A Change of Heart: My Transplant Experience | Thomas Volk | TEDxUWLaCrosse

After surviving cancer in 1997, radiation therapy damaged Tom Volk's heart. Following several years of many different medications and procedures (including surviving flesh eating bacterial infection), Tom eventually had a heart transplant in 2006. This is the story of his journey, especially concentrating on what changed for him physically, emotionally, and spiritually after his heart transplant. Tom talks about many compelling reasons for signing up to become an organ donor and for making sure your family knows your wishes. Tom talks about people he has been able to help and what he has been able to accomplish in the nearly 12 years since his transplant, thanks to an unknown donor and their family. Dr. Tom Volk is a Mycologist studying mushrooms and other fungi at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, where he teaches, among other things, Mycology, Medical Mycology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, 21st Century Mycology, and Latin & Greek for Scientists. TomVolkFungi.net This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@tomvolk3253]

Thanks to everyone for your help to get me through this.

[@michellegarrett2582]

Hi Tom, you still inspire me every day. Thank you for the gift you've given all of us, a reminder to live life joyfully and fully...keep in touch, and you know the welcome mat is always out.

[@susanhawkins3890]

You are so brave& uplifting....thank you,Tom..you could go on a speaking tour. You have a winning personality&s peaking voice as well!

[@Zi687]

❤

[@jadeayon5780]

Outstanding bravery, you’re a very inspirational person. May god bless you. ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@lewis3238]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you're fine and doing well.

[@colelmore]

RIP Tom! The number of people that you have positively impacted over your lifetime is astonishing.

[@nathaliegrall7875]

Thanks for sharing 🙏Our son passed away 3 month ago due to big brain hemoragy aneurism. He was always helping others and he was a very big sportive boy of 17 years old - We gave donation of his organs and we got confirmation that he saved 5 life. (Heart, lungs, liver, kidneys) We hope to receive letters as we live abroad . he had help these people to have a better life and this is important for us. He will continue to shine forever- we miss him so much ♥️

[@ale-zs3jq]

Rest in Peace. You are loved and cherished by many. Thank you, Tom Volk 🍄

[@ejones752]

Rest In Peace Mr. Volk. You were a great person who will be sorely missed!

[@larsenmcfadden2129]

RIP Tom, and FCO 💙

[@genetixgirl1]

I look at the world differently BECAUSE of you. Thank you for telling your story.

[@annsederquist7387]

Tom, you are a gift! I'm so happy to be able to call you friend...for a really long time! I really treasure all the experiences we have shared! Keep inspiring!

[@kmkniu1869]

This will be the 10th anniversary of my heart transplant on Friday. I've had complications which prevented me from going back to life as it was. It's been frustrating at times. It's been painful, especially when my husband died. But above all it has been a gift; getting sick was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I learned that the only thing that matters is our relationships with one another, friends, family, and strangers. It became my mission to love everyone I met unconditionally. Absolutely the best way to spend the years that I have left. 💜

[@rebeccagillis4018]

my ten year heart transplant anniverary was jun 16, 2022!

[@dkbthehammer8921]

@@rebeccagillis4018wow how are you today ?

[@damiettes7140]

That’s an amazing story

[@deedavis1950]

That was an amazing share. Thank you so much! God bless you and your donor.

[@wisdomSP]

Tom was a great person. The world needs more great people. Rest in peace my friend. GO-COLOR-GUARD!

[@sabrinalayton2835]

Thank you for everything, Tom! You're incredible

[@bennovak5827]

Miss ya, Tom

[@lisabaxter7786]

Thanks for teaching and sharing

[@christineshultz7615]

My son, one of a set of triplets, turned 22 on dec 27, 2021. He passed away dec 28, 2021 from a massive brain aneurysm. We donated his organs, it wasn't even a question it was just the right thing to do. On dec 31, 2021 his heart, pancreas and kidneys had recipients waiting. I can't wait to get the letters of all the people he will end up helping. I will miss him every minute of the rest of my life. However, i find comfort knowing he hasn't stopped helping people after his death like he did during his short life.

[@jakilope]

I am so sorry for your loss. My sister died the day after her 23rd birthday last week from an accidental drug overdose. She saved four lives with her organs, including an 11 year old girl who received her heart. Your son and my sister have died as heroes and we can take comfort knowing that they live on in their recipients.

[@christineshultz7615]

@@jakilope yes they will. Of all the bad it's the only good thing to come of the situation. I know people die at various ages. One just never expects it to be your loved ones.

[@jakilope]

@@christineshultz7615 Exactly. You watch this happen to other people, while you're under the illusion that you and your loved ones are invincible. Then it happens, and it's completely surreal. It still doesn't feel real to me. I wish I could bring them both back, Christine. No one deserves for their life to be cut this short.

