Daniel Medrano's Journey: A Second Chance at Life

Daniel (Danny) Medrano's journey began in January 2014 when, at just 34 years old, he was hospitalized due to a foot infection and soon diagnosed with acute kidney failure. “The antibiotics that were supposed to help me ended up causing my kidneys to fail,” Medrano recalls. “It was a devastating blow, especially after dealing with diabetes since 1995 and surviving a coma in 2012.”

In August 2019, Medrano received his life-saving kidney transplant at the hands of an unexpected hero—his wife’s cousin Bianca—on a date she personally chose August 13. “On my wife’s birthday, we received the greatest gift ever when Bianca told us, ‘I’m Danny’s kidney donor,’” he emphasizes. “She kept it a secret until the very end, saying, ‘It was all God. I prayed about it, and he made the transition easy.’”

Medrano acknowledges the challenges that came with his diagnosis including years of dialysis, debilitating vertigo and constant pain. “Receiving a kidney transplant changed everything—it gave me energy again, took away the need for dialysis and lifted those dietary restrictions,” he shares. “We trusted, we believed and God delivered. My kidney, which I call ‘Little Bibi,’ is doing great.”

“I’m forever grateful to the George Lopez Foundation,” Medrano adds. “In 2018, we won the George Lopez World Kidney Day Giveaway Contest—it was a dream come true. It gave us a platform to share our story and raise awareness about kidney disease.” He continues, “Becoming an organ donor is a powerful act of love and generosity. You can save lives, just like Bianca saved mine. It’s a simple decision that can make a world of difference!”

Celebrating National EMS Week

National EMS Week is a time to honor those frontline heroes dedicated to providing emergency medicine that saves so many lives. Each year, we shine a light on the people who inspire us, recognizing and thanking EMS practitioners for safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of our communities.

May 18-24 is the 51st Annual National EMS Week. In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the important work they do in our nation's communities. This year's theme: We Care. For Everyone.



“The selfless commitment and efforts of our amazing EMS partners should be acknowledged and recognized,” says Shante’ Wells, LifeGift senior director of donation systems. “These frontline heroes who navigate challenging circumstances every day should be commended for their contributions.”

LifeGift sends its best wishes for the constant safety and good health of all EMS personnel on the front lines who continue to take care of us all!

New Donor Registration Option Available Through My Chart

Epic has partnered with Donate Life America (DLA) to make it easier than ever for patients to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. Through the MyChart patient portal, adults in the United States aged 18 or older can document their donor decision conveniently from a computer or mobile device—regardless of their medical history.

Importantly, a patient’s choice to register as a donor will remain confidential and will not appear in their medical records or be accessible to their healthcare team. Instead, this information is securely stored in the National Donate Life Registry and is available only to authorized donation professionals, and only when needed to carry out a patient’s wishes at the time of death.

This initiative is a vital step in addressing the urgent need for organ donations, with more than 105,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving transplant. While many individuals register through their local DPS, MyChart now provides a trusted and accessible alternative for more than 180 million users. By offering this new registration pathway, Epic and DLA are empowering individuals to make a meaningful, life-saving decision that will be honored wherever they live.

LifeGift Shares Its Mission on Great Day Houston

The Gift of Life: How Organ Donation Changes Lives Forever

Thank you KHOU 11 News Great Day Houston and Deborah Duncan for the opportunity to talk about organ donation on May 12, 2025! Check out the segment below as heart transplant recipient Peter Mpagi, donor mother Danielle Turner and LifeGift's senior director of organ operations and surgical recovery Woodlhey Ambroise share their stories and emphasize the critical need for registering to be an organ donor, especially in our multicultural communities. We also made sure we provided our LifeGift myth flyer so we could help debunk some of the prevalent misinformation existing in our communities.

Special thanks to Houston Methodist heart transplant coordinator Karen Christos who was on hand to support Peter.

To watch the broadcast, click here. 

LifeGift Expands Partnership with SODA to Grow Student-Led Chapters

LifeGift is proud to expand its partnership with Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA), a national nonprofit that empowers young leaders to promote organ, eye and tissue donation. Together, our objective is to establish student-led advocacy chapters across LifeGift’s Texas regions in Amarillo, Fort Worth, Houston and Lubbock. These chapters, based on high school, college and graduate school campuses, provide students with the tools to educate peers, host awareness events and encourage donor registration in their communities.

