The Holiday Season at

Transplant House of Cleveland

Our tenth annual holiday cookie decorating party, hosted by Board Member and heart recipient Candice Monroe.

For patients, caregivers, and their loved ones, the transplant journey carries the promise of life-saving care, but it is also an emotional roller coaster. Far from home, separated from family and friends, and living with deep uncertainty, the path to transplant can be financially, emotionally, and logistically overwhelming. During the holiday season, those burdens can feel even heavier.

At Transplant House, care and comfort take many forms. It might look like sharing a meal with fellow patients and caregivers on Wednesday nights, sitting down one-on-one with Jennifer, our on-staff transplant social worker, spending time with Benson, or simply having a quiet moment alone in a private apartment after a long day at the hospital. More than a place to stay, Transplant House is a community of care that understands the unique challenges faced by transplant patients and the caregivers who walk alongside them every step of the way.

Throughout the holidays, and with the help of many dedicated volunteers, our guests are reminded that they do not face this journey alone. Festive decorations, holiday meals, social gatherings, and thoughtful goodie bags help ensure that even while far from home, the season at Transplant House is warm, comforting, and bright.

None of this would be possible without the generosity of people like you.

From everyone at our House, thank you for helping us care for transplant patients and caregivers all year long. We wish you and your loved ones a joyful and peaceful holiday season.

University East Grand Opening

Staff, board, volunteers, and supporters helped us cut the ribbon and officially open our 12 newest apartments.

This month, we officially celebrated the opening of 12 new apartments at University East (made possible through a master lease with First Interstate) with an open house and ribbon cutting.

Since opening these new apartments, we’ve welcomed 23 families into them—expanding our ability to meet the growing demand for transplant housing as programs at Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals continue to grow.

We were honored to share the celebration with some special guests who helped us cut the ribbon: Ashleigh from Cleveland Furniture, who partnered with us to thoughtfully furnish the new apartments, and house guests Steve (a kidney transplant recipient) and Judy, who have made one of these apartments their home-away-from-home for 27 nights.

Interested in seeing our new apartments and campus? We are always happy to welcome visitors for a tour! To arrange a vist, us the Contact Us form using the link below or reply directly to this email.

Meal Volunteers Needed for 2026

Volunteer Here

Dinner Volunteers needed, January 7, 2026!

Our Wednesday Dinner Schedule for 2026 is available and we have plenty of volunteer opportunities available beginning on January 7th. These weekly community meals offer guests the chance to enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by others on a similar journey and are especially meaningful during the Holiday season when our guests are away from home and their loved ones. Providing nourishment for the body and the heart, these dinners are a source of lasting friendships and loving support when our guests need them most.

Happenings Around the House

Bruce & Paulette celebrate a major milestone on their transplant journey

Bruce and Paulette called Transplant House of Cleveland their home-away-from-home while Bruce recovered from a lung transplant. They were in Cleveland for 100 nights, formed friendships with their fellow guests, and became part of the caring, supportive community here for transplant patients and their caregivers. We were so thrilled to be part of Bruce's bell ringing and to celebrate their return home!

We are also grateful to Bruce's donor, whose "yes" made this milestone possible.

Click here to see the full-length video of their bell ringing.

David & Jennifer Ring the Bell

After 211 nights in Cleveland, David and his friend and caregiver Jennifer are back home! David traveled to Cleveland from his home in Michigan in need of a double lung transplant. It was a difficult journey to transplant and recovery. We were so grateful to celebrate this milestone with David and Jennifer.

Click here to watch David ring the bell!

Crafting Community

Community is central to what we do here at Transplant House; and building a caring, supportive community can take many forms, including wreath-making! Jen, our new social worker, gathered patients and caregivers for an afternoon of creativity, conversation, and friendship — all inspired by a local recipient, Tammy, whose creations are hanging on doors around our campus.

Thank you to the amazing ladies from the Strongsville Women's League for decorating our campus for the holidays!

More Happenings around the House: Year-End Gratitude

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

Ring that Bell!

Ring that bell! Sharlene and her caregiver Don left their home in West Virignia to come to Cleveland for a second chance at life. After 40 nights and a liver transplant, they're back home!

We are always awed and amazed by the transformative impact of transplant. Recipients like Sharlene have their lives renewed because of another person's decision to say "yes" to becoming an organ donor.

The gift of life is a precious thing. As we celebrated this major milestone for Sharlene we also held her donor and their family in our hearts.

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

2/26/2025 - Steve Siferd

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

4/23/2020 - Cyndy McCullough

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

5/19/2018 - Jim Kraus

5/19/2021 - Vito Suppa

5/21/2021 - Angela Easter

5/22/2021 - Linda Uehlein

5/25/2021 - Charles W. Dulaney

5/26/2024 - Scott Hunter

5/30/2017 - Julie Magnini

5/31/2023 - Roseanne Morales

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

7/24/2024 - Angela Montalvo

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.

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Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday season!

Thank you to all our 2025 Gala Sponsors!

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