The OTS Mentor Program - It’s a Match!
Many transplant recipients want to “pay it forward” and give back to “our community” in a meaningful way. Some sign up donors, advocate publicly or privately, make donations and some mentor others!
Mentoring is a way of sharing your experience, tips and perspective to make the next person’s journey easier than your own.
There’s no cookie cutter formula in matching mentor to mentee, and one size does not fit all. However, Carol Olash, our Mentor Program director has made some amazing matches over the years.
Today we’re taking a peek into one of those matches featuring mentor Sharon Speer and mentee Erin Beaver.
Meet OTS Mentor, Sharon Speer
Sharon is a New York City actress and a proud OTS mentor. She was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease in 2012 and told she’d ultimately need a liver transplant in about ten years or so. “Ten years or so,” seems like a lifetime away when you're young and feeling well.
However, during the summer of 2021, Sharon’s liver function noticeably declined. She felt tired and bloated and was eventually placed on the transplant list later that year. She received her liver transplant in January 2022!
An unusually tough surgery followed, which had to be done in two parts due to complications. This resulted in a month-long hospital stay for Sharon. “Even though things looked dire at times, I knew I was going to survive,” she said.
Sharon persevered and once she was on the other side of her transplant surgery, she wanted two things. “I wanted to connect with my donor family to tell them what their act of kindness did for me!”
So many of us want the opportunity to meet our donor families as well and can relate to the feeling Sharon had. For her, the dream came true about two years post-transplant. “I now have a beautiful friendship with my donor’s mother and other family members as well,” says Speer.
Sharon also wanted to help someone else through the liver transplant process. She knew her experience, tenacity and ability to self-advocate we’re important tools to share with others. Once Sharon learned about The OTS Mentor Program, she signed up without hesitation!
Meet OTS Mentee, Erin Beaver
Erin is one of the lucky ones, she received a lifesaving liver transplant in October 2024! However, the road she traveled to get where she is today was a bumpy one to say the least.
“In May 2024, I was a recovering alcoholic when my health took a downward turn,” says Erin. “I was already facing an imminent surgery for a different medical issue when I learned my liver was sick from alcoholism. This diagnosis came without any warning signs that I was aware of.”
Two months later, Erin came down with double pneumonia and sepsis. This diagnosis escalated her need for an immediate liver transplant evaluation. She was put on the transplant list in September and transplanted the next month.
“Despite the support of my husband, parents and children, I felt overwhelmed,” Erin shared. “I wanted to talk to someone who had been through a liver transplant and recovery. I needed the perspective and insight of someone who had survived the journey I was on now.”
Although Erin lives in California, a well-informed social worker knew about the OTS Mentor Program and connected her to it. Soon Erin was matched with New York mentor Sharon Speer.
The Match...
The first thing Carol Olash wondered was - if the three-hour time difference was going to challenge Sharon and Erin’s connection.
Today the pair agree the time difference had no impact on their communication at all. Their first conversation lasted three hours through Zoom!
Erin shared, “I’ve had to own my alcoholism, which caused liver failure in my case. Sharon was non-judgmental and easy to talk to.”
Sharon said, “I was impressed by Erin’s story – her strength and courage. She’s a warrior!”
Because Sharon and Erin both had tougher transplant experiences than most others, their connection was immediate and strong.
Erin says, “Having a mentor normalizes transplant life. It doesn’t matter how we got here - it’s the surgery, recovery and thoughts/feelings that are a common thread. Mentorship is like the light at the end of the tunnel for BOTH parties. In AA they say get a sponsor, we say get in the mentorship program!
In closing Sharon added, “It’s important to allow others to help you!”
OTS Mentor Program – we’re here for you
Some people, like Erin, recognize the need for a mentor right away. Others may need a mentor even though they’ve had a transplant for years. We’re all on a continuous learning journey, here!
Need a mentor or interested in being one? Just click on the links below to either Request a Mentor or to Become a Mentor. We would love to hear from you!
To Request a Mentor:
https://www.organtransplantsupport.org/request-a-mentor
Are you interested in becoming a Mentor? Complete the form below:
https://www.organtransplantsupport.org/become-an-ots-mentor
Written by Irene Faith Purdie