Gift of Life Staff Spotlight
Jun 24, 2013 by Gift of Life
News
Every day, the hardworking, dedicated, and caring staff members at Gift of Life give their all to the organization’s mission to save lives. Their work is more than just a job. Some are driven by a deep desire to help others in need, while others have been personally touched by the world of bone marrow and blood stem cell transplantation. We spoke to just a few of Gift of Life’s talented staff members to learn what they love about their jobs and what motivates them every day.
Recruitment Assistant, Lindsay, is responsible for preparing and packing supplies for drives, unpacking and processing them when they come back, data entry, determining medical eligibility of potential donors and sending kits to the lab to be tested. Lindsay said, “I feel so fortunate and blessed to be a part of an organization where the mission is to save lives and that I get to be a part of it in my own small way.” She added, “My daily motivation is knowing that even the smallest tasks may make a huge difference. Each kit we send to the lab to be tested could potentially be a match for a patient.”
Work up Coordinator, Sarah, agreed, saying, “if I can help save someone else’s life, I feel like I have done something right. I really feel like we are making miracles happen here every day and that we are giving hope to those who so desperately need it.” In her work coordinating with donors and transplant and collection centers to make the bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants happen, Sarah communicates with and advocates for donors as they participate in the transplant process. Some of her favorite experiences at Gift of Life have been seeing donors and recipients meet for the first time at events such as the Walk for Life and Partners for Life Gala. She said, “Seeing the work we do come to fruition really cements that there is a purpose behind what we are doing.”
Julie, a Quality Assurance Coordinator finds inspiration from her personal experience. She explained, “I have a young cousin who needed a bone marrow transplant and was fortunate to have a sibling match. I want to extend my aid to others suffering from life-threatening illnesses that need to find a match.” Julie assists the Director of Quality and Regulatory Compliance in ongoing activities related to the development of and adherence to the organization’s quality assurance policies and procedures in compliance with federal and state laws. In this role, she ensures safety for donors and recipients, a top priority at Gift of Life. Outside of her official responsibilities at Gift of Life, Julie organized a grassroots campaign on Groupon that raised $1,100 to help pay the lab fees to process donor kits and add potential donors to the registry!
Another important member of Gift of Life’s team is Shayne Pilpel, Recruitment Coordinator. He is responsible for organizing drives on college campuses and community events throughout the country and also works one on one with the families of patients who are searching for donor matches. He said, “I have met some of the nicest people under the worst of circumstances. I have learned not to take things for granted and to enjoy every day to its fullest. This job is not only rewarding, it has made me a better person.”
Lindsay is 23 years old and graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology. She enjoys reading, baking, cooking and watching TV (especially her favorite football team, the Packers!) Originally from Cudahy, Wisconsin, Lindsay moved to Florida in 2004 and lives in Fort Lauderdale with her husband, Dan.
Sarah is a born and bred native Floridian! She lives in Coral Springs with her husband of six years, John, and daughters, Giavannah (four years old) and Zoe (two and a half years old) along with their cats, Ruby and Gizmo. Sarah is 31 years old and holds a Bachelors degree in Social Work from Florida State University. She enjoys reading, listening to music, baking, playing with her daughters and shopping. Sarah has encouraged her husband to register as a potential donor and hopes that when her daughters are old enough, they will want to help others and register as well!
Julie is 27 years old. Originally from Troy, Michigan, she moved to South Florida three years ago. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Grand Valley State University in Michigan. She loves penguins and Pomeranians, and enjoys attending concerts by a wide variety of artists from Tom Petty to Justin Timberlake to Jason Aldean.
Shayne is 42 years old. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he now lives in West Palm Beach with his wife and three dogs. He enjoys electronic music and DJ-ing. In his free time, Shayne produces an online radio show and organizes events throughout South Florida.
