CandleLight Ceremony at Loyola Medical Center
All Pre and post transplant recipients are invited to attend the Candlelight Ceremony at Loyola Medical Center on Sunday, April 19, 2026. This very special ceremony celebrates the lives and legacies of all organ donors and recipients. This event will be held in the Loyola Fitness Center, located at 2160 S. 1st Street in Maywood, Illinois. Light refreshments will be offered after the ceremony.
Organ Transplant Support will have a table to provide information before the start of this ceremony. Don’t forget to stop by the OTS table and say hello to your OTS friends!
35th Annual OTS Tree Planting Dedicated to All Organ and Tissue Donors
Join us for a special in person event on April 26th at 10 am at Naper Settlement - for a special day of remembrance and gratitude.
We will dedicate a new tree planting at Naper Settlement to Honor and celebrate the selfless gift of life given by organ and tissue donors. Let's come together as a community to honor their generosity and legacy.
Don't miss this heartfelt event that pays tribute to those who have made a difference through their incredible, thoughtful life saving gift. It is also a great way to connect with fellow OTS members and supporters.
At this event we will hear from the Illinois Secretary of State's office, The Gift of Hope and a very special donor family. We will then dedicate the tree planting and adjourn for refreshments and social time.
This event is FREE. However, seating is limited. Be sure to sign up to participate. Register on EventBrite at this link: .https://www.eventbrite.com/e/35thannual-ots-tree-planting-dedicationt ickets-1983279493353? aff=oddtdtcreator If you register and are unable to attend, please be sure to cancel your tickets to free space for others.
We hope to see you
Sunday April 26th @ 10 am.
Naper Settlement- Meeting House
Park at 200 West Porter Ave. Naperville, IL 60540
Meeting House Doors open- 10am
Program begins promptly at- 10:30
Tree Planting Dedication- 11:30
Social Time and Refreshments- 12-1pm
Speakers: Hear from 2 speakers who Share 2 sides of the Transplant Jourmey
In honor of National Donate Life Month in April, OTS will share an inspirational transplant story of a kidney transplant journey at the meeting on Friday, April 3, 2026. This meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7pm Central time. Our speaker for this meeting will be Ms. Sarita Rivera, a kidney transplant recipient.
Sarita Rivera is a kidney transplant warrior who spends her days helping first graders learn to read, write, and believe in themselves. What many didn’t see was the quiet strength behind her smile.
Born with Polycystic Kidney Disease, Sarita always knew a transplant could be part of her future. She just never imagined it would come at only 30 years old, while dreaming of starting a family.
After years of perseverance, treatments, and long nights on home hemodialysis, hope finally arrived in the most unexpected way, a miracle that changed everything.
On April 3rd, stand with us as we honor the miracle that gave Sarita her life back and the courageous generosity that made it possible.
Because one act of kindness can change a future, restore a dream, and remind us all how powerful compassion truly is.
To anyone still waiting, hold on to hope. Your time will come soon.💚
This OTS meeting is free and is open to the public. We will send an email with the Zoom log-in info the day before the meeting. Don’t miss this very special OTS meeting on Friday, April 3, 2026!
Wednesday Night Organ Transplant Support Group
Please Join Us Via Zoom
On Tap
Guest Speaker: Robert Vander Hooning
If you are pre-transplant and seeking a living donor, You Do Not Want to Miss This Call!!
Personally, “if I was a patient seeking a living donor, this is the plan and opportunity I would want to use!”
Open Mic, support!
Much More…
*6:00 PM PST / 8:00pm CST
Wednesday Night Organ Transplant Support Group
Please Join Us Via Zoom
On Tap
Wonderful World
Cancer & Chronic Cough to a transplant
Rob’s Transplant Journey
Open-mic Support
Much More…
*6:00 PM PST / 8:00pm CST
Join Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
WEDNESDAY NIGHT TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP
Do You Have Questions?
Are You Stressed?
Unsure of what’s next?
Then You Need to Join Us!!
