Living Liver Foundation

06/01/2025

You're invited to the fourth annual Living Donor Awareness Night at Jimmy John's field in Utica, Michigan on Friday night, June 27 as the Westside Woolly Mammoths take on the Utica Unicorns at 7:05 p.m.

With 2,400 Michigan residents waiting for a kidney or liver, living organ donation helps fill the gap between then number of deceased donor organs available each year and those in need.

In 2024, 145 living kidney or living liver transplants were completed in Michigan. Sponsored by the Living Liver Foundation and Henry Ford Health, the Night will honor living donors and medical professionals, share information about living donation and inspire others to consider donation.

The game will be followed by a great fireworks display.

We have some new twists this year.

-Before the game, Henry Ford Health and the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan will staff information tables where fans attending the game can learn more about living donation. Living donors are encouraged to stop by the Henry Ford Health table to enter the prize drawing and pick up a commemorative baseball hat to wear during the game.

- During the first pitch, State Senator Joe Bellino will throw to his brother-in-law Chuck Piotrowski. Joe donated one of his kidneys to Chuck at Henry Ford Hospital in 2024.

- Before the game begins, the medical team from Henry Ford's Center for Living Donation will take the field to be introduced and recognized for their contributions to the health of so many.

- Between two innings, we'll welcome three state law makers who have passed (or are currently working on) legislation to reduce barriers to living donation in Michigan. These include State Senator Kevin Hertel, former State Representative Felicia Brabec and State Senator Joe Bellino.

- Between two innings, we'll honor a recent altruistic living donor and hear her story. Michelle Doerr, a Michigan State Mom, donated a kidney to Michigan State junior Liam Clegg.

- During the game, all living donors in attendance will be asked to stand and be honored as the game's hometown heroes. In addition, all living donors will participate in a prize drawing.

Tickets are available from $7-$20. Purchase at uspbl.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 248-759-5278.

Parking is free.

Hope to see you there!

05/08/2025

A triple play is rare in baseball. But there’s one that happens every time you have a catch: connection, kindness, and activity.

The first annual National "Wanna Have A Catch Day" this Saturday, May 10 on the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa celebrates this powerful trio—and honors those who give life through living organ donation.

17 people die every day waiting for a kidney or a liver transplant. But with living donors, more lives are saved. Each toss in the game of catch reflects generosity. Each return is a new beginning. And having a catch? It gets us moving—fighting back against the conditions that cause kidney and liver failure.

Whether you’re in Iowa at the Field of Dreams movie site or your own backyard—join us. Raise awareness. Play catch. Honor living organ donors. And help us bring the transplant waiting list to zero.

Post photos or videos of you having a catch with someone you love on May 10 with our special hashtag

Celebrate National Wanna Have A Catch Day with Dwier Brown (John Kinsella in Field of Dreams) on May 10, 2025 to honor living organ donors and their tremendo...

03/18/2025

With the first MLB game of the season in the books with the Dodgers beating the Cubs 4-1 in Tokyo, it’s time for us to announce the first of many 2025 Living Donor Awareness Games.

We will be hitting MLB, MiLB and college baseball stadiums across the nation honoring, educating and inspiring about living organ donation.

We are pumped to have the Cincinnati Reds kick off the year by hosting the 3rd Annual Living Donor Awareness Game on Friday, April 11.

The Reds take on the Pirates at 6:40 pm on National Living Donor Day with pre-game festivities highlighting two incredible and inspiring living donor pair stories.

As MLB’s oldest franchise, it’s only appropriate they are the first event of the season.

We would love to have you join us at Great America Ball Park!

https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/livingliverfoundation25

Living Liver Foundation
Transplant Life Foundation
Team Ohio 4 Life

4/11/25 @ 6:40 PM - The Living Liver Foundation

09/13/2024

Just 37 days until the Detroit Free Press Marathon!

It is one of Living Liver Foundation’s key fundraisers for the year.

2 ways to help us in this event.

1. Make a donation to support me individually as I run the 13.1 miles of the half marathon over the Ambassador Bridge, under the Detroit River in the tunnel and across the finish line near Campus Martius.

https://www.givengain.com/project/david-raising-funds-for-living-liver-foundation-83532

2. If you or your friends are running in any of the races that weekend, we are an official charity partner and would love to have you join our team in our fundraising efforts!

Select us as your charity partner and have fun racing and raising funds for a good cause.

Let’s go!

On November 25, 2019, my brother-in-law, Mark Dybis, saved my life by courageously stepping forward to become my living liver donor as I entered end stage liver disease as a result of a rare auto-immune disease, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC).In February of 2022, my wife, Lynn, and I launched....

