Gift of Life

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, we meet Brian Springer, a true warrior whose journey will touch your heart and stay with you long after the episode ends.



Brian has already endured four open-heart surgeries, and most recently, received an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device)—a life-sustaining device that is keeping him alive as he waits for the ultimate gift… a new heart.



But Brian’s journey comes with an added challenge.



With 99% antibodies, finding a compatible organ donor is incredibly difficult. His wait for a heart transplant could be years away—time he continues to face with courage, resilience, and an unwavering positive spirit.



In this episode, Brian not only shares his story, but also sheds light on something so important:

the critical need for more organ donors.



Because for patients like Brian, the more people who choose to donate, the greater the chance of finding that one life-saving match.



This is more than just a story…

It’s a reminder of the power of hope, the strength of the human spirit, and the life-saving impact of organ donation.



You will not want to miss this episode.





Let’s Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

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 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…

In this milestone Episode 100, BJ welcomes Mike Duncan from Bloomington, Indiana, whose life-saving liver transplant journey is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of organ donation.



Mike’s story began in 2016 when subtle symptoms during a trip to Florida — dark urine, yellowing eyes, and swelling — revealed something much more serious. His liver was failing.



What followed was a frightening medical journey that included hospitalization, severe complications from liver failure, and the emotional challenge of waiting for a donor organ.



While on the transplant list, Mike experienced the harsh realities of liver disease, including high ammonia levels that caused confusion and hallucinations. Through it all, his partner Jeff, along with family and friends, rallied around him with encouragement and support.



After a heartbreaking false alarm when a donor liver was found but ultimately deemed unusable, Mike’s health continued to decline. Just weeks later, the call came again — and this time the transplant moved forward.



Following surgery, Mike faced rejection, extreme weakness from months in the hospital, and an intense rehabilitation process. At one point he believed he might spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.



But determination, medical care, and the love of those around him helped him fight back.



Today, Mike Duncan is thriving, working out daily and living life to the fullest thanks to the incredible gift of organ donation.



His story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of never giving up.



Let’s Stay Connected:



Email: [email protected]

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.

On this show, we always start at the beginning — because every transplant story is different.



For this husband of 22 years, father of three, and lifelong pastor from Charlotte, his story actually began at six weeks old. Doctors suspected hepatitis after he struggled to gain weight and keep food down. After exploratory surgery, life returned to normal — or so it seemed.



In his mid-20s, a routine scan for a kidney stone revealed something shocking: signs of cirrhosis. He had never touched alcohol. Doctors told him it was mild and would need attention “someday.” So he lived life — raising his family, working in ministry, even spending several years in Seattle — without major symptoms for nearly 20 years.



Then in the summer of 2025, everything changed fast.



He developed severe fluid retention, confusion, and memory distortion. At one ER visit, he couldn’t answer how many quarters are in $1.50. He was diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy, a dangerous buildup of toxins affecting the brain. After multiple hospitalizations and a frightening episode where he became unresponsive at home, he was sent for transplant evaluation at Duke University Hospital.



During evaluation, doctors discovered a liver tumor (HCC), accelerating the need for transplant. He was listed — and received “the call” in less than three days.



His transplant took place September 24. He was discharged October 1 and returned home October 15 after a strong recovery.



Today, nearly five months post-transplant, his labs look excellent and he’s had no major medication complications.



In this episode, he shares:



Living decades with silent liver disease

The terrifying reality of hepatic encephalopathy

Getting a transplant call almost immediately after listing

The fears surrounding surgery and medication side effects

Gratitude for a second chance at life





Every transplant story is different. This one is a powerful reminder that liver disease isn’t always alcohol-related — and that sometimes life can change in a matter of days.

Let’s Stay Connected:



Email: [email protected]

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.

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: [email protected]

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.

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: [email protected]

Instagram: @lasz.lore







Let’s Stay Connected:





Email: [email protected]

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.