Weekly
Wednesday Night
Organ Transplant Support Group
This Wednesday
March 11th at 6:00 PM PDT
(8:00 PM CDT / 9:00 PM EDT)
Join Via Zoom At:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
OTS Meeting: A Personal Transplant Story
OTS Meeting: March 6, 2026
From Setbacks to Breakthroughs—and the Mindset That Changed It All
The next OTS educational/support meeting will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026, starting at 7pm CST. This meeting will be held on the Zoom videoconference system. Our speaker for this meeting will be Ms. Risa Simon, who will share her story: From Setbacks to Breakthroughs – and the Mindset that Changed it All.
Join award-winning author, patient advocate, and mentor Risa Simon as she shares her personal journey to kidney transplant and how she moved from fear and denial to proactive self-advocacy. She candidly discusses the highs and lows of searching for potential donors—and how she ultimately attracted her ideal living donor. Now thriving nearly 16 years post-transplant (and going strong), Risa also shares the powerful tools and resources she created to help other kidney patients follow her lead.
All pre and post-transplant recipients and their families are invited to attend this meeting. We will send the Zoom login info the day before this meeting.
Mark your calendar now to join this important meeting on Friday, March 6.
The Zoom link for this meeting is listed below:
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: Mar 6, 2026 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Jan 1, 2027, 11 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DEPubEz4eYUJsmW5JAAALAAAAGx5C6g035sVNy89Ib81YozoA_3D4oSDMpzzS8MrJ_ZlPTLoBJ181FtR_Atl35VU2qAXCmkec0iWV7AbeTAwMDAwMQ
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
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OTS Mentor Training Workshop
The OTS Mentor Program provides one-to-one support between people living successfully with an organ transplant and people who are waiting for a transplant or adjusting to a new organ. Transplant recipients, living donors, and caregivers can all be trained mentors. Using your experience to give back to someone else is an amazing and rewarding gift.
In order to be eligible to be matched with a mentee in the OTS Mentor Program, it is important to attend a Mentor Training Workshop. The next Mentor Training Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, February 28, 2026, starting at 10:30AM CST. This workshop will be held on Zoom and it should not last more than 2 hours. If you can attend this workshop please let OTS know, so that we will have an idea of how many people to expect at this meeting. To RSVP, please call or send an email to Carol Olash at these contact numbers: Email: Carol@organtransplantsupport.org, Phone: 847-867-8896.
We have a growing need for more mentors who have received a kidney transplant. If you have received a kidney transplant, please consider becoming a mentor to someone who is new to the organ transplant journey. We need your expertise!
The Zoom link for this meeting is as follows:
Topic: Mentor Training Workshop
Time: Feb 28, 2026 10:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 851 2447 0036
Passcode: 475905
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Wednesday Night Organ Transplant Support Group
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
ORGAN TRANSPLANT SUPPORT
PRESENTS
“WE’RE HERE FOR YOU WEDNESDAY!”
Are you an individual seeking an organ transplant? A Caregiver? A family member of a patient? Chances are you may be overwhelmed, stressed or have some anxiety. If so, join us this Wednesday for “We’re Here for You!” and learn about the transplantation process from others who have been through the process. We hope to see you!
This Wednesday
February 25th at 6:00 PM PST
(8:00 PM CST / 9:00 PM EST)
Join Us Via Zoom At:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
Wednesday Night Organ Transplant Support Group
Voices That Inspire, Stories that Stay”
At the
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
ORGAN TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP
THIS WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 18th AT 6:00 PM PST
(8:00 PM CST / 9:00 PM EST)
Please Join Us Via Zoom At:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
Fitness & Exercise for Pre and Post Transplant Success
The educational/support meeting in February will be held on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. This program will be held immediately after the OTS elections for the Board of Directors for 2026. This meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7pm CST. The topic of this program is about Fitness and Exercise for Pre and Post Transplant Success.
The speaker for this meeting will be Mr. Gil Spitz. Mr. Spitz is an Exercise Physiologist for the liver transplant program at Baylor/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, Texas. In this role he has a unique perspective on health, wellness, fitness and behavioral change in transplant patients. Gil has developed a selection of curated exercises for patients to use, in order to maintain surgical readiness.