SODA partners with 35 organ procurement organizations (OPOs), including LifeGift, to engage young audiences in organ, eye, and tissue donation. While OPOs provide subject expertise, SODA serves as the student liaison, helping bridge the gap through student-led advocacy. Its National Team supports OPO outreach and volunteer efforts, creating a collaborative model that strengthens donor awareness and registration efforts nationwide.

LifeGift has helped establish several successful SODA chapters in its regions, including those at Amarillo High School, Eagle Mountain High School, Fort Worth Country Day School, Randall High School, Southlake Carroll High School and Texas Tech University. By investing in these partnerships, LifeGift provides mentorship, resources and guidance to students who are eager to make a difference.

“At LifeGift, we believe in the power of the next generation to lead the way,” shares Yolanda Becker, MD, FACS, FAST, CTBS, LifeGift vice president and chief medical officer. “Through our collaboration with SODA, we’re helping students become strong advocates for donation and providing them with the support they need to impact lives—one conversation and one registration at a time.”

SODA surpassed 100 chapters nationwide in December—a full year ahead of schedule of their planned goal. To support this momentum, LifeGift is helping launch more student-led initiatives across Texas. This expanded partnership continues to grow a strong network of informed, passionate advocates. Students can learn how to start a chapter at sodanational.org/students. Together, LifeGift and SODA are building a future where no one waits for a life-saving transplant.

LifeGift Honored with LifeNet Health’s 2024 LifeSaver HOPE Award

The LifeGift Tissue Recovery Team has been awarded LifeNet Health’s 2024 LifeSaver HOPE Award, recognizing outstanding performance in organ and tissue recovery and processing. This prestigious honor celebrates LifeGift’s exceptional achievements across several key metrics, including:

• Number of hearts recovered
• Suitability rate of recovered hearts and those cleared by Quality Assurance
• Culture rates
• Number of grafts successfully yielded from each recovered heart
• Heart valve (HV) donors resulting in successful graft production

These benchmarks reflect LifeGift’s excellence in areas such as error and contamination rates, as well as graft yield—criteria that define the top-performing recovery partners in the field.

“The LifeSaver HOPE Award recognizes LifeGift’s vital role in organ and tissue donation, especially in pediatric heart valve recovery,” says Emmitt Savannah III, BS, CTBS, LifeGift manager of tissue recovery and research training. “Our 2024 partnerships with institutions like Texas Children’s Hospital and the Texas Medical Center reflect our national impact and commitment to turning tragedy into hope through compassion and innovation. With nearly 40,000 congenital heart defects diagnosed annually in the U.S., our work is critical to helping affected children and families.”

This recognition highlights LifeGift’s unwavering commitment to excellence in tissue recovery and its crucial role in saving and improving lives. By earning this award, the Tissue Recovery Team has demonstrated expertise, dedication and a profound respect for the gift of organ and tissue donation. Their success is a powerful testament to their impact in meeting the growing need for tissue grafts and advancing patient care.

LifeGift’s HopeFest

Join us for HopeFest—a special event celebrating the gift of life and honoring organ, eye and tissue donors, recipients and their families in LifeGift’s West region. This fun-filled day will bring the community together through activities, remembrance and awareness.

Date: Saturday, August 9th

Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Location: Texas Tech University Practice Softball Fields, Texas Tech Parkway & 10th Street

Enjoy an exciting softball showdown between the University Medical Center and Covenant Hospital, where trophies will be awarded for the winning team, best team name and best uniform. Explore the Honor Path, a heartfelt tribute created by donor families, and take part in activities like a photo booth, face painting, craft-making and music from a live DJ.

Indulge in ballpark favorites from food trucks, including hot dogs, burgers, nachos, popcorn and refreshing treats like ice cream and snow cones. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to celebrate, remember and raise awareness.

We hope to see you there! For more information and to register, click here.

LifeGift is proud to collaborate with our hospital and transplant center partners to advance organ, eye and tissue donation, bringing hope to the communities we serve in Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock and Amarillo. Please email us at communications@lifegift.org with any questions or support needs!

LifeGift.org | ©LifeGift 2025 | 5.23.25