Story
Celebrating the Gift of Life: The St. John Living Kidney Donor Celebration
Posted on November 24, 2025.
Posted on November 24, 2025.
On Friday, November 14, 2025, the Ascension St. John Foundation and the Ascension St. John Kidney Transplant Program hosted a heartfelt celebration honoring the extraordinary individuals who have given the gift of life through their living donor program.
This special event recognized the courage and true generosity of our living kidney donors whose selfless acts have transformed lives of patients and their families.
The celebration featured inspiring stories from transplant recipients, remarks from transplant team physicians and a presentation to the living donors in attendance.
"Each kidney transplant recipient here this evening carries a story of gratitude that runs deeper than we can ever fully express," said Katie Hallum, event emcee and a transplant recipient herself. "You are proof that compassion and generosity can change lives for recipients, their families and all those around them."
We'd like to recognize the sponsors of the 2025 Ascension St. John Living Donor Celebration. Thank you for your support of this truly vital program:
Gold Level Sponsors:
Silver Level Sponsors:
For more information in giving to the Ascension St. John Kidney Transplant Program or sponsoring the 2026 Living Donor Celebration, please contact us at stjohnfoundation@ascension.org.

Sister M. Therese Gottschalk, SSM, 1931-2020

St. John’s Hospital (renamed Ascension St. John Medical Center) officially opened on February 22, 1926, but its story began nine years before, in 1917.

Ascension St. John awarded more than $15M in health equity-focused grants at their inaugural Legacy of Love Luncheon held Friday, February, 14, 2025. This event brought together community leaders, health equity partners and representatives from each of this year’s 40 grant-receiving organizations to celebrate the catalytic and community-focused activity supported by St. John’s Health Equity Initiative.