Exercise plays a pivotal role across the transplant continuum—from evaluation and pre-habilitation to post-operative recovery. In this meeting Gil Spitz will discuss how muscle mass, targeted exercise, and early mobilization influence outcomes for transplant patients.
This is important information for those waiting for an organ transplant, as well as recent and long-tern transplant recipients. The Zopm login information is listed below:
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: Feb 6, 2026 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Jan 1, 2027, 13 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Jan 9, 2026 07:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DBK6FoO_oQ2nqS7K4AAALAAAAGMsC1PxnY0p9h2u96d88k9Z86CsvPMKtU1szIeQBbZeUr0QwVSC9fKBAhiwx8niPBTh1k6Og3Crs0rp2DAwMDAwMQ
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
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Wednesday night Organ Transplant Support Group
THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT WE WILL HAVE
THE
W.N.S.G WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES
(Fun For All)
FEBRUARY 4TH AT 6:00 PM PST
(8:00 PM CST / 9:00 PM EST)
ON TAP
* * Come take part in: The W.N.S.G Winter Olympic Games* *
- IT'S FEBRUARY!
- AROUND-THE-SQUARES & MORE
SO COME JOIN US VIA ZOOM AT:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
Wednesday Night Online Transplant Support Group
Wednesday Night
Organ Transplant Support Group
Presents
“We’re Here for You Wednesday”
** A night dedicated to assist & support pre-transplant individuals navigate the organ transplant process to hopefully relieve the stress, anxiety & fear. Hopefully we can answer any questions you have as heard from post-transplant individuals who have been through the journey! * *
Please Join Us this wednesday & please tell others
january 28 at 6:00 PM PST — 8PM Central Time
Join Us Via Zoom At:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
Wednesday Night Online Transplant Support Group
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
ORGAN TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP
THIS WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 21ST AT 6:00pm PST
(8:OOPM CST / 9:OOPM EST)
ON TAP
- Pruritus??
- Til You Can't - An Emotional Story!
- Around-The-Squares & More...
JOIN US VIA ZOOM AT
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
Wednesday Online Support Group Meeting
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
ORGAN TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP
PRESENTS
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
WENDY PIEKATZ
ENDOCRINOLOGIST
ADVANCED CLINICAL DIETICIAN
CERTIFIED DIABETES CARE & EDUCATION SPECIALIST
THIS WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 14TH AT 6:00 PM PST
(8:00PM CST / 9:00 PM EST)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86820067023?pwd=dw9C4oeQKfiUs2qs2Ot0uXYbu6iYME.1
All pre and post transplant recipients are welcome to join this meeting. This is a great way to meet other transplant recipients and ask questions about organ transplants. See you on Wednesday, Jan 14 2026!
Activities in the World of Donation & Transplantation
The next OTS educational/support meeting will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026. This meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7pm CST. The topic of this meeting is an update on Current Activities in the World of Donation and Transplantation.
The speaker for this meeting will be Mr. Ira Cooperman, a Vice President for TRIO, the Transplant Recipients International Organization, an international non-profit organization for transplant recipients and their families. Ira will review a number of activities going on with organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation. This will include issues in the legislative and administrative areas, including a review of OPTN modernization.
In addition, Ira will give an overview of recent activities in the science and medicine of transplantation that continue to advance the practice. Finally, he will discuss several efforts by national groups to overcome the serious press issues that have been raised in the last 6 months that have compromised registration and donation rates.
Currently, Ira Cooperman serves as Vice-President for TRIO, Transplant Recipients International Organization, and is chair of the Public Policy Committee. On a personal basis, Ira has been a volunteer on behalf of organ donation and transplantation for more than 25 years, since his spouse received a simultaneous kidney/pancreas transplant n June 1999.
This OTS meeting on January 9 is an important topic for anyone interested in the accurate and up-[to-date news about donation and transplantation. This meeting is free and is open to the public. We will email the Zoom login link the day before this meeting.
Mark your calendars now to attend the next OTS meeting on Friday, January 9, 2026.
