The News Room
Welcome to Infinite Legacy's News Room! We appreciate your interest in sharing stories and information about the lifesaving power of donation and transplantation. Below you will find statistics and facts about donation, as well as suggested terminology and language to use.
We are always here to connect you with medical experts, transplant recipients, and/or family members of organ, eye, tissue, in-spirit or research donors to interview for your story.
For media inquiries, please email us at mediarelations@infinitelegacy.org or call 410-242-7000 and ask to speak with the media relations & communications coordinator.
Infinite Legacy in the News!
Mom donates a kidney to save her son born with kidney disease
February 14, 2024
WESTMINSTER, Md. — Two-and-a-half-year old Hank Shockney exudes a happy, bubbly personality as he plays with his stuffed Bluey and smiles at his three older siblings. But life did not start out happy or bubbly for this spunky toddler.
HEART OF CARROLL HEROES
December 4, 2023
Carroll Magazine - Westminster resident Jessica Shockney learned early in her pregnancy with her fourth child that there was a problem. Tests showed he had a lower urinary tract obstruction. When son Hank was born on July 22, 2021, he had underdeveloped lungs and was in end-stage renal failure.
I am grateful for the gifts my daughter gave
December 10, 2023
The Star Democrat - On a stormy night in July 2022, my daughter died after a car accident. Catherine was the light of my life and the life of the party. At 19 years old, she was about to start her sophomore year at Towson University. A true social butterfly, she had so many friends, it was hard to keep track sometimes. There wasn’t a person she met who didn’t love her.
Hundreds of families run together at Camden Yards to raise awareness for organ donations
October 29, 2023
CBS BALTIMORE - Infinite Legacy's 15th Annual Donate Life Family Fun Run brought hundreds of families together at Camden Yards to celebrate the lifesaving gift of organ and tissue donation.
"This is just our way to honor him every year," said Johan Abdolahi, the wife of an organ donor.
Moving for life | the event happening this weekend you can be part of
October 27, 2023
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The 15th Annual Donate Life Family Fun Run is happening this weekend at Camden Yards, and we are bringing some of that movement to the studio.
Tisha Guthrie, organ recipient and Zumba instructor at the event, joined the FOX45 Morning News team to share her story, and a couple moves.
How a mom's lifesaving organ donation to daughter is inspiring others
August 31, 2023
NBC4 Washington - Nearly 30% of people waiting for organ donations are Black, but a much smaller percentage of donors are Black. During National Minority Donor Awareness Month, News4’s Jummy Olabanji talks to a mother and daughter inspiring others to give the gift of life.
How Two Mothers Found Healing with Organ Donation
July 2023
Washington Family Magazine - Death is never an easy topic to discuss, especially with children, but one mother was surprised by her daughter's reaction when she found her organ donor card.
How Two Mothers Found Healing with Organ Donation
July 2023
Baltimore's Child Magazine - Death is never an easy topic to discuss, especially with children, but one mother was surprised by her daughter's reaction when she found her organ donor card.
Morris Murray’s life was saved by an organ transplant. He wants others in the LGBTQ community to know they offer hope.
June 30, 2023
The Baltimore Banner - Morris Murray knows that without the liver transplant he received in 2012, he would be dead.
At the time, Morris had liver cancer and liver failure due to years of toxic medications that he took as a result of living with HIV and Hepatitis C, which he was diagnosed with in 1987.
Family hopes girl's priceless gift will inspire others to become organ donors
May 29, 2023
WBAL — A 10-year-old Maryland girl who is beating the odds thanks to a heart transplant is encouraging others to give the gift of life.
When Josh and Joanna Billigmeier adopted their daughter, Paisley, they didn't know how much time they'd have with her.
Infinite Legacy hosts donor ceremony of remembrance
April 23, 2023
WMAR2 BALTIMORE — Thousands of people donate organs and tissue to others, but not many of them get the opportunity to be celebrated.
