Gift of Life Howie’s House
Last weekend, our friends over at @beeablessingnj hosted their annual Friends for Life fundraiser at the Collingswood Grand Ballroom and it was a huge hit! The theme was Lights Camera Action and attendees came dressed for the occasion in various movie and TV costumes. This special event raised funds for Gift of Life Howie’s House and the Bee a Blessing Scholarship fund.
The Clendining family continues Bee a Blessing, Inc. in memory of their two siblings, Jan and Michael, who were both transplant recipients, and in honor of their mother, Rose, who is a living donor. We are grateful to the family and their entire community for their continuous support of our mission!
Check out these photos on our instagram from the event and let us know which costume is your favorite!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAE0gBPNNQY/
We’d like to give a special shout out to our friends at Organ Recovery Systems, who not only cooked a meal for our families tonight but also recently supported our Home Cook Heroes Program with a generous pledge of $100,000! Organ Recovery Systems has been a partner in caring for transplant families at the House since 2011, and we could not be more grateful for their support of our mission.
“Supporting Gift of Life Howie’s House is a true privilege – their unwavering dedication to caring for transplant patients and their families is nothing short of inspiring, and Organ Recovery Systems is honored to play a small part in their incredible mission. Our team especially loves participating in the Home Cook Heroes Program, where we can offer comfort through meals and contribute to the sense of community and care that Howie’s House provides”, says Kayla Andalina, ORS team member.
Thank you to Organ Recovery Systems for more than 13 years of steadfast support for transplant families at the House!
The staff at the MTF Edison, NJ location organized a collection of wish list items that were most needed at the House. President and CEO, Rick Hasz, drove the shuttle with members of the Development team, Abby Wells and Sara Cohen, to stuff the shuttle and bring it back to the House!
MTF Biologics is a valued partner of Gift of Life and also supports the House through the Kidney Open, the Donor Dash, and by regularly volunteering as Home Cook Heroes.
Balancing caregiving for a transplant patient and being a mom can feel like an overwhelming task. Jessica shares her experiences of caring for her son facing the unimaginable challenge of heart failure and the urgent need for a heart transplant.
Jessica, Mother of CJ
Q: How have you managed emotionally since CJ has been sick for so many years?
A:It’s hard because I’ve seen him go through this for years, and I can’t fix it. Especially because he wants to be normal and do normal things, and he can’t. It’s mentally and emotionally draining after all these years. I try not to stretch myself too thin, which is important for any mom. When he is hospitalized, I try to take a walk when he is doing well. I have also met other moms with kids in similar situations, which has been helpful. I have people checking in on me every day by phone and text. As a family we try to focus on the positives and enjoy the times we do have because things could be so much worse. I want to preserve the time we have with CJ and focus on the good things as long as I can.
Q: CJ has had a heart condition since birth; he’s now 11 years old, with an LVAD and has been waiting for a heart transplant for almost three years. You also have four other daughters (13, 12, 9, and 6 years old). How do you balance being a mom to your son and three daughters with everything going on?
A: It’s very hard. Our church family helps us with so many things. There were times where he was hospitalized for really long periods. Between 2022 and 2023 he was hospitalized for just about an entire a year, and we had family to support our other daughters. My husband and I try to work as a team to be there for the kids, though it’s hard when we can’t be there together when CJ is at the hospital and the girls are at home. We try to find the little things and moments, like all of us FaceTiming every morning and every night and visiting on weekends.
Q: How has it been for you knowing another mom and family will be grieving a loss when CJ receives his heart transplant?
A: I would never want another child to get ill or be hurt, especially since having my own children and a child who has an illness. When CJ was getting listed for a heart, a nurse encouraged us to think of it differently, that we’re not praying for another child to die for CJ to live, we’re praying for that child’s loved one to have the strength to say yes to donation by blessing CJ with the gift of life in their time of their tragedy. I still struggle thinking about it, especially during the times when CJ has gotten “calls,” but we still pray for those families regardless of whether they would go on to become a donor for CJ.