The Zoom link for this meeting is listed as follows:
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: Jan 9, 2026 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Jan 1, 2027, 13 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Jan 9, 2026 07:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DBK6FoO_oQ2nqS7K4AAALAAAAGMsC1PxnY0p9h2u96d88k9Z86CsvPMKtU1szIeQBbZeUr0QwVSC9fKBAhiwx8niPBTh1k6Og3Crs0rp2DAwMDAwMQ
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
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OTS END OF THE YEAR PARTY
You are invited to get together with your transplant friends for the OTS virtual End of the Year Party. This will be a casual evening with games, prizes, and lots of laughter. We are planning a few fun, easy games to play with a group. We will have drawings throughout the party for gift cards, so everyone who attends the party will have several chances to win a prize. This is our gift from Organ Transplant Support to you!
This free party is open to any organ transplant recipient, caregiver or donor family member - whether you are new to OTS or a long-time member. Why not ask a friend, family member, nurse, or support team member to join this party to help celebrate the holiday season? This is a great way to celebrate the holiday season and have fun with other transplant recipients at the same time.
Be sure to get your favorite beverage and join your friends on Friday, December 5 for the OTS End of the Year Party.
The Zoom login info for this event is listed below:
Topic: OTS END OF THE YEAR PARTY
Time: Dec 5, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Jan 1, 2027, 14 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DNetINSR5wUsOi6dtQAALAAAACGHNqZc7UtedXYEZNfZHOC8ECLfSL4psp_5GGE8DwnNExFtUqi4gWYyt3-3kPTwF7L9eBH9unQBVqBNnzAwMDAwMQ
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
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OTS Mentor Training Workshop
The OTS Mentor Program provides one-to-one support between people living successfully with an organ transplant and people who are waiting for a transplant or adjusting to a new organ. Transplant recipients, living donors, and caregivers can all be trained mentors. Using your experience to give back to someone else is an amazing and rewarding gift.
In order to be eligible to be matched with a mentee in the OTS Mentor Program, it is important to attend a Mentor Training Workshop. The next Mentor Training Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, November 15, 2025, starting at 9:30AM CST. This workshop will be held on Zoom and it should not last more than 2 hours. If you can attend this workshop please let OTS know, so that we will have an idea of how many people to expect at this meeting. To RSVP, please call or send an email to Carol Olash at these contact numbers: Email: Carol@organtransplantsupport.org, Phone: 847-867-8896.
We have a growing need for more mentors who have received a kidney transplant. If you have received a kidney transplant, please consider becoming a mentor to someone who is new to the organ transplant journey. We need your expertise!
The Zoom login for this worksop is listed below:
Topic: Mentor Training Workshop
Time: Nov 15, 2025 09:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81767461654?pwd=FhbuqJHGAar7MnCqnnr1V5fkbCHnI6.1
Meeting ID: 817 6746 1654
Passcode: 256340
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OTS Meeting: November 7, 2025
Topic: Transplant Story of a Rare Heart & Liver Transplant
Speaker: Ms. Susan Long
The next OTS educational/support meeting will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7pm CST. The speaker for this meeting will be Ms. Suan Long, who received a heart and liver transplant on February 20, 2023.
Sue lives in Southern California, and she was originally told by doctors in her hometown that she was very sick and need a liver transplant. Sue drove from California to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona to be evaluated by leaders in the transplant field at Mayo. It was there that she learned that she would need both a heart and liver transplant.
Sue’s case is unique and complex, because Sue’s body had a very high level of antibodies. If the heart is transplanted first the antibodies will attack the heart and cause the new heart to be rejected. Because of this, Sue’s surgery had to be performed in reverse order. The liver was transplanted first , and the heart was preserved using new “heart-in-a-box” technology, until it was ready to be transplanted.
Sue Long will explain much more about her transplant journey at the next OTS meeting, This is a perfect example of how the transplant team at the Mayo Clinic designed a solution for Sue’s unique medical issues, which successfully saved her life.
This OTS virtual meeting is free and is open to all pre and post-transplant recipients and their families. We will email the Zoom login information the day before this meeting. Mark your calendar now for this fascinating OTS meeting on Friday, November 7.