"Since I can't really say thank you to my own, you know my donor, at least I can say thank you to the donors here today and their families."
Organ transplant recipients and donors celebrate the gift of life at Goucher College event
April 23, 2023
CBS Baltimore - There are more than 4,000 people across Maryland and in the Washington, D.C., area who are waiting for an organ transplant.
On Sunday, transplant recipients and their organ donors were celebrated during an event at Goucher College.
Organ donation: Life-giving gifts
April 19, 2023
WYPR - There are about 28-thousand organ transplants annually in the US. How does organ donation work? We hear from Carmen Blake, mother of organ donor Tim Blake, and Phyllis Weissblum, who received Tim's heart in November, 2019. The two women have forged a friendship.
GET UPLIFTED: DC native survives and thrives after triple organ transplant
March 29, 2023
WUSA9 — This story of survival and generosity is helping us feel uplifted. A D.C. native underwent a rare medical procedure and survived.
Apu Patel, 48, is living proof that organ donors save lives. He was the 20th triple transplant recipient in the U.S.
"Gift of Life" recipient shares how Infinite Legacy is helping others like her
March 13th 2023
Fox Baltimore - When a person accepts the responsibility of becoming an organ donor, they are making life possible for many people who are in severe medical need. Lady T is joined by Donna Pierce, a tissue donation recipient, who shares how organ donation has changed her life.
Infinite Legacy raises organ donation awareness in DMV
March 8, 2023
Fox Baltimore - Becoming an eye, tissue, and organ donor is more than a yes or no question on a driver's license application. The implications of one's organ donor status are huge and can save the lives of many.
Sierr'a Alban and Pam Howard on how being a donor can save lives
February 13, 2023
CBS Baltimore - When Alban and Howard respectively lost their children, they made the decision to donate their loved ones organs. Hear their stories for National Donor Day.
Committed to the Cause Tissue Recipient Educates, Leads to Help Save and Heal Lives
January 26, 2023
The Afro-American - Ieesha Johnson can relate to organ, eye and tissue donation from a first-hand perspective.
Organ procurement organizations merge to become Infinite Legacy
January 18, 2023
The Daily Record - The Baltimore-based Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland (The LLF) and Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) Wednesday announced its merger to become Infinite Legacy, an organ procurement organization (OPO) serving nearly 10 million people in Maryland, northern Virginia and Washington.
News Releases
Scott Hartranft Named CFO of Infinite Legacy
Infinite Legacy, the local nonprofit organ procurement organization (OPO), is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Hartranft as vice president and chief financial officer. With more than 25 years of professional experience, Scott recently served as the chief financial officer and treasurer at Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) in Washington, DC and at the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) prior to that.
GrandView Transplant Featured on Smithsonian Channel Docuseries “On The Fly: Adventures At Altitude”
GrandView Transplant, a leading provider of nationwide transplant transportation services, is proud to announce its upcoming feature on the new Smithsonian Channel docuseries "On the Fly: Adventures in Altitude." The segment focuses on the collaboration between surgeons from the University of Maryland Medical Center and experts from GrandView Transplant and Infinite Legacy, an organ procurement organization (OPO).
Two Mid-Atlantic Organ Procurement Organizations Officially Merge to Become Infinite Legacy
Earlier this month, The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland (The LLF) and Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) officially merged to become Infinite Legacy.
Infinite Legacy to Launch in January 2023
Today leadership at The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland (The LLF) and Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) proudly announced that the new name of our combined organ procurement organization (OPO) will be Infinite Legacy.
Two Leading Mid-Atlantic Organ Procurement Organizations Announce Merger
Washington Regional Transplant Community and The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland will serve over 9 million people in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.
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"The Decision Project" Receives Trademark
"The Decision Project," an initiative started by The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland in 2016, was officially trademarked through the US Patent and Trademark Office, which allows the project to continue its mission of fighting health inequity in the community.
