Christine Paul

As a family engagement manager in the organ donation field, my work is deeply personal and meaningful. My journey began in 2014 when my brother passed away and became an organ donor, saving three lives. That experience led me to volunteer, wanting to be part of something bigger to help other families understand what organ donation is. What truly drove me to make this my lifelong career was receiving a heart transplant five years ago, making me an organ recipient myself. In my role, I handle correspondences between donor families and recipients. I can write to my donor family thanking them for giving me the opportunity to see another day and acknowledging how difficult it must have been to make that decision while losing someone so close to them. As a manager, I oversee aftercare services, ensuring letters go between donor families and recipients, and helping families when they're ready to meet. Every letter I read, every correspondent, every family that calls me - my job is way more than a job. My kids don't even understand how I do this without crying all the time, but I know how important it is and how beautiful the gift of life is. I've been blessed to share my story in People Magazine and on the Tamron Hall show, and I'm working on a podcast to have conversations with young women and mothers dealing with heart issues, helping them navigate systems and health insurance. My plan for the future is to become more of a public speaker, helping others navigate this journey.