OTS Meeting - October 3, 2025
Topic: Infectious Disease Strategies for Immunocompromised Patients
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Friedman MD
Join us at the OTS educational/support meeting on Friday, October 3, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom, starting at 7pm CST. The. Speaker for this meeting will be Dr. Daniel Friedman, an infectious disease physician at the University of Chicago Medicine.
All transplant recipients face increased infection risk due to immunosuppressive medication. In his presentation Dr. Friedman will focus on strategies for healthy/safe living post-transplant to prevent infections and damage to the transplanted organ. In this meeting you will learn:
· How immunosuppressive medications impact infection risk.
· Pre and post-transplant strategies in minimize infections.
· Practical steps for early identification and prompt treatment.
· Answers to your questions in an open Q&A!
About our speaker:
Dr. Daniel Friedman is an associate professor and physician at the University of Chicago Medicine, with years of experience in infectious diseases in patients with compromised immune systems. His clinical and research interests span invasive fungal infections, epidemiology in transplant recipients, and groundbreaking clinical trials on novel antifungals. He works closely with patients before transplantation, helping to reduce infectious risks and customizing prevention plans for every individual.
About this program:
Whether you are newly transplanted or many years post-transplant, you’ll gain vital, practical advice – straight from an expert – to help you stay healthy and catch problems early.
This OTS virtual meeting is free and is open to all pre and post-transplant recipients and their families. Mark your calendar now for this important OTS meeting on Friday, October 3.
The Zoom login information for this meeting is as follows:
Topic: OTS Educational / Support Monthly Meetings
Time: October 3, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Dec 5, 2025, 8 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DIn0M-AXQBRBPtzk-QAALAAAANdzIcEWnLX1PwLB-h2m4Nfw1qqhxIfKXyhyXiKG97HYnUZCU4iM_95KzNECnBqOenrcnSBh9agCuksCgzAwMDAwMQ
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827Passcode: 532335
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
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35th Annual OTS Anniversary Brunch
Please join OTS as we celebrate our gift of life and the special gift of organ donors. Whether you are a transplant recipient, a donor family member, or a supporter of our cause, this brunch is a wonderful opportunity to bond, inspire and uplift each other. Don’t miss out on this special celebration - let’s honor the gift of life through organ donation together!
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2025
Time: Check-in table opens at 10:00 AM.
Program begins at 10:30 AM
Where: Belvedere Events
1170 W. Devon Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL
This is a party with delicious breakfast food, live music, friends, raffles with many terrific prizes, and more.
This event is very popular and tends to sell out quickly, so please get your reservation in now. Save money by reserving your place before September 8.
The price for this OTS celebration includes the brunch, party favors for every guest and more is as follows:
Reservations made now until Sept. 8: ………….. $25/person
Reservations made from Sept. 9 – Sept. 19……$35/person
Reservations cannot be accepted the day of the event.
You can reserve a place at this party on the OTS website at the Store.
SEE YOU AT THIS OTS PARTY!
OTS Meeting: September 5, 2025
Topic: Living Donation Today: My Journey, Your Impact, and How We Can Move Forward Together
Speaker: Ms. Laurie Lee, Transplant Village
Please join us for the OTS meeting that will be held on Friday, September 5, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom starting at 7pm CST. The topic of this meeting is all about living donation, and we will hear the personal story from someone who donated a kidney to a stranger and how we can all advocate for more living donors in our community.
The speaker for this meeting is Ms. Laurie Lee, who donated a kidney to a stranger in 2016. Laurie will share her journey as a donor, and she will also explain the process of becoming a donor for a kidney or liver. Laurie will also explain the urgency for more living donors and how everyone in the transplant community can help to advocate for more living donors.
Laurie decided to donate a kidney after her father Dan Dickinson successfully received a liver transplant in 2011. She became a living kidney donor in 2016, setting off a chain of donations that saved six people waiting for transplants. Since her kidney donation Laurie and her father established Transplant Village in partnership with Northwestern Hospital. Evey month they hold a program for pre transplant liver and kidney patients, the Donor Champion Program. In this program they offer information about how to find a living donor. Laurie also has a podcast called Donor Diaries, to promote stories of living donation.