[@jody024]

RIP Tom Volk.

[@marianwhit]

Candor is wonderful. Helps demystify these difficult experiences.

[@aliasadullah1000]

My Dad had Liver Transplant in 2018 and my elder brother gave his liver to him. I can feel how hard it is! God bless you Tom truly an Inspiration ❤

[@Robebabu]

I always thought I might want to be a student of yours. Good to see that may still be an option!

[@LifeWithMeGinaMarie]

blessings always

[@illsuive]

Thank you

[@suzanneweisskopf-biggs6736]

This is my first video to watch after learning that my cardiologists plan to start prepping me for a heart transplant within the next few months. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@jimmyribshite7092]

Good luck, stay positive!

[@suzanneweisskopf-biggs6736]

@@jimmyribshite7092 thank you very much!

[@mizbee2]

amazing!

[@zsandmann]

RIP

[@lapatria100]

Rest Easy

[@tinacollins9213]

Hope you ok ,

[@dilmasiriwardana9282]

Hi Sir, thank you for sharing a bitter experience in a palatable way for another patient waiting for heart transplant on an alien country. 💟

[@BrunoSantos-kj2ud]

Hi Dilma, still waiting? Hope u recover from your disease

[@dilmasiriwardana9282]

@@BrunoSantos-kj2ud Hi, Yes I'm still waiting for surgery. Haha ,I haven't recovered. On Oxygen continuously. Not working. House bound. How are you doing?

[@BrunoSantos-kj2ud]

@@dilmasiriwardana9282 that sucks... Hope you get the transplant that you need quickly and a much faster recovery. May I ask your condition? The problem with your heart.

[@BrunoSantos-kj2ud]

I have a question. In the video he explains that it's very difficult to find a heart donor because the donor has to be alive, the heart has to be beating. So my question is; how does one find a donor, what are the requirements? someone that's dying of another disease and they extract the organ very quickly? I'm trying to write a story about someone that receives a heart but I didn't knew that the donor had to be "alive" I just taught it had to be like super fresh. Someone that died like in the same day or something like that

[@rachelteske]

Bruno, normally the vital organs are received from a person who was previously healthy but then suffers a tragic accident. Their brain has been injured or without oxygen for a period of time, and the person was placed on life support machines by medical people and tested for brain activity. After thorough tests, it can be determined if they cannot regain consciousness. Then the decision is made to seek the possibility of organ donation of healthy body parts. Their blood is tested for blood type and screened for infectious diseases and other things. This information can be placed into computer databases that match up needs of people who are elsewhere. If a person needing a vital organ is a match and is able to receive the organ, then arrangements are made to have the organ recipients(s) ready with a team of surgeons and the donating person undergoes surgery and the organs are transported quickly to all the places that they are needed. Making our wishes known to family and on our driver license helps to speed this process that gives life at a very tragic time. Often one donor can help several other people. Other organs that we can live without, such as one kidney, part of our liver, or bone marrow are given from people who continue to live. This is a very good question you asked.

[@sabrinalayton2835]

Imagine someone gets in a car crash, and they sustain a brain injury which progresses, and then they're declared brain dead. Their organs can be maintained on life support, but the person is dead. There is no brain function. That person might be able to donate a heart. Any disease or injury where someone ends up brain dead, they might be able to donate those vital organs. I'm also not a doctor!

[@Jillousa]

I'm appalled that the brain dead diagnosis is so ambiguous. There's reports of people who were declared brain dead and about to donate organs only to wake up before the organ harvesting. I'm appalled that an organ donor is worth millions to a hospital. The donor may not get anesthesia just paralytics while they are dissected. Organ donors need better informed consent. Not only that, families are bullied into organ donation. Families have no say in medical care once someone is declared brain dead. Respect for human life has a website to discuss

[@maryannhope8276]

💖

[@AirbrushingtipsNet]

Go color guaaaaaaaaaarrrrrddd!! (Tom will understand this).

[@samgriswold4512]

I always had complications of my heart when I was young at two days old I had open heart surgery then when I was 27 I had an aortic valve replacement and a pacemaker put in it was an artificial valve then the following year I had an infection and it went to the pacemaker it out the valve and the heart and I need a heart transplant I got my heart transplant 2000 to April 4 it has been almost 20 years but I am blind I went blind during the surgery of the heart transplant but from that experience I met my wife and I have three kids

[@aida5931]

Did he say he washes his hands every 20 secs?

[@emmanuelkebede806]

fun guy

[@emelie2717]

that is amazing! eg "Hey do you know Tom? He's a fun guy!"

[@rozacielo7792]

♥

[@derakc.2783]

Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood..."

[@michaelibach9063]

Truth & Life App John 6:54-57 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.