Medical Conferences
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Pediatric Alliance
April 28 - 30, 2025
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SAWC- Spring
May 01 - 3, 2025
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American Cleft Palate Association (ACPA)
May 06 - 10, 2025
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SCALE Meeting
May 14 - 18, 2025
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Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons Meeting
May 15 - 17, 2025
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Courage. Gratitude. Hope.
These are just a few of the words that tissue recipients share with us on a regular basis. Although every story is unique, each provides a glimpse into the tremendous impact that the life-saving gift of tissue donation has on the healing journey.
Featured Stories
Steve Culver
Title :
The Gift of Service
isDonor :
No
isRecipient :
Yes
Sort order :
Retired military policeman Steve Culver dedicates his active life to service. Serving in the Air Force for over 23 years, Steve and his wife enjoy hiking, camping, traveling with their terrier dog Milo, and teaching self-defense classes in their community. However, when Steve was unexpectedly diagnosed with Type II Diabetes during a routine check-up, he knew his life would drastically change. “I was shocked when I found out, but I was determined to do what was needed to manage my health,” he remembered. Though dieting helped improve Steve's weight, the disease still progressed, resulting in negative changes.
During the wintertime, Steve noticed a small crack in the skin on his left foot. “I didn’t think much of it,” he shared. “I put some on Neosporin, a band-aid, and went about my day.” Instead of healing, the crack became more extensive, leaving an open wound in Steve’s foot. He knew it was time to see a podiatrist. “I was told it was a foot ulcer,” Steve recalled. “I never would have thought that.” He hoped that the use of topical treatment and off-loading – a technique used to take pressure off the foot – would heal his wound, but the ulcer showed no improvement, causing Steve to seek a second opinion with another podiatrist. “We spoke, and eventually, he explained it was time for surgery,” Steve said.
To lower Steve’s cavus foot – a foot with a high arch – his podiatrist scheduled surgery involving donated tissue, including adipose, to flatten the arch and relieve pressure off the wound. The donated gifts would surprisingly be Steve’s second time receiving tissue grafts, following a previous shoulder surgery that used gifted tendon and bone.
Thanks to the donated human tissue, Steve’s foot ulcer is now closed, and he returns to his life of serving others and spending time outdoors. A registered donor and life-long supporter of donation, Steve is eternally grateful for every gift and hopes to serve others in the same way. “I’ve been so blessed to have received your loved one’s gifts,” Steve wrote to his donor family. “When the day comes, I’m glad to know I can one day save and help many people through donation, just like your loved one helped me.”
During the wintertime, Steve noticed a small crack in the skin on his left foot. “I didn’t think much of it,” he shared. “I put some on Neosporin, a band-aid, and went about my day.” Instead of healing, the crack became more extensive, leaving an open wound in Steve’s foot. He knew it was time to see a podiatrist. “I was told it was a foot ulcer,” Steve recalled. “I never would have thought that.” He hoped that the use of topical treatment and off-loading – a technique used to take pressure off the foot – would heal his wound, but the ulcer showed no improvement, causing Steve to seek a second opinion with another podiatrist. “We spoke, and eventually, he explained it was time for surgery,” Steve said.
To lower Steve’s cavus foot – a foot with a high arch – his podiatrist scheduled surgery involving donated tissue, including adipose, to flatten the arch and relieve pressure off the wound. The donated gifts would surprisingly be Steve’s second time receiving tissue grafts, following a previous shoulder surgery that used gifted tendon and bone.
Thanks to the donated human tissue, Steve’s foot ulcer is now closed, and he returns to his life of serving others and spending time outdoors. A registered donor and life-long supporter of donation, Steve is eternally grateful for every gift and hopes to serve others in the same way. “I’ve been so blessed to have received your loved one’s gifts,” Steve wrote to his donor family. “When the day comes, I’m glad to know I can one day save and help many people through donation, just like your loved one helped me.”
Steve Culver
Title :
The Gift of Service
isDonor :
No
isRecipient :
Yes
Sort order :
Retired military policeman Steve Culver dedicates his active life to service. Serving in the Air Force for over 23 years, Steve and his wife enjoy hiking, camping, traveling with their terrier dog Milo, and teaching self-defense classes in their community. However, when Steve was unexpectedly diagnosed with Type II Diabetes during a routine check-up, he knew his life would drastically change. “I was shocked when I found out, but I was determined to do what was needed to manage my health,” he remembered. Though dieting helped improve Steve's weight, the disease still progressed, resulting in negative changes.
During the wintertime, Steve noticed a small crack in the skin on his left foot. “I didn’t think much of it,” he shared. “I put some on Neosporin, a band-aid, and went about my day.” Instead of healing, the crack became more extensive, leaving an open wound in Steve’s foot. He knew it was time to see a podiatrist. “I was told it was a foot ulcer,” Steve recalled. “I never would have thought that.” He hoped that the use of topical treatment and off-loading – a technique used to take pressure off the foot – would heal his wound, but the ulcer showed no improvement, causing Steve to seek a second opinion with another podiatrist. “We spoke, and eventually, he explained it was time for surgery,” Steve said.
To lower Steve’s cavus foot – a foot with a high arch – his podiatrist scheduled surgery involving donated tissue, including adipose, to flatten the arch and relieve pressure off the wound. The donated gifts would surprisingly be Steve’s second time receiving tissue grafts, following a previous shoulder surgery that used gifted tendon and bone.