You can provide hope to the thousands of people like CJ who are waiting for a transplant. Learn more and sign up at www.donors1.org/register
Joe Eitl is a Montgomery County native born with congenital heart disease. He and his family were told that he would not live past 3 years old, and that transplant would never be an option. Joe defied the odds and lived a normal, active life until he was 38 years old and his health started to decline. He was listed for a heart and liver transplant, and in November of 2020, Joe received his miraculous gifts of life. Joe lives with Down Syndrome, and due to the nature of his transplant he had many complications following his procedure. He was in and out of the hospital for over a year post-transplant, and his parents, Peg and Craig, relied on Gift of Life Howie’s House for a safe place to stay where they could be close to Joe.
“Our days start at around 7:30 or 8’clock in the morning and don’t end until 7:30 or 8’clock at night, and that’s on a good day… we were dreading the idea that we would be a two hour commute every day both ways.” – Peg Eitl, Joe’s mom and caregiver.
While staying at the House, Peg and Craig received access to home cooked meals, one-on-one counseling, and a private room and bathroom to decompress in at the end of the day. The services that the House provides allowed Joe’s family to feel taken care of so they can focus on what’s most important, taking care of their loved one.
Joe is now 3 years post-transplant and is back at home doing the things he loves which includes spending time with friends and family and rooting on his beloved Philadelphia sports teams.
“To say that the House was a saving a grace is an understatement,” says Peg.
Tom Fennell and his wife, Alice, traveled almost 1,000 miles from Iowa to Philadelphia hoping Tom would receive a life-saving heart transplant. Far from home, they found comfort and support at Gift of Life Howie’s House, which recently celebrated its 12th anniversary.
“Howie’s House gave us a safe place to stay, dinners, and camaraderie. It was the complete package,” said Tom. “We were able to connect with other transplant families and it helped us on our journey.”
Tom’s journey was unusual. Many transplant centers declined to accept him as a patient because of his age. Temple Health in Philadelphia welcomed Tom and, at 74, he became one of their oldest heart recipients.
Tom and Alice stayed at Howie’s House many months post transplant but were finally able to return home recently. They rang the Chimes of Hope at the House to celebrate (click here for video).
Thanks to a generous donor hero and caring support at Howie’s House, Tom and Alice can get back to doing the things they love. They have already planned a family vacation at their lake house and hope to travel to Mexico next year.
Caregiver Lifeline Spotlight
Transplant patients can live for many decades after transplantation, and with that remarkable success and progress comes a need for personalized and multidisciplinary medicine that includes specialized dermatology care.
Organ transplant recipients have an increased risk of skin cancer because immunosuppressive medications that prevent transplanted organs from being rejected by the body also lower the body’s natural defenses against skin cancer. The most common type of skin cancer in transplant patients is squamous cell carcinoma. The good news is that if detected early, with good care these cancers can be managed and very often cured.
Transplant Dermatologists have a simple goal – no one should die of skin cancer after a second chance at life through organ donation.
How high is the risk of skin cancer in transplant patients?
One in five people without a transplant will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. That story is dramatically different for transplant patients. Transplant patients are 65 times more likely to get squamous cell carcinoma than people without a transplant. They are 10 times more likely to get basal cell carcinoma, the least serious type of skin cancer. And transplant patients are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop melanoma, a potentially more serious type of skin cancer.
Skin cancers in transplant patients can grow quickly and have an increased risk of spreading. That’s why having a good relationship with a dermatologist who specializes in transplant dermatology can be game changing. Prompt and expert dermatologic care, which often includes a specialized type of surgery called Mohs surgery for certain skin cancers, is crucial for transplant patients.
What can transplant patients do about the increased risk of skin cancer?
The most important thing to do to lower the chance of skin cancer is sun protection – sunscreen, sun protective clothing, hats and sunglasses. Go ahead and make that hat fashion statement. As with many cancers, early detection of skin cancer is an important factor for preventing serious complications and death. Fortunately, most skin cancers can be easily treated in outpatient settings. The most common way to treat skin cancers in sensitive areas like the face is with Mohs Surgery. Mohs offers the highest cure rate and is the most precise way to treat skin cancer with the best cosmetic outcomes after surgery.
Good transplant dermatology care also offers treatments and medications to help lower the chance of developing skin cancer in the first place.
How often should you see a board-certified transplant dermatologist after an organ transplant?
