My name is Allyson Deak, and I am an organ preservationist at LifeShare Carolinas. Though bittersweet, I will be leaving LifeShare this summer to attend medical school at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. I am forever indebted to LifeShare for challenging me to grow in this direction and for shaping me into the person I am today.

How It All Began

During my undergraduate years at Wake Forest University, I studied philosophy and biology. I knew I had an interest in a healthcare career, but I was unsure what that would look like. To expose myself to different fields, I became an EMT (emergency medical technician) and also spent time shadowing in a pediatric ICU. There, I had my first encounter with organ donation, witnessing a family struggling with losing a loved one and facing the decision of whether to donate. I was moved by the sadness of the situation but also by the chance for new life. This experience piqued my interest in donation and end-of-life decisions, which became the topic of my honors thesis in philosophy.

After graduation, I began working at a free clinic. While there, I had the honor of getting to know a patient with severe heart disease, who had no family to help care for him and no insurance to seek treatment. The volunteer physicians in the clinic worked tirelessly to treat his failing heart, but he ended up needing a heart transplant. This incredibly resilient man renewed my interest in organ donation. Months later, I saw a job posting for LifeShare Carolinas, and I knew I needed to give it a shot. I am grateful every day that I took that leap.

Taking the Leap

I was hired at LifeShare as a tissue recovery coordinator in 2022. On the tissue recovery team, I learned the true meaning of hard work. My first day of cases was nearly 20 hours, and I could not believe the amount of anatomy I learned in 1 day. I had the privilege of being trained by Dan, a longtime LifeShare teammate. He and my manager, Tucker, were instrumental in my success at LifeShare. I also had incredible teammates who encouraged and challenged me every single day.

After about a year, I observed an organ recovery case and learned how different tissue and organ cases are. The tissue team handles the recovery independently with no involvement from physicians or hospital staff in the operating room. On the flip side, the organ team works closely with different providers and surgical teams throughout the recovery. Each role is critical to the function of the team and the success of the case. That collaboration between healthcare providers intrigued me, and I made the decision to transition to the organ preservation team to learn a new side of donation. As part of my job, I often fly to other states to recover hearts for transplant recipients in Charlotte. In one special instance, I was able to see that work come full circle by watching a heart I helped recover get transplanted just a few hours later. It’s experiences like this at LifeShare that have expanded my concepts of healing and saving lives.

As a new organ preservationist, I was inspired by the breadth of knowledge, the willingness to teach, and the level of compassion I observed while working with physicians and transplant surgeons. I knew then that I wanted to become that type of physician myself.

A Bittersweet Transition

This breakthrough led me to start applying to medical school. While I was saddened by the idea of leaving the home I made at LifeShare, I knew my time at LifeShare would help me navigate the application process with confidence and stand out. I shared my journey to LifeShare and the meaningful lessons I learned there. When I made it to the interview stage, the faculty members at each school were deeply curious and amazed by the work we do. They were also impressed with the hands-on surgical skills and anatomical knowledge I gained during my time at LifeShare. The questions asked throughout each interview focused almost entirely on my experience with donation. I shared how powerful it is to work at the intersection of life’s peaks and valleys, and to be able to turn tragedy into hope by giving life to someone else.

I truly believe the people make the place. I have met lifelong mentors and friends throughout my time at LifeShare. It is special to be part of an organization full of people who work every day toward something so much bigger than ourselves. LifeShare has built an amazing culture of growth, where each teammate is constantly striving to refine their skills and knowledge to better serve our community and save more lives.

One of my greatest joys in my role is training new teammates and working alongside them as they build their confidence. The training process is rigorous, and the learning curve is steep. Watching each new teammate grow makes me beam with pride. At LifeShare, the hours are long, but they are always important. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to reflect after a busy day and know how many lives were saved because of our hard work. Being able to interact with donor families and recipients grounds me in the importance of this lifesaving mission. It is indescribable to know that every long shift and sleepless night means the world to someone else.

Taking LifeShare with Me

As a future physician, I know organ, eye, and tissue donation will always have a special place in my heart. I have been able to appreciate the fragility of life in a new way and the healing power of generosity even in the face of overwhelming grief. While I don’t know what type of medicine I will practice yet, I hope to always be intentional about having end-of-life discussions and educating my patients about complex topics like brain death and donation. I plan to keep building on the knowledge and skills LifeShare has taught me throughout my medical education and career. I will care for the whole patient by honoring their wishes and providing exceptional care at every stage of life. I am grateful to have witnessed this level of compassion modeled throughout my time at LifeShare and it’s the standard I will set for myself as a physician.

I hope someday I am lucky enough to cross paths again with LifeShare. But even if my journey as a physician doesn’t lead me there, I will always be a strong advocate for donation.