This is an important meeting for transplant recipients, caregivers and anyone who wants to learn more about living donation. We will email the Zoom login info the day before the meeting. We hope to see you at this OTS meeting on Friday, September 5, 2025.
The Zoom login info for this meeting is listed below:
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: September 5, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Dec 5, 2025, 12 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar.
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
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Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kqmku8yGy
This OTS meeting is free and is open to the public. The Zoom link is also posted on the OTS website.
OTS Meeting: Updates on Organ Preservation for Heart Transplants
The OTS educational meeting for August will be held on Friday, August 1, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom starting at 7pm CST. The topic for this meeting will be about Updates on Organ Preservation for Heart Transplants. The speaker for this meeting will be Dr. Aggarwal Gupta, a transplant cardiologist working at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York. This presentation will explain the current techniques used for organ preservation and then Dr. Aggarwal Gupta will give us an update on research on new techniques for organ preservation. The goal of these new systems is to offer better outcomes for patients on the heart transplant waitlist.
Dr. Aggarwal Gupta is a heart failure/transplant attending physician and Associate Program Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship Program at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York. She also has a keen interest in cardiac transplant immunology prior to and post heart transplant surgery,
We will email the Zoom login info the day before the meeting. Please join us for this important meeting on Friday, August 1, 2025.
OTS Mentor Training Workshop
The OTS Mentor Program provides one-to-one support between people living successfully with an organ transplant and people who are waiting for a transplant or adjusting to a new organ. Transplant recipients, living donors, and caregivers can all be trained mentors. Using your experience to give back to someone else is an amazing and rewarding gift.
In order to be eligible to be matched with a mentee in the OTS Mentor Program, it is important to attend a Mentor Training Workshop. The next Mentor Training Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, July 19, 2025, starting at 9:30AM CST. This workshop will be held on Zoom and it should not last more than 2 hours. If you can attend this workshop please let OTS know, so that we will have an idea of how many people to expect at this meeting. To RSVP, please call or send an email to Carol Olash at these contact numbers: Email: Carol@organtransplantsupport.org, Phone: 847-867-8896.
We have a growing need for more mentors who have received a kidney transplant, and also for caregivers for someone who is waiting for a transplant. If you have received a kidney transplant, please consider becoming a mentor to someone who is new to the organ transplant journey. We need your expertise!
The Zoom login info for this workshop is listed below:
Topic: Mentor Training Workshop
Time: Jul 19, 2025 09:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88978865831?pwd=pH7PyXyusrO0qPFXAtdB2XebFi513v.1
Meeting ID: 889 7886 5831
Passcode: 498902
---
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+13126266799,,88978865831#,,,,*498902# US (Chicago)
+13092053325,,88978865831#,,,,*498902# US
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• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
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• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 889 7886 5831
Passcode: 498902
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbl9mTtVz
OTS Meeting: Advances in Heart Transplantation
Please join us for the OTS meeting that will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025. Please note that this meeting will be held on the second Friday of the month instead of the first, because of the Fourth of July Holiday. This meeting will be held on Zoom starting at 7pm CST.
We are excited to announce that a cardiologist will speak at this meeting about the topic: Advances in Heart Transplantation. The speaker for this meeting will be Dr. Gregg Lanier, a board-certified cardiologist working at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York. This presentation will give us an update on new techniques and technologies used in the procedures and care of patients undergoing heart transplantation.
Dr. Lanier is currently on faculty at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York, as the Associate Director of Heart Failure and Director of Pulmonary Hypertension. He received his medical degree at Northwestern Medical School in Chicago, Illinois, and then completed medical residency and cardiology fellowship at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. He plays an active role in teaching medical students, residents and fellows.
The Zoom login info for this meeting is listed below. We hope to see you at this OTS meeting on Friday, July 11, 2025.
