2021 Bounce Back Winner - Jim Gleason
In 1992 Jim Gleason was told a virus had attacked his heart, and if the medication doctors prescribed him did not work, he would need a heart transplant. Jim spent two years taking the medication before he became exhausted and could function in his daily life. After returning to his cardiologist, he was told his injection fraction was down in the mid-teens and that he had two years to live. Then it was hospital policy for transplant candidates to remain in the hospital while on the transplant waitlist. So Jim waited in the hospital for either his death or someone else to die in just the right way to save his life. After weeks of waiting, Jim received a call from his transplant coordinator as he sat on the hospital floor in his pajamas, she told Jim they had found a heart, and he would receive his life-saving transplant! In 1994 Jim was given his second chance at life with his heart transplant. Jim was back to work in 3 months and is now 28 years out from his transplant.
Jim felt a strong urge to say thank you for the gift of life his incredible donor and his family gave to Jim, so he immediately began giving back to the transplant community! Jim started to visit transplant recipients and candidates at his five local transplant centers. He ran the local Second Heart Transplant Support Group, organizing support groups and workshops and personally circulating a self-published heart transplant newsletter. Jim has competed in ten Transplant Games of America, helping to inspire others to lead a healthy and active lifestyle post-transplant. Jim hopes to inspire others by sharing his story of a successful transplant with the community and helping others feel young again.
Jim has many accolades and accomplishments, to name them all, but to highlight a few, Jim and his wife Pam (A donor mother) have organized and run workshops and speaking events across the country to educate on transplantation and organ donation. Jim co-founded TRIO’s Philadelphia Chapter in 1996 and served as Transplant Recipients International Organization’s (TRIO) international president for 12 consecutive years. Jim has been a vital member of the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) Board of directors working to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation. Jim has authored two books all about his transplant journey and puts a lot of time into transplant education and raising money to help run programs all over the United States.
We are highly honored to acknowledge Jim as one of our 2021 Bounce Back Winners.
