Welcome to LyfeTalks, a podcast that intimately explores the experiences of transplant recipients. Join us for raw and real discussions about getting a new organ and life afterward. Featuring a new guest each episode, this is your go-to podcast on everything transplant-related.

Jeanmarie, 18 years post-kidney transplant, sits down with Angelo Reyes, a professional boxing and MMA trainer and liver transplant recipient. They discuss Angelo’s transplant journey and the importance of men’s health, emphasizing the need to break the stigma around men neglecting their well-being.

TransplantLyfe Community Managers, Jeanmarie and Taryn, had the privilege of attending the Transplant Games of America in Birmingham, Alabama. They share their unique experience of meeting many transplant recipients and recount stories from some of the individuals they met: Elsa, a heart transplant recipient; Jessi, the oldest surviving double lung transplant recipient; Emily, who underwent a modified multi-visceral transplant; Swapna, who received a small intestine; Janet, a 19-year heart transplant recipient; Kim, who received a heart and lungs; and Rhoda, who received a kidney/pancreas transplant. Each of them discusses their transplant experiences.

Dr. Karin Hehenberger, a kidney/pancreas recipient and founder of TransplantLyfe and LyfeBulb, gives a presentation on health and happiness at the Transplant Games of America in Birmingham, Alabama. What makes you happy?

Alex, who previously received a kidney transplant and is now on the waiting list for a second kidney, sits down with Advanced Nurse Practitioner Denise Goodman and LaVise McCray, a former dialysis patient and current kidney transplant recipient. With 39 years of experience as a dialysis nurse, Denise joins them as they discuss the journey from the dialysis chair to transplant.

Taryn, a kidney/pancreas recipient, sits down with Kristi Ouimet, a mother of two transplant recipients. Kristi shares how she balances being the best care partner for her children while also taking care of herself.

Alisha and Jeanmarie sit down with Gabriel, a kidney and pancreas recipient as well as a psychotherapist, to discuss the importance of seeking mental health support during the transplant journey. Alisha, a two-time liver transplant recipient, and Jeanmarie, a kidney transplant recipient, share their experiences and insights on the significance of mental health care throughout their transplant journeys.

Jeanmarie, a kidney transplant recipient, and Chloe Temtchine, a singer/songwriter who has received a double lung transplant, discuss their transplant journeys. They share how they cope with tough times and highlight the importance of maintaining a hopeful outlook on the future.

Taryn, a kidney/pancreas recipient, sits down with LaVise McCray to discuss the crucial role of peer support among transplant patients. They share personal experiences and highlight how connecting with others who have undergone similar procedures can provide emotional strength, shared knowledge, and a sense of community. Through their conversation, they emphasize the positive impact that peer-to-peer support has on the overall well-being for transplant recipients.

Alisha, a two-time liver transplant recipient, sits down with Jeanmarie, a kidney transplant patient of 18 years, to discuss navigating the complex emotions of gratitude and grief throughout the transplant journey.

Alisha, a two-time liver transplant recipient, sits down with Jamie Imhof, a liver and kidney transplant recipient, to discuss goal-setting after a transplant. They explore how to establish goals for taking medications, maintaining good health, and adjusting to everyday life post-transplant.

Jeanmarie, an 18-year kidney transplant recipient, and TransplantLyfe Community Manager, engages in a conversation with Dusty Atchison, who underwent a kidney transplant at the age of 17. They explore their distinct strategies for handling doctor appointments and emphasize the significance of self-advocacy when interacting with medical professionals.

Alex Berrios, a community manager at TransplantLyfe and patient advocate, joins Mark Eisen and LaVise McCray to discuss their experiences with receiving kidney transplants. They explore the transition from dialysis to transplant and offer insights on how to effectively advocate for oneself throughout this process.

Jeanmarie and Taryn sit down for an in-depth discussion about how and when to ask other people for help during the transplant journey. Jeanmarie is 18 years post kidney transplant and Taryn is a kidney/pancreas transplant recipient, transplanted almost 2 years ago. Together they explore the complex topic of not wanting to be a potential burden to others. However, it is imperative to acknowledge instances wherein external support becomes indispensable throughout this transformative process.

According to information from DonateLife.com, over 100,000 individuals are currently awaiting a life-saving organ. In 2023, the contributions of over 23,000 donors brought renewed hope and vitality to recipients and their loved ones. In this unique episode dedicated to Donate Life month, we engage in conversations with liver, kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients and someone waiting on dialysis, as well as a caregiver, to explore what organ donation means to each of them.

As they transitioned into the transplant world, Alisha and Taiylor discovered a newfound purpose in their experiences. Rather than allowing their pain to define them, they transformed it into a driving force for positive change. Both recognized the importance of peer support and advocacy in helping others navigate the complex transplant journey.

Jeanmarie sits down with Gabriel, a kidney/pancreas recipient and psychotherapist to discuss how to manage anxiety while waiting for a life-saving organ. Gabriel recently went through the process, waiting on the list himself for 2 years. Jeanmarie was diagnosed at 16 with Lupus. She had a kidney transplant at 24 years old. Although Jeanmarie has had 18 successful years with her living donor kidney, she is now on the wait list waiting for her second kidney. Listen to the conversation between Jeanmarie and Gabriel about the best ways to manage the rollercoaster of feelings that come with waiting on the transplant list.

Alisha sits down with LaVise to discuss how she never lost hope even when life looked dim. LaVise received a kidney transplant in March 2023. She has faced many challenges throughout her journey. In 2023 she was told she wasn’t going to live to see 2024. It’s 2024 and she is thriving! Listen to her incredible story about how she persevered through the challenges and never gave up.