World Blood Donor Day is a reminder that access to donation should be rooted in inclusion. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration updated its blood donor screening guidelines, moving away from policies based on sexual orientation and instead focusing on individual health history and risk assessment for every donor equally. That means many LGBTQIA individuals who were previously unable to donate may now be eligible under the same standards as everyone else. Organizations like Hoxworth Blood Center, Kentucky Blood Center, and the American Red Cross have adopted these updated guidelines, helping create a more inclusive donation process while continuing to protect the blood supply. One blood donation can help save multiple lives, and expanding access to blood donation helps strengthen the supply for patients who depend on it every day, including transplant recipients. Learn more: 🔗 hoxworth.org/donors/lgbtq.ht… 🔗 kybloodcenter.org 🔗 redcross.org/give-blood

For years, Sister Keli had accepted what she thought was her reality. Then a conversation with her doctor changed everything. Sister Keli and Stephanie Bates join This Thing Called Life to share their stories of perseverance, friendship,  faith and the power of hope. 🎧 Tune in for the full story. Episode drops Tuesday.

Recently, we had the opportunity to present checks to the winning teams from our High School Challenge! 🏆 For Most Activities, @Seneca_High was awarded $1,000. Kimberly Justice, their advisor, was recognized as a Standout Advisor and received an iPad. 📝 For Most Registrations, the SODA Chapter at @WarrenCoCareer was awarded $500. 📱 For being a Social Media Standout, @PrestonsburgHS was awarded $500. Congratulations again to these schools and every school that participated in our High School Challenge!

What does legacy mean to you? 💚 In this Mini Mic conversation, artist and advocate @Siri_Imani Siri reflects on the impact of legacy — the stories, love, and ripple effects that continue far beyond our time here. Legacy isn’t only about what we accomplish. Sometimes, it’s the hope, healing, and second chances we leave with others. Share what legacy means to you in the comments.

What does legacy mean to you? 💚 In this Mini Mic conversation, artist and advocate Siri Imani Siri reflects on the impact of legacy — the stories, love, and ripple effects that continue far beyond our time here. Legacy isn’t only about what we accomplish. Sometimes, it’s the hope, healing, and second chances we leave with others. Share what legacy means to you in the comments.

We’re back with another episode of Organ Donation in Pop Culture! An honor walk featured in The Pitt… but how accurate is it really? 🎬 ⬇️ What should we review next? A show, movie or book scene? Let us know in the comments.

Thank you to our Donate Life Ambassadors, led by Mrs. Kentucky, Taylor Sang-Bush, who completed the senbazuru today: the act of folding 1,000 paper cranes. In Sang-Bush's culture, these beautiful cranes are a symbol of longevity, so to fold 1,000 paper cranes is an act of prayer for an ill loved one to recover. Our Ambassadors folded the cranes for our fellow Kentuckians who are currently waiting for their life-saving organ transplant. Sang-Bush plans to deliver these cranes later this summer to those waiting patients.

We want to hear from you! What does hope mean to you? 📞 Comment below or click the link to record your anonymous message: networkforhope.org/voh/

A lot of people get scared by this myth, but doctors do not know your donor status during care, and saving your life is always the priority. Learn more at NetworkforHope.org. 💙💚

Registration is officially OPEN for Camp Hi-Hope! 💙 Camp Hi-Hope gives children ages 6–12 who have experienced loss a space to connect, laugh, heal, and simply be kids alongside others who understand. 📍 Louisville, KY 🗓️ Aug. 15 ⏰ 9 a.m.–4 p.m. EST Free transportation is available for Cincinnati-area families. Register by Aug. 3: form.jotform.com/26132472287…

Conversations that can save, heal, and change lives. 💈💚 Join us for our Barbershop Talk Series on June 24 in Huntington, West Virginia. The afternoon will include free health screenings, lunch, and a special conversation with liver recipient Dr. Erik Carter. Tag someone in your life who would benefit from being there. 📍 Bryant & Co. Barbershop 416 9th St., Huntington, WV 🗓 Wednesday, June 24, 2026 ⏰ 3:30 p.m.

Through our partnership with the @Reds we were proud to place these patches into the hands of fans during Donate Life Month, helping spark conversations about courage, legacy, and the life-saving impact of donation. Shoutout to the Tealtown Titans for rocking these patches on their uniforms this summer! ⚾️ Good luck in the tournament! Some legacies never stop making an impact. Hope lives on through the people who inspire it. #Jackie42

The phone rings. A mother gets more time. A child gets a future. A family gets hope again. A legacy lives on.  Hope is on the line. This is Voices of Hope. A campaign rooted in the moments that connect strangers, change lives, and remind us how powerful one decision can be. Click the link to learn more and leave a message of hope: networkforhope.org/voh/ #VoicesofHope #NetworkforHope

Congratulations to our three Donate Life Scholarship winners from Ohio: Trevor Banks at @WarrenCoCareer, Anna Ressler at @miamiuniversity, and Isabel Strasser at @CinStateCollege. Each winner received a $1,000 scholarship for their future endeavors based on demonstrating a connection and/or advocacy for organ, tissue, and eye donation and transplantation. We are proud to support individuals doing important work in their community and to assist them in their success.

Thank you to, @HoxworthUC, for featuring our very own Shell Meyers, Tissue Recovery Coordinator, in a video explaining why she supports blood donation and the impact that tissue donation also has. [This was filmed during our February Blood Drive at our Cincinnati location, but recently released by Hoxworth.]

“Within eight hours, I had a cornea on the way, and I was in surgery. I just think, what if I never got that lucky? It was a miracle.” — Jaylynn Parker, Cornea Recipient

🏳️‍🌈 Pride means showing up for one another, in community, in support, and in hope. You can register as an organ donor, receive a transplant, and save lives regardless of your sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. This Pride Month, we’re honoring unity and the strength of our communities across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Whether you're celebrating at Cincinnati, Kentuckiana, or Lexington Pride Festivals, we’re with you in spirit and support. 💛 Register to be a donor today: networkforhope.org

Dr. Monique Goldschmidt, pediatric transplant hepatologist and associate director of the Intestinal Transplant Program at @CincyChildrens , joins This Thing Called Life. 🎧 “They deserve a full life, not just survival.” Hear why helping children thrive is what gives Dr. Mo purpose every single day. 🎧 Full episode drops tomorrow!

Celebrate Kentucky’s birthday from when they became a member of the Union. 💙 Kentucky pride runs deep, but the gift of life knows no borders. In 1992, Kentucky became the first state in the country to ask the donation question at the driver’s license agencies and later established what is now known as Donate Life Kentucky Trust. Since then, more than 2.5 million Kentuckians have registered as organ donors, helping save and heal lives across the country. At the Kentucky State Capitol, the Donor Memorial stands as a tribute to donor heroes and the families behind every lifesaving gift. We’re proud to serve all 120 counties across the Commonwealth and continue this mission together. Learn more or register your decision at networkforhope.org. 💚

Also, shout-out to @LEX18News for it's wonderful coverage last week of the Team Kentucky members heading to the Transplant Games in Denver soon!