NJ Sharing Network

"Tina was my everything, not just a loving wife but also my best friend. Tina was a very beautiful person inside and out, she was very outgoing, loving and had a very beautiful soul. It was always exciting to see things through her eyes since a lot of things I took for granted she had never experienced before. There was so much more I wish that we could have done but it was her time and we will miss her dearly. I still don’t know how to handle the loss of my wife and best friend, it’s very challenging to say the least. I’m very happy that Tina made the decision to be an organ donor and I’m very glad that someone could benefit from her passing. Some day I would love to meet the man from New Jersey that was given the gift of sight from my wife Tina. Tina will forever be in my thoughts and heart forever!" - Steve, Husband of organ and tissue donor Tina ???? Thank you to our partners at Eversight for this touching story. November is #EyeDonationMonth! Read more of Tina's story and others like hers here: https://lnkd.in/eeVbcf4G

"My daughter, Taylor, was taken way too soon. She passed away in June 2014 at only 4 years old due to an accidental drowning in a friend's pool. The local hospital worked on her for an hour and finally got her back in time for the Children's Hospital LifeFlight team to be able to stabilize her and get her to St. Louis. She remained on machines all night and after many scans and tests, we decided it was best to let her go. We chose organ donation because she was always such a little helper, and this was our way of letting her help others. She was able to donate one kidney to a 72-year-old female and the other one to a 13-year-old boy. Her liver went to an 18-month-old child. And she gave two people the gift of sight. Now several of my family members are registered organ donors to honor her memory." - Mary L. Thank you Mid-America Transplant for sharing Taylor's story.

Last week, we had the honor of presenting Josephine Curcio from North Plainfield High School with the Donate Life America Youth in Excellence award for her incredible efforts to promote organ and tissue donation. "Teaching students about organ donation empowers them to make lifesaving decisions, fostering a culture of empathy and community responsibility. Together, we are creating a future where knowledge inspires action and every life has the chance to make a difference." - Josephine Curcio ???? Thank you Josephine for all you do to educate and inspire our youth on our lifesaving mission. Pictured from left to right: Sean Dowling - Supervisor of Health Physical Education, Josephine Curcio - NPHS, Ametra Burton - NJSN, Joseph Krouse - NPHS Principal

Family and friends of organ donor John Levine gathered last month for their 5th Annual Benefit Dinner in support of our Foundation. This year held special significance, marking 10 years since John gave the gift of life. In the decade since his passing, John’s family has honored his legacy by sharing his story, advocating for organ and tissue donation, and fundraising for our lifesaving mission. Helen Hunter, John’s kidney recipient (pictured in red) attended this year's event, and shared how John’s selfless donation saved her life and how she has worked to honor his memory over the past 10 years. To date, John’s family has raised nearly $400,000 in his name to support the Sharing Network Foundation. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering dedication and privileged to help carry on John’s extraordinary legacy. ????

Sabrina Wero, a member of the Navajo Nation, knows both sides of donation. At age 27, she donated a kidney to her father, giving him 10 more years to be with his loved ones. Sabrina's brother later become a donor after passing away and saved several lives through his generous gifts. Join us this November in celebrating #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth! Just as Sabrina and her family have, you too can make the selfless decision to save lives by registering as an organ and tissue donor today at https://lnkd.in/e_HffEAG. ???? Thank you to The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation for sharing this story!

Eye Donation Month is celebrated each November to raise awareness about eye donation and the gift of sight. Nikhil of West Orange was a talented, fun-loving, caring and compassionate 11-year-old boy who loved life and lived it to the fullest. He was not just as a straight-A student and a gifted musician, but a loyal and loving young man who was always ready and willing to help others. His smile was infectious, and his sweetness was remarkable. In 2011, Nikhil was killed in a motor vehicle accident involving a driver who ran a stop sign. Following Nikhil’s tragic death, his family donated his corneas and heart valves, providing both the gift of sight and the gift of life to others. “He always saw the good in the world. He saw the world as beautiful,” said Sangeeta Badlani, Nikhil’s mother. “We are happy that someone out there can now see because of Nikhil’s gift.” ???? #EyeDonationMonth #EBAA

We recently delivered the remaining cases of Gatorade from our 5K Celebration of Life to the brave firefighters at the West Milford Fire Department, Company 4 battling the “Jennings Creek” fire. This wildfire burned over 5,304 acres across Passaic and Orange counties. Thanks to the heroic efforts of firefighters across the state, the fire is now 90% contained as of yesterday. We’re proud to support these everyday heroes who keep our communities safe! ?? #JerseyStrong #EveryCommunityNeedsHeroes

Team Liberty athletes and supporters who attended this summer’s Transplant Games of America in Alabama gathered in the heart of the tri-state area at MetLife Stadium this past weekend to reconnect and celebrate the team's homecoming. Congrats to the team on receiving 118 medals in Birmingham in the various sporting competitions! ?? A program of the Sharing Network Foundation, Team Liberty is comprised of transplant recipients, living donors and donor families from NJ, NY and CT who come together at the biennial Transplant Games, and all year round, to raise funds and awareness for organ donation and transplantation, and to honor donors and their families who have so generously given the gift of life. To learn more about Team Liberty and membership opportunities, visit www.GoTeamLiberty.org ?????? #TeamLiberty #OrganDonation

This week, we're at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities 109th Annual Conference in Atlantic City promoting the importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. If you're attending the conference, please come visit us at booth 2536! ????

"My daughter, Tieyese Brown, registered as an organ donor in 1989. She passed away on November 17, 2023, and it was then that I learned about her selfless decision to be a donor—a reflection of the amazing person she was. Her liver was given to a woman in Virginia, a place that holds special meaning because it’s also my daughter’s middle name. Even though Tieyese is no longer here, she gave someone else the gift of life through her generosity as an organ donor—twice. I’ve learned that the woman who received her liver is doing well, and my heartfelt prayer is to one day meet her. Monk, as I lovingly called her, I am so proud of you. You are still living through the lives you’ve touched." - Denise Moore, mother of organ donor Tieyese V. Brown ?????? Please register as an organ and tissue donor at https://lnkd.in/en5KSnrN