A Community, Ready and Waiting, for Patients and Caregivers

Jerry, a lung patient, and Bonnie Zaykoski spent 60 nights in Cleveland away from their home in New York.

As the seasons change here at Transplant House of Cleveland, one thing remains constant — the spirit of warmth and community that guests find here.

Patients and caregivers who come to Cleveland for medical care need so much more than a place to sleep at night — they need to feel supported and nourished in body, heart, and mind. The transplant journey is full of challenges, ups and downs, and unexpected changes. For patients and caregivers this is an often overwhelming, tiring, and frightening experience.

At Transplant House, patients and caregivers are surrounded by others who are on a similar journey, who have felt many of the same feelings of worry and exhaustion, and immediately understand better than anyone else what they are going through.

For our guests this understanding is a priceless gift. Many of them share with us how important it was for them to have a community to fall back on during tough times — and this is made possible by our many supporters like you!

Thank you for giving organ transplant families more than just a place to stay. Because of you, we are able to give them a "home" in every sense of the word.

Welcome to the Team, Joc!

Meet our newest member of the team, Joc!

Joc joined our staff in June 2025 as a Maintenance Associate, bringing over 7 years of HVAC and landscaping experience. A graduate of Remington College, Joc holds a diploma in Construction & Building Maintenance. Although born in Cleveland, his love for landscaping stemmed from Joc's time in Alabama with his grandparents. He looks forward to spending his time here at Transplant House enhancing the natural beauty of our campus. In Joc's free time, he loves spending time with his son and enjoys playing basketball, watching anime, drawing, listening to music, and playing the saxophone.

A Second Dance at Life

Last year's dancers celebrate after the competition. Grab your tickets and find out who will be this year's winner!

Tickets and Tables are going fast — reserve your seat at one of the most exciting fundraisers of the year!

Join us at the LaSalle Theater in Cleveland at 6:00 PM on Saturday, October 25th for a celebrity dance competition and lively celebration of the second chance at life made possible through organ transplantation.

This year we will be honoring the creators of this event, Lisa Vegas and Matthew Miller, for their longstanding commitment to our mission and to organ transplant patients and caregivers. Since Matthew’s transplant more than ten years ago, this energetic and passionate duo have celebrated his gift of life by helping others on the transplant journey, promoting their vision of a day when no one goes through that journey feeling alone and isolated.

To learn more about the event, see our list of celebrity dancers, or to purchase individual tickets, tables, or a sponsor package, follow the link below. You can also make a donation in support of the event if you are unable to attend.

The evening will include cocktails, dinner, a live auction and paddle raise, and dance performances by our incredible celebrity dancers! We hope to see you there!

Click here to see photos from last year's Gala!

Be Part of a Community of Comfort at THOC

Meal Volunteers Needed

Our weekly community meals offer guests the chance to enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by others on a similar journey and are a perfect group volunteer activity! We are in need of volunteers on October 1, October 8, October 22, and October 29. To learn more and sign up, please use the link below.

Volunteer Here

Happenings Around the House

Visit from the Axemen and a Local Heart Recipient

We had a special visit this month from members of one of the Ohio chapters of the Axemen Motorcycle Club — an international group of riders who are active or retired firefighters — with a generous donation to support our mission! One of their members, Chad Gluss (furthest on the right in the photo) received a heart transplant at University Hospitals just over 1 year ago. Though Chad lives locally and didn't need to stay with us during his treatment, he knows the importance of what we provide for families who have to travel far from home to receive life-saving care.

A big Transplant House thank you to Chad and his fellow Axemen for helping us care for the families who call this House home.

THOC at Lifebanc's Gift of Life Walk

We were delighted to be guests at Lifebanc's Gift of Life Walk last month. There’s hardly a more meaningful place to be than standing in the midst of donor families and organ recipient families. As our local OPO (Organ Procurement Organization), our two missions are deeply entwined. The advocacy and work they do make the second chances at life we see here at Transplant House possible.

Thank you to the Williams and Abraham Families!

Thank you to longtime friends of the House Bob & Jane Williams and Hal & Karen Abraham, who generously donated a whole trunkload of Wish List items including cleaning supplies, toiletries, batteries, and a VERY tasty cookie cake. The Williamses and Abrahams are neighbors to one another and both families have a personal connection to transplant, as Jane is 11 years post-liver transplant and Hal and Karen's daughter is 8 years post-liver transplant.

More Happenings around the House

So far in 2025, Your Support Has Made Possible...

Ring that Bell!

Ring that bell! We said a heartfelt goodbye to Lou and Ann Mastrofrancesco of Michigan who are returning home with a new pair of lungs for Lou after nearly 5 months in Cleveland. For Ann, Transplant House became a true home-away-from-home while Lou was hospitalized. After Lou arrived on campus from the hospital post-transplant, it became a home for him too. They were a familiar sight on their porch, greeting fellow guests and staff, and were regulars at dinners and programming around the House. While we will miss them dearly, we are so happy to celebrate this milestone with them and to honor the donor who made Lou's second chance at life possible.

If you are not already a registered organ donor, please consider becoming one today.

