Good Afternoon Guys:
I have been a part of this community since its inception. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your stories and sharing events and information with you. The transplant community is a huge family which encompasses giving of self and love for one another through the gift we received or donated. My name is Cheryl Cushingberry and I am a Kidney Donor to my Husband of then 34 years. It was an overwhelming, but equally gratifying journey. I have always been on the Gift of Life (GOL) Donor Registry and have the heart on my license, so his need for a kidney was a no-brainer for me. I have since become a volunteer with the Transplant Living Community (TLC) within the Henry Ford Hospital Transplant Institute. On a regular basis, we educate recipient families and patients about the transplant process from a LifeStyle perspective. We never engage in medical discussions, just how to successfully navigate what will become your new normal. In addition, we created a Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC), which exchanges information, experiences and ideas for improvement with the medical, clinical, pharmaceutical, dietary, psychology, nursing and administrative staff from a patients perspective. It is wonderful to share experiences and see the medical staff listen and encourage you to continue to share in order to make the patient experience even better. Please continue to share your experiences and ideas with us as we continue to be a willing, unbiased platform for you to openly be a part of. I thank Rae Massi and her team for allowing this platform to exist.
Cheryl Cushingberry
