Gift Of Life Michigan And State Leaders Launch Urgent Donor Sign-Up Drive As Transplant Recipients Appeal

Cynthia Neeley Joins Flint Leaders In Push For Organ Donation After Donating kidney

USA: Mayor Sheldon Neeley joined members of the Gift of Life Michigan Coalition, transplant advocates and recipients for a city proclamation in Flint that elevates organ donation as a public health priority. State Representative Cynthia Neeley, who donated a kidney to her sister, helped lead the event and urged residents to register as organ donors to expand access to lifesaving transplants.

Gift of Life Michigan announced a formal partnership with the city to boost community outreach. Coalition leader Shalanda Griffin described the initiative as focused on education, awareness and rebuilding trust around transplantation in Flint. City public health manager Sherri Ward emphasized that increasing registrations must be matched by honest family conversations and accessible information about donation.

liver transplant recipient Dominique Weatherspoon and heart transplant recipient Devin Addington attended as demonstrable evidence of donation’s impact. Both recipients credited transplantation with restoring health and said they view their recoveries as motivation to honor donors and encourage others to consider donation.

The proclamation and partnership aim to translate local advocacy into more registered donors and stronger community engagement with organ and tissue transplantation. Organizers say the effort is rooted in Flint’s resilience and seeks to make donor registration, family dialogue and transplant education part of broader public-health work in the city.

Video originally published on 2026-04-16 05:00:24