07/22/2024

A glorious summer night in Louisville celebrating our inaugural Living Donor Awareness Game on July 19!

Thank you Hana Ibrahim and the Louisville Bats for your incredible support of the evening! We look forward to coming back in 2025 and taking the event to the next level!

Thank you Mulligans Living Kidney Donors ( MLKD ) and LeighAnn Saylor for your amazing work. It was a joy collaborating! What great work you are doing as we go after zero wait list!

Thank you living donors and transplant medical professionals for your respective roles in giving us transplant recipients a second chance at life.

YOU. ARE. AWESOME!

Next stop for our Living Donor Awareness Game 2024 tour is with the Cincinnati Reds on August 30!

If you’d like to bring one to your area, let us know!

Living Liver Foundation
Louisville Bats

07/10/2024

Grateful for all my special moments at the 2024 Transplant Games of America in Birmingham, Alabama! Excited for one more this evening at the Farewell Ceremony as we bring this Games to a close.

Thank you living donors, you are our angels on earth and our heroes! Special shout out to my living donor, my brother-in-law, Mark Dybis.

Thank you donor families for your dedication to organ transplantation as we honor your loved ones who live on and create special moments for their recipients.

Thank you transplant medical professionals for sharing your talents every day to save the lives of those in need of an organ.

I loved connecting with friends again from the 2022 Games and having amazing conversations with so many new friends this year as we share stories, create special moments and get excited about 2026!

I loved having the opportunity to share our story during the opening ceremony building awareness about living organ donation and making plans with so many of you looking to collaborate to bring a Living Donor Awareness Game to your baseball team in your area.

Finally, I loved spending the week with my wife, Lynn. You are an amazing partner in our transplant journey!

While I thoroughly enjoy competing in the Games, the special moments with others and paying the gift of life forward is what these Games are all about!

Thank you Transplant Life Foundation for all you do to make an incredible impact in the transplant community.

07/08/2024

A fun opening weekend at the 2024 Transplant Games of America in Birmingham, Alabama!

Dave had the opportunity to speak at the Opening Ceremony at Legacy Arena amplifying the message of living organ donation, honor living donors and highlight our work at the Living Liver Foundation to eventually get to zero wait list.

Inspired by the incredible people in this community sharing their stories, giving recipients a second chance at life and celebrating special moments together.

Here’s to a great week ahead. Dave is competing in track and field tomorrow after winning a silver medal in the 5k on Saturday.

Lynn is advancing the mission through volunteering at the Games at the Lyrics for Life and Pickleball competitions.

Team Michigan
Transplant Life Foundation

06/28/2024

Great day for our Living Donor Awareness Game at Jimmy John’s Field!

Awesome story on 19-year old Conner McKenzie on FOX 2 Detroit last night. His life was saved by anonymous liver donor! How amazing!

And, a living liver donor meets their recipient for the first time tonight at the game!

Let’s celebrate and honor these amazing heroes and angels on earth!

Henry Ford Health
United Shore Professional Baseball League
Living Liver Foundation
Transplant Life Foundation
Team Michigan
National Kidney Foundation

"I'm forever grateful. He saved my life and gave me a second chance," said 19-year-old Conner MacKenzie. "I'm not going to waste it."

06/27/2024

Fired up for the Living Liver Foundation 3rd Annual Living Donor Awareness Game in partnership with Henry Ford Health this Friday, June 28 at 7:05 pm at Jimmy John’s Field.

Enjoyed chatting with Tom Jordan and Kevin Dietz earlier today on WJR Radio about the events of the evening. Would love to see you there to help honor our living donor heroes!

https://wjr-late-mornings.simplecast.com/episodes/jimmy-johns-field-hosts-the-living-donor-awareness-baseball-game-WDd1Lu11

United Shore Professional Baseball League

June 26, 2024 ~ This Friday, Jimmy John's Field will lost the 3rd annual Living Donor Awareness baseball game. Dave Galbenski, Co-Founder of Living Liver Foundation, previews the game with Kevin and Tom.

06/22/2024

We'd love to see you at the third annual Living Donor Awareness Game at Jimmy John's Field on Friday night, June 28.

We host this event with Henry Ford Health to honor living donors, educate the public about living donation and inspire more donation.

https://livingliver.org/living-donor/

Henry Ford Health
Team Michigan
United Shore Professional Baseball League
Transplant Life Foundation

PIctured above: Dr. Marwan Abouljoud celebrates the meeting of altruistic living kidney donor Lindsey Dryden (right) with kidney transplant recipient Cynthia Williams (left). They met for the first time on the field.