LifeGift Feel Good Fridays: Because of You, Hope Lives On

LifeGift Team Member Spotlight: Ciji Thibodaux-Wheeler, Manager of Organ Clinical Operations

LifeGift is honored to fulfill the decision of people in our community to save lives through organ and tissue donation. LifeGift manager of organ clinical operations Ciji Thibodaux-Wheeler is responsible for the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of clinical organ operations in the southeast region. This includes an effective and efficient organ recovery process, quality process management, team member management, accounting and fiscal management and conversion of potential donors to actual donors.

A LifeGift team member for 10 years, Ciji collaborates closely with her colleagues and hospital partners. “I provide support by coordinating clinical operations, offering real-time guidance and ensuring clear communication throughout the donation process. I act as a resource for hospital staff, provide support to my LifeGift colleagues at the bedside and help ensure that every step of the process aligns with best practices, regulatory requirements and our commitment to honoring the donor’s gift.”

Ciji shares that her background is in respiratory therapy. “I once cared for a patient during a lung import and had the opportunity to work alongside LifeGift team members on-site. As they shared their experiences, my eyes were opened to this incredible field. Although I had worked closely with our local OPO at my hospital, I had never realized I could be part of this meaningful mission. That moment changed everything and inspired me to pursue a career in organ donation.”

“My role at LifeGift has made me a strong advocate for donation, inspiring me to educate others about its life-changing impact,” adds Ciji. “I’ve also experienced donation personally, after losing my husband in 2023, he saved three lives through organ donation. That experience has profoundly shaped me and strengthened my passion for this work.”

Celebrating American Heart Month

It's February – American Heart Month – a time when the nation spotlights heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, among the millions of people in the country who'd had heart attacks, issued the first proclamation in 1964. Since then, U.S. presidents have annually declared February American Heart Month.

Throughout the month, the American Heart Association's campaign will raise awareness about how 1 in 3 women are diagnosed with heart disease annually.

To learn more, please click here.

A Second Chance: How a Donor’s Gift Restores a Man’s Life

Darrell Mathis’s life reflects a deep commitment to service, resilience and gratitude. That commitment was shaped by more than 20 years in the U.S. Navy, a successful second career and the unwavering support of his wife, Susan. In 2018, unexpected symptoms led to a devastating diagnosis that he needed a heart transplant, possibly linked to Lyme disease. He spent more than five years on the waiting list, enduring emotional setbacks before receiving a life-saving transplant on September 21, 2024. Now living with renewed purpose, Darrell views each day as a gift and honors the generosity of his donor and the donor’s family. A longtime registered organ donor, he uses his story to advocate for organ donation, emphasizing its power to save lives, strengthen families and give others a second chance at life.

National Donor Day is February 14th

Celebrated every year on February 14th, Donate Life America’s (DLA) National Donor Day is an observance dedicated to spreading awareness and education about organ, eye and tissue donation. By educating and sharing the Donate Life message, we can each take small steps every day to help save and heal more lives and honor the donor’s legacy of generosity and compassion.

National Donor Day is a time to focus on all types of donations—organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelets and marrow. Join us by participating in local events, sharing social media messages and encouraging others to register as donors.

National Donor Day also is a day to recognize those who have given and received the gift of life through organ, tissue and eye donation, are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, and those who died waiting because an organ was not donated in time.

How can you get involved?

In addition to registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor or contributing to the DLA cause, you can also download National Donor Day images and Donor Day Valentine’s cards to raise awareness about donation throughout social media—link these images to other resources for your friends and followers to utilize within your local and online communities.

The DLA Tribute Wall is one way to honor loved ones on National Donor Day. You can also read through DLA’s Stories of Hope, inspiring organ, eye and tissue donor and recipient stories. Explore more things you can do to support DLA and advocate for organ, eye and tissue donation every day of the year.

LifeGift Supports Texas Blood, Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Registry Day - February 26

In 2020, State Representative Gene Wu, State Senator Borris Miles, LifeGift, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Legacy Community Health, The HOPE Clinic and Be the Match celebrated the first-ever Texas Blood, Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Registry Day. During the 86th legislative session, Representative Wu passed HCR 42, designating February 26th as “Donor Day” in the State of Texas. Senator Borris Miles is a kidney transplant recipient and a champion of organ and tissue donation.

“This was such a significant milestone for all Texans, and we’re so honored to be a part of it,” says Kevin Myer, LifeGift president and CEO. “We’re privileged to work with our local and state government representatives, and this is just one in a series of steps to educate our communities at large.”

This year, in observance of Texas Donor Day, an event will be held in the Houston area on Thursday, February 26, at the Alief Neighborhood Center from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Once again, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center will host a blood drive, NMDP will conduct bone marrow cheek swabs and LifeGift will share information with the community about organ, eye and tissue donation.

LifeGift is privileged to partner with Representative Wu and Senator Miles along with other organizations, to share with Texans the important message of blood, bone marrow and organ and tissue donation. To view the State of Texas House Concurrent Resolution, click here.

MyChart Opens a New Door to Hope for Donor Families and Transplant Recipients

Donate Life America announced that more than 130,000 individuals have chosen to register as organ, eye and tissue donors through MyChart, the nation’s most widely used patient portal. This milestone represents more than a number—it reflects thousands of personal decisions that may one day bring comfort to donor families and offer renewed life to those waiting for a transplant. Launched in May 2025 through a collaboration with Epic, the creator of MyChart, this pathway allows people to make a deeply meaningful choice within a trusted space they already use to manage their health.

Before MyChart was available, the National Donate Life Registry typically recorded about 11,000 new donor registrations each month. By December 2025, more than 20,000 people registered in a single month through MyChart alone. With roughly half of Epic’s U.S. health systems currently offering this option—and more joining each month—the opportunity continues to grow for more lives to be saved and more families to find hope through donation.

For transplant recipients, each new registration represents the possibility of more time, more milestones and more moments with loved ones. For donor families, it is a reminder that the selfless decision to donate can create a lasting legacy—one that transforms loss into healing and ensures that generosity lives on through the lives touched by organ, eye and tissue donation.

To read the full press release, click here.

Introducing LifeGift’s 2025 Annual Report

Welcome to our 2025 Annual Report, "Driven by Mission, Inspired by Hope." This year’s report highlights inspiring stories of progress and continuous advancements in organ, eye and tissue donation.

We are grateful for the invaluable contributions of our dedicated partners - physicians, surgeons, nurses, critical care staff, funeral homes, coroners, medical examiners, first responders, community leaders, tissue processors, eye banks, donation advocates and many others.

Above all, we express our deepest gratitude to our donors and their families - the true heroes of this journey - whose generosity creates lasting legacies. With heartfelt appreciation, we thank everyone who supports the mission of organ donation and transplantation, helping to make a meaningful difference in the lives of so many.

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 Amarillo, Fort Worth, Houston and Lubbock. Please email us at communications@lifegift.org with any questions or support needs!