What time and experience have proven is that routine dermatology care is an essential part of organ transplant care. Every transplant patient should be seen by a board-certified dermatologist around the time of transplantation, not because skin cancer is looming, but to start learning about skin cancer and what to look for.
After that, the frequency of dermatology visits will be based on each person’s unique situation. For some, visits are needed every few months. Fortunately most transplant patients do very well with visits to the dermatologist every 6 to 12 months.
If you are a transplant patient, talk to your transplant coordinators and physicians about finding a dermatologist who has an interest in transplant dermatology. You can also look for a transplant dermatologist through the International Immunosuppression & Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative’s “Find a Transplant Dermatologist” tool.
Learn More About Transplant Dermatology
To learn more please watch Dr. Mark’s webinar presented through the Caregiver Lifeline Program
PICTURED L-R: Rick Hasz, President & CEO, Gift of Life Donor Program, Troy Ovechka, Jennifer Ovechka, Faith Osborne, LSW, Abby Wells, Talia Giordano, LCSW
For those undergoing the transplant journey, having a place to feel safe and supported during a medical emergency makes a world of difference. While many would agree that there’s no place like your own home, Gift of Life Howie’s House has been providing a home away from home for transplant families for over a decade.
This summer, the House celebrated 12 years of serving the organ transplant community. Since opening in 2011, the backbone of the House has been the generous contributors and dedicated volunteers that continue to support the mission.
Annual Breakfast Honors Generous Community
“It has been an honor to watch the House grow and change due to the support of this amazing community. The House completes the circle of care that begins when someone gives the gift of life. I couldn’t be more grateful to this community for helping fulfill that mission.”
Rick Hasz, President and CEO
To recognize their support, a special breakfast was held for the contributors and volunteers that help make the House’s mission a reality. The annual President’s Breakfast took place on May 12th, and was truly a fantastic morning where lots of laughs, memories, and milestones were shared. The event’s theme was “There’s No Place Like Home”, in honor of the home away from home that the community helps to sustain.
PICTURED TOP L-R: Jan L. Weinstock, Esq., Jennifer Platzkere Snyder, Esq.; Andrew Bowen, Burton John Mattice; Janice Schwartz Donahue, Karen Barnett, Barbara Katz-Chobert;Lesa Kramer, Catheanne Long
Rick Hasz, President & CEO, along with Jan L. Weinstock, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, shared a few words about how integral the generosity of the community is to sustaining the House’s mission. They also shared some exciting House happenings and important milestones reached.
Past guest and lung transplant recipient, Jennifer Ovechka, shared the story of her journey while staying at the House, and the amazing things she has been able to accomplish after receiving her life-saving lung transplant.
“Since leaving Gift of Life Howie’s House, I was able to run a 5-mile race, work full-time as a medical assistant, buy a home, and above all marry Troy, my sweet big guy who never left my side. The House was crucial during my recovery. Every meal at the end of the day was appreciated, and every tidy bed to rest my head was valued.”
Jennifer Ovechka
Lung Transplant RecipientIn its 12-year history, the House has provided thousands of families with the care and services that they desperately rely on while on the transplant journey. Since opening, it has provided over $12,530,000 in subsidized care, over 316,000 meals, and over 88,457 lodging nights of care. Families have never been asked to pay more than $40 a night, and no family has ever been turned away due to inability to pay.
PICTURED L-R: Cynthia London, Dearrdra Hollingsworth, Johann Schneider, Beverly Schneider, Vivian Gano, Tom Gano
Volunteers Provide Valuable Support
Many volunteers help strengthen the mission. Rosie Lemansky, a donor family member and long-time volunteer, has been serving at the House since its inception.
“In my 12 years of volunteering, I have talked to so many of the people and they are incredibly grateful for this place. When I work here on Wednesdays, I see people that have come together that live in different parts of the country, but they’re bonded by their situation and they can relate to each other and I think that is such an important part of it. It makes me feel good to know that I am a part of this whole process.”
Rosie Lemansky
Donor Family MemberAlthough the journey home after transplant is much more than three clicks of ruby red slippers, the dedication of volunteers like Rosie, along with many generous friends have helped make the House a home away from home for thousands of transplant families.
GIFT OF LIFE EXTENDS ITS GRATITUDE TO THE COMMUNITY
FOR HELPING TO PROVIDE 12 YEARS OF HOME AT THE HOUSE.