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: Jul 11, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Dec 5, 2025, 6 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Jul 11, 2025 07:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DLjbX9D0_6H4HX3s4QAALAAAAKVTBVallgjm5bp2KHU_JZVc6gnmFOjzTl8CS3ph2TrZyMAw5PK9wlaNbojdFG2eBB76JYz5qiStSLaEozAwMDAwMQ
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88395273827?pwd=i3tlF4talnA7niwfOBr1h1itJ85cfp.1
Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
---
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,88395273827#,,,,*532335# US (Chicago)
+13092053325,,88395273827#,,,,*532335# US
---
Dial by your location
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 646 931 3860 US
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• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US
Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kqmku8yGy
OTS Brunch Planning Meeting
OTS Anniversary Brunch will be on Sunday, September 28, 2025
A committee meeting will be held on Monday, July 7, to plan this event. This meeting will be held on Zoom, so people can join from anywhere. We want to ideas and creativity to plan a special event this September!
The Zoom login information for this meeting on July 7 is listed below:
Topic: OTS Brunch Planning Meeting
Time: Jul 7, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86943423115?pwd=0ublah1FyUbgJxWqXF1K8SfgWCRE9O.1
Meeting ID: 869 4342 3115
Passcode: 972441
---
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+13126266799,,86943423115#,,,,*972441# US (Chicago)
+13092053325,,86943423115#,,,,*972441# US
---
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• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 646 931 3860 US
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• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
Meeting ID: 869 4342 3115
Passcode: 972441
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdbDps4SAp
OTS Meeting: What Dietary Changes can I Expect after an Organ Transplant?
You are invited to join the OTS educational meeting that will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom starting at 7pm CST. The topic of this meeting is about Nutrition: What Dietary changes should I expect after a transplant?
The speaker for this meeting will be Ms. Amanda Van Jacobs RD, a nutritionist and dietician in transplant medicine at RUSH Medical Center. Ms. Van Jacobs will discuss some potential gastrointestinal side effects patients may experience after transplant surgery. She will also explain about how immunosuppressant medications play a role in what patients can and can’t eat. She will talk about the importance of electrolyte abnormalities (salt, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus) for patients after an organ transplant. She will also answer any questions you have about nutrition.
This OTS meeting is free and is open to the public. We will send an email with the Zoom login info the day before the meeting. It will also be posted on the OTS website.
Please mark your calendars for this important OTS meeting on Friday, June 6, 2025.
My Journey to becoming a Gift of Hope Ambassador- Mark Trieglaff
Join us to hear Mark's personal and moving story about his journey to becoming an organ transplant advocate and Gift of Hope Ambassador. Mark honors his wife Joy and the importance of her gift of sight and life.
As we close National Donate Life Month in April, and welcome spring and new life, we want to take time to reflect on the importance of organ and tissue donation and reflect on what we can do to raise awareness and honor those who have given the most precious gift of life, through donation.
Mark spoke at the OTS 23rd Annual Tree Planting Dedicated to Honor All Organ and Tissue Donors in 2024. Mark is a wonderful speaker.
Don't miss this opportunity!
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: May 2, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Dec 5, 2025, 8 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DDPazIU7sBmjTGPddAAALAAAAJgoc_88nIXJAl3_Fz8kJ3dVZJRUnUztZOQGqMsBUO8hbLA1m7BAYTnvOzrs4pkAuKHCLtSGQhJuGOiFOTAwMDAwMQ
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88395273827?pwd=i3tlF4talnA7niwfOBr1h1itJ85cfp.1
Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
---
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+13126266799,,88395273827#,,,,*532335# US (Chicago)
+13092053325,,88395273827#,,,,*532335# US
---
Dial by your location
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kqmku8yGy
OTS Hosts our 34th Annual OTS Tree Planting Dedication Honoring All Organ and Tissue Donors
You are invited to the OTS 34th Annual Tree Planting Dedication to Honor All Organ & Tissue Donors!
Join us in person on April 27th at 10 am at Naper Settlement - 200 West Porter Ave. Naperville, IL 60540 for a special day of remembrance and gratitude. We will dedicate a new tree planting at Naper Settlement to Honor and celebrate the selfless gift of life given by organ and tissue donors. Let's come together as a community to honor their generosity and legacy.
