TEAM

Nick Bacino

Kidney Transplant Recipient: “I am a three time kidney transplant recipient, and Help Hope Live has been there to help since the beginning. My family and I understand how difficult the transplant expenses and process can be so I am here to help in any way I can!”

LIKES

Golfing, building Legos, watching sports (especially the Chicago Bears as I am from Illinois), hanging out with friends, and advocating for others who are undergoing similar hardships

Josh Basile, Esq.

SCI Client: "Since becoming paralyzed below my shoulders, I learned firsthand the importance of community and how together we are stronger. Help Hope Live embodies community and brings together the best in all of us to support those needing the most help."

LIKES

Mentoring, public speaking, slingshot golf, sailing, spicy food, family, and being a father

Ian Burkhart

SCI Client: "After having my life flipped upside down due to spinal cord injury, Help Hope Live allowed my family and me to focus on my recovery. I share HHL's mission whenever I peer mentor as it gives an individual's community a tax-deductible method to help those in times of need."

LIKES

Live music, lacrosse, nature, and traveling

Jerry Cahill

Lung, Liver, and Kidney Transplant Recipient: "I am humbled and honored by the unconditional love from my donor families that have given me the gift of life 2 times with 3 organs and the opportunity to continue to make a difference in others peoples lives and continue to pursue my dreams. I honor my donors everyday by staying healthy physically and mentally and passing it on to others."

LIKES

Coaching Track & Field (pole vault/high jump); biking; hiking; volunteering as an advocate for organ awareness, cystic fibrosis, and the rare disease community

Liz Casperite

Living-Donor Kidney Transplant Recipient: "I became a Help Hope Live Ambassador because it is a charity I believe in, that helped my donor and me through my transplant and beyond. I want to help spread awareness so that new people can have the same great experience."

LIKES

I like...fun glasses, fashion, mid century modern decor, natural skincare and advocating for healthcare reform!

Scott Chesney

Scott is a world-renowned motivational speaker, life coach, and consultant to over 1.7 million people in 44 countries. For the last 40 years, Scott has been a paraplegic, the result of a congenital arterio-veinous malformation (AVM) that paralyzed him when he was 15 years old.

LIKES

He enjoys spending time with his two children, traveling the world, experiencing different cultures, spending time in nature, meditating, exercising, adaptive surfing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, and swimming.

Ryan Gebauer

SCI Client: "HHL has allowed me and thousands of individuals to fundraise for quality of life medical equipment and services. I'm grateful to HHL and will continue to educate others on HHL's imperative mission."

LIKES

Auto racing, accessible boating, waterfront restaurants, collaborating with other organizations and educating on real estate

Katrina Golden

SCI Caregiver: "I joined the Help Hope Live community in 2015 after an unexpected ATV accident changed our lives. In a split second, my husband was paralyzed. We needed help with fundraising to cover the cost of his care. I am an event planner, so coming up with fundraising ideas was easy for me but working with the nonprofit Help Hope Live gave me confidence and credibility. I decided to become a Help Hope Live Ambassador so that I can share what I have learned with other caregivers and assure them that there is hope and help through fundraising."

LIKES

The God I serve is my 1st love. I enjoy helping others solve issues or problems; singing, bowling, and traveling.

KJ Henry (Public Figure)

Son of a Transplant Client: “Honored to be an Ambassador for this amazing organization who has blessed so many families including my own. I hope and pray we all can continue to grow this community and be an aid to many more families in this world.”

LIKES

Football, food, movies, golf, gaming

Nicole Henry

Wife of a Transplant Client: Nicole found Help Hope Live after her husband, Keith, needed a kidney transplant in 2022. With mounting bills ahead, Help Hope Live became a win-win cause over choosing GoFundme: a way for others to donate, without penalty. After talking for many years about ourorganization to others, Nicole is now an official member of the Help Hope Live team as an Ambassador.

LIKES

Avid sports mom and wife who loves helping others.

Dani Izzie

SCI Client: "I have been a recipient of Help Hope Live’s services for over a decade. I strive to connect individuals to HHL when they are looking for an avenue of support after having their lives upturned by illness or traumatic injury, knowing well the potential for impact and success."

LIKES

Nature, Italy, off-road handcycling off the beaten paths, and being a mom.

Linda Jara

Heart Transplant Recipient: "I decided to become a Help Hope Live Ambassador because I think transplant patients and others who qualify should take advantage of the fundraising program. I am amazed when people in my position do not fundraise and have excuses for not fundraising when I suggest HHL. The idea was presented to me while I was in the hospital being evaluated for a heart transplant. Yes, it was overwhelming, but it was the best time to wrap my head around the cost of being a transplant candidate and eventual recipient."

LIKES

Rebecca Koltun

SCI Client: "After a skiing accident in 2021 that left me paralyzed from the neck down, I thought my life was over. With the help of fundraising through Help Hope Live, I’ve not only been able to manage the enormous costs that come with a spinal cord injury, but also experience so many extraordinary and beautiful things that I never thought I would be able to do. Everyone we’ve had the pleasure of working with there has been extremely kind, helpful, and instrumental in my journey."