Support Gift of Life Howie’s House
Explore ways to support Gift of Life Howie’s House and our mission to provide a “home away from home” for transplant patients and their families by providing temporary, affordable lodging, and supportive services to those who travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for transplant-related care.
At Gift of Life Howie’s House, guests are provided with a private bedroom and bathroom that comes equipped with many of the necessities that families rely on when away from home. Many of those guests, however, experience limited mobility due to significant physical challenges that come with transplant and request rooms that are more accessible
Approximately 25% of guests make these requests. Unfortunately, many have to wait for a more accessible room to become available.
“You never know when you go somewhere if it’s going to be accessible, so knowing that we had this room where he could maneuver was a relief. It allowed him to have his privacy and independence, and I could have a little bit of free time as well. Even if it’s ten minutes where I could read a book while he showers, it makes a difference,”
– Donna Nelson, Past House Guest
Out of 32 guest rooms, only 5 have bathrooms that are equipped with walk-in showers. For some guests, navigating over the wall of a tub can be incredibly challenging or even impossible. Many patients require the use of a shower chair, which is also difficult to maneuver in an already tight space with a wet surface, like the bathtub.
Replacing a bathtub with a walk-in shower makes getting in and out much easier on both the patient and the caregiver. Guests with limited mobility do not have to worry about navigating over the wall of the tub, and those who require the use of a wheelchair have easier access inside of the bathroom and can transfer to a shower chair more smoothly.
Learn more about our campaign in our Spring 2023 Newsletter.
Spring Campaign 2023
Support the construction of four new, more accessible showers at the House.
Coming up on Saturday, September 26th CareDx is hosting the Allocare Transplant Festival, a fun, interactive, virtual event meant to bring together members of the transplant community during this difficult period. The event will take place from 12 – 3 p.m. ET and will feature many different activities with guests from all over the transplant community.
The festival has a full agenda of events and activities, as well as multiple contests for attendees to participate in before and during the festival! Here is a full list of the live festival agenda, as well as the pre-event contests:
Pre-Event Contests (submissions due by September 19th)
- Twitter “My Transplant Story” In 280 characters or less, tell us how the gift of organ donation changed your life for a chance to win some great prizes!
- Favorite Recipe Contest Share your go-to recipe for a chance to win a prize and have your recipe demonstrated by our guest celebrity chef!
- Talent Show entries Submit a video of your special talent! Winners will be revealed during the festival.
- Transplant Community Photo Wall Mosaic Submit a photo and be a part of the Photo Wall Mosaic that will be presented live by Peter Maag
To enter, click on the registration link below!
Live Festival Agenda
- Community Trivia Challenge Host: Amanda Nicastro – comedian and organ donor
- Talent Show Judges: Angelica Hale, America’s Got Talent runner up and kidney transplant recipient; Dorry Segev, transplant surgeon at JHU; and Merle Zuel, MerleJam founder and heart transplant recipient
- Cooking Demonstration Celebrity chef will demonstrate a version of a winning recipe, with three home chefs joining in live
- The Engaged Patient Patient Panel moderated by Osama Gaber, transplant surgeon at Houston Methodist and incoming ASTS president
- Transplant Life with Sports and Fitness Professional Athlete Panel with David Ayres, Emergency Goalie Carolina Hurricanes and transplant recipient; John Brockington, NFL – Packers and transplant recipient; and Sean Elliot, NBA – Spurs and transplant recipient.
- My Transplant Story Winners
- Photo Wall Mosaic Reveal Presented by Peter Maag
- Get Moving: Short home workout clips with professional transplant athletes
So what is CareDx? CareDx is a transplant focused company centered around providing healthcare solutions for transplant patients and caregivers both pre- and post- transplant journey. It is committed to improving transplant patient outcomes through innovative testing and is the leading partner in medicine for transplant patients.
Gift of Life Howie’s House is so excited to be partnering with CareDx for this special event. For more information and where to register, visit this website: https://bit.ly/caredxregistration
We hope to see you there!
News & Events
Stay Connected
Sign up to receive email updates featuring transplant stories of hope and ways you can get involved with the Howie's House.
"*" indicates required fields