Don't miss this heartfelt event that pays tribute to those who have made a difference through their incredible, thoughtful life saving gift.
At this event we will hear from the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, The Gift of Hope and a special donor family about the importance of organ and tissue donation. We will also hear a special reading of a poem written by Joe Kralicek. We will then dedicate the tree planting and adjourn for refreshments and social time.
This is a FREE event! Seating is limited. So, please be sure to sign up on EventBrite to participate. We will gather at The Meeting House at Naper settlement. Doors open at 10, the program begins promptly at 10:30, Refreshments and social time are expected to begin at noon.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ots-34th-annual-tree-planting-dedication-to-honor-all-organ-tissue-d
If you have questions feel free to email info@organtransplantsupport.org or call Richard Catezone at 312-493-0284.
We hope you will join us for this special dedication to honor donors and meet fellow OTS members.
Warmest regards,
Richard Catezone
OTS Event Coordiantor
Loyola Candlelight Ceremony
Join Loyola Medicine in celebrating the lives and legacies of our organ donors and recipients with a Candlelight ceremony on April 6th, 2025 at 12 pm in the Loyola Fitness Center. Enter through outpatient center on 1st avenue.
RSVP to Loyola at this Link.
Taking Care of Caregivers: Learn about Compassion Fatigue
Please join us for the OTS meeting that will be held on Friday, April 4, 2025. This meeting will be held on Zoom starting at 7pm CST. The topic of this meeting is about Taking Care of Caregivers: Learn about Compassion Fatigue. The speaker is Ms. Patricia Marks, an RN with years of experience in elder care issues.
According to an AARP study, over 40 million Americans are caregivers. Studies have identified the many challenges facing caregivers but what are the long-tern effects of caregivers? Constant stress and responsibility take a toll on the caregiver. What is compassion fatigue and what are the symptoms of this illness? Are you seeing these symptoms in yourself, and if you are, what can you do about it? This program will help you identify your stressors, explain the symptoms of compassion fatigue, and what steps you should take to help yourself.
Our speaker, Ms. Patricia Marks, RN, has enjoyed a 50-year career as a registered nurse. She worked in hospice care with patients at the end of life, spending considerable time with family members providing caregiver support. Patricia co-founded and is President of Enfemera, an eldercare management and healthcare support service. This meeting is important for all transplant recipients and their caregivers. We hope to see you at this OTS meeting on Friday, April 4, 2025.
The Zoom login info for this meeting is listed below:
Topic: OTS Educational Meeting
Time: Apr 4, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Fri, until Dec 5, 2025, 9 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwufuyqqTgiGNPkZRDOnWRKdF9e8GSNVH9c/ics?icsToken=DPPNbkymC6nDWvbThwAALAAAALawO6Q-C_r7ngS-uoAOkGP_G3jTkbIvZriQsdhfKntZ_-TRW2iY9lftBpcmXQXjcrk43Wd35KLDOZzLwDAwMDAwMQ
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88395273827?pwd=i3tlF4talnA7niwfOBr1h1itJ85cfp.1
Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
---
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,88395273827#,,,,*532335# US (Chicago)
+13092053325,,88395273827#,,,,*532335# US
---
Dial by your location
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US
Meeting ID: 883 9527 3827
Passcode: 532335
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kqmku8yGy
OTS Mentor Training Workshop
The next Mentor Training Workshop will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, starting at 10AM CST. As a mentor you can offer one-on-one support and understanding to someone who is just starting on their organ transplant journey.
In order to be eligible to be matched with a mentee in the OTS Mentor Program, it is important to attend a Mentor Training Workshop. The next Mentor Training Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, March 22, 2025, starting at 10:00AM CST. This workshop will be held on Zoom and it should not last more than 2 hours. If you can attend this workshop please let OTS know, so that we will have an idea of how many people to expect at this meeting. To RSVP, please call or send an email to Carol Olash at the OTS numbers listed below.
We have a growing need for more mentors who have received a kidney transplant, and also for caregivers for someone who is waiting for a transplant. If you have received a kidney transplant, please consider becoming a mentor to someone who is new to the organ transplant journey. We need your expertise!