Rydel Volunteer Honored by Gift of Life Donor Program

PHILADELPHIA, PA ----- Gift of Life Donor Program presented Janice Schwartz-Donahue of Rydel, PA with the Heartman Award at its Volunteer Recognition Ceremony last month. She was recognized for her volunteer work with Gift of Life Donor Program and the Gift of Life Family House.

Schwartz-Donahue, a volunteer with Gift of Life for more than 20 years, got involved when her daughter, Jessica Schwartz, received a heart transplant as a teenager. Jessica, who lived for more than eight years with her transplant, volunteered with Gift of Life and competed in the Donate Life Transplant Games of America.

Janice carries on her daughter’s legacy with a fundraiser that gives the gift of a college education to transplant recipients. The fund helps other childhood transplant recipients achieve a college experience such as Jessica enjoyed.

Janice has become part of the Gift of Life Family House “family.” Gift of Life Family House provides affordable lodging, meals and supportive services to those traveling to Philadelphia for transplant-related care. Every Wednesday, she can be found in the Family House kitchen preparing home cooked meals for families. She has contributed more than 900 hours of her time to make the Family House feel like a “home away from home” for transplant patients and their families.

Gift of Life Donor Program is the non-profit, federally-designated organ procurement organization, serving 11.2 million people across the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. Its annual donation rate ranks among the highest in the world. Since 1974, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 46,000 life-saving organs for transplant, and approximately one million tissue transplants have resulted from the generosity of donors and their families.

One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and a tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 75 others. For more information or to register, visit donors1.org