Thanks to the donated human tissue, Steve’s foot ulcer is now closed, and he returns to his life of serving others and spending time outdoors. A registered donor and life-long supporter of donation, Steve is eternally grateful for every gift and hopes to serve others in the same way. “I’ve been so blessed to have received your loved one’s gifts,” Steve wrote to his donor family. “When the day comes, I’m glad to know I can one day save and help many people through donation, just like your loved one helped me.”
During the wintertime, Steve noticed a small crack in the skin on his left foot. “I didn’t think much of it,” he shared. “I put some on Neosporin, a band-aid, and went about my day.” Instead of healing, the crack became more extensive, leaving an open wound in Steve’s foot. He knew it was time to see a podiatrist. “I was told it was a foot ulcer,” Steve recalled. “I never would have thought that.” He hoped that the use of topical treatment and off-loading – a technique used to take pressure off the foot – would heal his wound, but the ulcer showed no improvement, causing Steve to seek a second opinion with another podiatrist. “We spoke, and eventually, he explained it was time for surgery,” Steve said.
To lower Steve’s cavus foot – a foot with a high arch – his podiatrist scheduled surgery involving donated tissue, including adipose, to flatten the arch and relieve pressure off the wound. The donated gifts would surprisingly be Steve’s second time receiving tissue grafts, following a previous shoulder surgery that used gifted tendon and bone.
Thanks to the donated human tissue, Steve’s foot ulcer is now closed, and he returns to his life of serving others and spending time outdoors. A registered donor and life-long supporter of donation, Steve is eternally grateful for every gift and hopes to serve others in the same way. “I’ve been so blessed to have received your loved one’s gifts,” Steve wrote to his donor family. “When the day comes, I’m glad to know I can one day save and help many people through donation, just like your loved one helped me.”
Steve Culver
Title :
The Gift of Service
isDonor :
No
isRecipient :
Yes
Sort order :
Retired military policeman Steve Culver dedicates his active life to service. Serving in the Air Force for over 23 years, Steve and his wife enjoy hiking, camping, traveling with their terrier dog Milo, and teaching self-defense classes in their community. However, when Steve was unexpectedly diagnosed with Type II Diabetes during a routine check-up, he knew his life would drastically change. “I was shocked when I found out, but I was determined to do what was needed to manage my health,” he remembered. Though dieting helped improve Steve's weight, the disease still progressed, resulting in negative changes.
During the wintertime, Steve noticed a small crack in the skin on his left foot. “I didn’t think much of it,” he shared. “I put some on Neosporin, a band-aid, and went about my day.” Instead of healing, the crack became more extensive, leaving an open wound in Steve’s foot. He knew it was time to see a podiatrist. “I was told it was a foot ulcer,” Steve recalled. “I never would have thought that.” He hoped that the use of topical treatment and off-loading – a technique used to take pressure off the foot – would heal his wound, but the ulcer showed no improvement, causing Steve to seek a second opinion with another podiatrist. “We spoke, and eventually, he explained it was time for surgery,” Steve said.
To lower Steve’s cavus foot – a foot with a high arch – his podiatrist scheduled surgery involving donated tissue, including adipose, to flatten the arch and relieve pressure off the wound. The donated gifts would surprisingly be Steve’s second time receiving tissue grafts, following a previous shoulder surgery that used gifted tendon and bone.
Thanks to the donated human tissue, Steve’s foot ulcer is now closed, and he returns to his life of serving others and spending time outdoors. A registered donor and life-long supporter of donation, Steve is eternally grateful for every gift and hopes to serve others in the same way. “I’ve been so blessed to have received your loved one’s gifts,” Steve wrote to his donor family. “When the day comes, I’m glad to know I can one day save and help many people through donation, just like your loved one helped me.”
During the wintertime, Steve noticed a small crack in the skin on his left foot. “I didn’t think much of it,” he shared. “I put some on Neosporin, a band-aid, and went about my day.” Instead of healing, the crack became more extensive, leaving an open wound in Steve’s foot. He knew it was time to see a podiatrist. “I was told it was a foot ulcer,” Steve recalled. “I never would have thought that.” He hoped that the use of topical treatment and off-loading – a technique used to take pressure off the foot – would heal his wound, but the ulcer showed no improvement, causing Steve to seek a second opinion with another podiatrist. “We spoke, and eventually, he explained it was time for surgery,” Steve said.
To lower Steve’s cavus foot – a foot with a high arch – his podiatrist scheduled surgery involving donated tissue, including adipose, to flatten the arch and relieve pressure off the wound. The donated gifts would surprisingly be Steve’s second time receiving tissue grafts, following a previous shoulder surgery that used gifted tendon and bone.
Thanks to the donated human tissue, Steve’s foot ulcer is now closed, and he returns to his life of serving others and spending time outdoors. A registered donor and life-long supporter of donation, Steve is eternally grateful for every gift and hopes to serve others in the same way. “I’ve been so blessed to have received your loved one’s gifts,” Steve wrote to his donor family. “When the day comes, I’m glad to know I can one day save and help many people through donation, just like your loved one helped me.”
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MTF Biologics is a registered trademark of the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation.
MTF Biologics is a registered trademark of the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation.
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