Transplant Anniversaries

1/3/2013 - Jennifer Ackerman

1/10/2010 - Joanmarie Button

1/10/2020 - Derek Sleman

1/15/2020 - Johnathan Cain

1/21/2019 - Ken Vogelsong

1/21/2021 - Paul Bass

1/21/2021 - Doug Bass

1/22/2022 - Julio Zavala

1/24/2023 - Nancy Murawski

1/25/2025 - Joel Miller

1/27/2016 - Karen Scheidel

1/31/2017 - Donna Kovacs

2/7/2002 - Candice Monroe

2/7/2022 - Bruce Bradshaw

2/7/2022 - Tara Prouty

2/7/2022 - Noland Williams

2/12/2023 - Charlene Johnson-Boyd

2/15/2023 - Karen Klos

2/17/2021 - Mark Wilkins

2/19/2017 - Melissa (Kelly) Hopewell

2/27/2023 - Dennis Canaday

3/1/2015 - Robert Truslow

3/5/2022 - Randy Cooke

3/8/2014 - Ron Shortridge

3/12/2021 - Jim Fortuna

3/18/2002 - Joyce Merkel

3/18/2019 - Michael Adams

3/28/2001 - Louis Seidensticker

3/31/2017 - John Hurd

4/2/2022 - Pam Fidler

4/3/2022 - Jane Mahoney

4/6/2021 - Brian Holmes

4/10/2021 - Bob Bruno

4/13/2015 - Matthew Miller

4/17/2022 - Alan Flanigan

4/18/2022 - Alan Flanigan

4/19/18 - Jim Kraus

4/21/2019 - David Samons

4/22/2021 - Paul Priebe

5/4/2019 - Jim Krebs

5/10/2011 - Darrell Pauley

5/13/2021 - Lynn Berotti

5/14/2021 - Michael Heileman

5/16/2013 - Gary Schmidt

5/17/2018 - Mark Wells

5/17/2021 - Elizabeth Turner

5/19/2021 - Vito Suppa

5/21/2021 - Angela Easter

5/22/2021 - Linda Uehlein

5/26/2024 - Scott Hunter

5/30/2017 - Julie Magnini

6/1/2001 - Paul Zaborowicz

6/4/2015 - Ferman Milster

6/4/2024 - Derek Shouse

6/7/2021 - Denny Felver

6/7/2021 - Aidan Yamashita

6/7/2021 - Denny Felver

6/7/2021 - Aidan Yamashita

6/10/2004 - Pat Summers

6/14/2024 - Sue Jones

6/16/2021 - Keith Young

7/15/2017 - Bob Weller

7/16/2004 - Jennifer Smith

7/17/2021 - Chris Pemberton

7/18/2021 - Chris Pemberton

7/28/2020 - Tim Krebs

7/30/2024 - James Craig Robertson

8/11/2022 - Richard Gibson

8/23/2011 - Jerry Wichtel

9/2023 - Mark Hall

9/2023 - Robbie Parks

9/2023 - Denny Fox

9/2/2024 - Jane Williams

9/4/2020 - Jack Goltz

9/10/2021 - Dennis Hall

9/16/2016 - Jim Bagent

9/17/2014 - Jane Williams

9/19/2017 - Gary Schmidt

9/20/2020 - Kathryn Edmond

9/24/2021 - Gene McNamara

9/25/2020 - Steve Brill

9/26/2000 - Bob Weller

9/27/2011 - Michael Hall

9/27/2018 - Karen Obermayer

10/2/2019 - Tammy Blair

10/4/2001 - Alan Flanigan

10/6/2020 - Maria Szarpa

10/6/2015 - Tonya Blalock

10/8/2023 - Alan Maas

10/10/2019 - Darlene Forsythe

10/11/2023 - David Stay

10/17/2021 - Joe Buchanan

10/18/2021 - Dale Heltzel

10/19/2021 - Dale Heltzel

10/22/2014 - Josh Hahn

10/22/2014 - Hartley Hutchins

10/22/2021 - Tom Pitts

10/26/2021 - Chelsea Vining

10/27/2017 - Mike Komula

10/28/2022 - Jamie Phillips

10/31/2020 - Richard Sell

11/4/2019 - Vicki Posner

11/5/2019 - Gary Prince

11/8/2022 - Harry Blount

11/8/2024 - Cooper Pierce

11/11/2015 - Kati Kaup Gregory

11/14/2022 - Jim Dariano

11/17/2006 - Leonard Snell

11/19/2014 - Macy Szucs

11/19/2021 - Brandon Troyer

11/22/2020 - Tyler Carroll

11/23/2018 - Fran Peach

12/8/2019 - Ron Castina

12/8/2020 - Jeffrey Eckerd

12/2/2012 - Randy Oyaski

12/10/2014 - Danny Burns

12/10/2016 - John Fetters

12/11/2022 - Dianne Moll

12/14/2022 - Martin Riessen

12/18/2023 - Jayme Dean

12/21/2023 - Mark Hatch

We want to help celebrate transplant anniversaries!

To add an anniversary to this list please respond to this email.

DONATE

House guest and caregiver Michael Lollar spends some quality time with Benson during the monthly Friday Night Social Hour.

Thank you to all our 2025 5k Run 1 Mile Walk Sponsors!