Meet Lizz and Jerry from California
Lizz and Jerry spent months at Transplant House waiting for “the call” and in the meantime made lifelong friendships.
“Transplant House of Cleveland gave us a sense of community. When you’re living in a city you don’t know, in order to receive medical care, getting to talk with other caregivers and patients who have gone before you is invaluable.” —Jerry, organ recipient
Meet Kati from Illinois
A young woman with cycstic fibrosis breathes easily now, thanks to a double-lung transplant.
“If I were going through it again, I would evaluate a transplant program based upon housing. We know how important it is. A hotel is not sufficient.” —Kati, organ recipient