LIKES

Reading, nature, social media, hanging out with friends, and mouth painting.

Rachelle Ledbetter

Double-Lung Transplant Recipient: "If I could give one word of advice to a pre-transplant patient, it would be Help Hope Live. Without their support team to provide ideas and necessary materials for fundraising when I was first listed for a bilateral lung transplant, the out-of-pocket expenses would have been thoroughly daunting. In four years my team has raised over $75,000! And we are not finished. Thank you to my extended family, HHL."

LIKES

My husband and two daughters fill me with joy; my church family gives me hope; Sadie, my companion dog, saved me emotionally; the central coast allows me to breathe deeper; the Dodgers enable this crazy, baseball lady to emerge; meditation and prayer ease my anxiety; audiobooks take me away.

Krishna Lisojo

Mom of an Illness Client: "Help Hope Live came into my life early on when we began fundraising for my son's first intensive therapy program and I've never looked back. Now as an Ambassador, I'm honored to continue spreading the word and supporting other families on their fundraising journey. I look forward to connecting with this community with deep enthusiasm. May all of our challenges transmute themselves into our biggest triumphs."

LIKES

Hiking, volunteering, floral design, and live music.

Kevin J. Lopez

Heart Transplant Recipient: “The reason I love HHL is because of the distance they will go to help someone with fundraising and supporting the process. They made my transplant fundraising easier to deal with without affecting my disability.”

LIKES

I like to exercise, lift weights, and ride my bike for distance, I love fishing, camping, and fixing things.

Joanna McCray

Kidney Transplant Recipient: "I became a part of Help Hope Live community almost seven years ago, and now I'm an Ambassador. Throughout my kidney transplant, Help Hope Live was there for me, helping me with all the assistance I needed with fundraising awesome fundraising!"

LIKES

Cooking, reading, and spending time with my grandchildren and God

Pat McEntee

Heart Transplant Recipient: "Help Hope Live has been a godsend to me and my family as we faced many unexpected bills throughout the course of waiting for, receiving and recovering from my heart transplant. The staff has always treated me as if I were their only client. The Ambassador program allows me to give back to HHL and to share my experiences in the hopes of helping others who may be traveling a similar path."

LIKES

I collect sports cards, enjoy watching sports, particularly baseball and college basketball. Lately, I've been jogging, hiking and biking a lot. I'm grateful to be able to get out and enjoy nature during this pandemic. I set a goal to read 20 books this year; thus far, I've completed 40.

Zinke and Andrew McGeady

Illness Client and Caregiver: Andrew joined the Help Hope Live community in January of 2025 after a devastating accident left his lift-equipped van destroyed. "I experience severe Cerebral Palsy as well as respiratory issues. The absence of transportation left me without means of attending vital medical appointments, the ability to maintain my physical health at the gym and other community based activities. I needed a way to fundraise for a new vehicle, the cost of which was exorbitant. Help Hope Live provided me with a user friendly platform and resources in order to conduct my fundraiser. The fundraiser was so successful, I was able to purchase a new van in April of 2025. I decided to become a Help Hope Live ambassador to spread awareness and show the possibilities and advantages of the organization." Andrew's mom, Zinke, has served on numerous boards and commissions for the past three decades. Until 2021, she worked for a leading support coordination agency contracted by NJ DDD. She continues to be a member of several DMAHS workgroups, and is a certified SHIP Counselor. As a lifelong single parent, she raised three children, including Andrew.

Dylan Mortimer

Double-Lung Transplant Recipient: "My family was sustained by Help Hope Live in the midst of two double lung transplants. I want to offer the hope that was offered to me."

LIKES

I am a full-time artist, and I create artwork about the challenges and joys within my transplant journey. I love spending time with my family, traveling, exercising in a variety of ways to celebrate being alive!

Cynthia Noonan

SCI Client: "I've been using Help Hope Live since 2009 to fundraise for therapies and the tremendous out of pocket costs associated with living with a cervical spinal cord injury. The HHL staff has been so helpful over the years with fundraising guidance and I am thrilled to give back by being an ambassador and helping others in my community connect with this awesome organization!"

LIKES

I'm passionate about health and fitness-both physical and mental.Enjoy spending time in nature, handcycling, kayaking, hiking and hanging out with loved ones. Obsessed with my service dog, Freckle, who brings me so much peace and joy. So many books, so little time! I love reading and listening to books, both fiction and non-fiction. Enjoy my work at BORP Adaptive sports as the fitness manager.

Doug Parisano

Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient: "Help Hope Live is an amazing resource when medical issues cause a financial burden. It's the best way to give and receive help, plus all the wonderful people."

LIKES

Cars, family and friends, helping people achieve goals and travel.

Robinson Family

Parents of Illness Clients: "We have joined the HHL community to get my twins the extra support they need to live the best quality of life. Right now, our main goal is to get a Trexo Robotics for our son, Zack, because he is unable to walk due to his catastrophic illness. Since my twins were born, I have wanted to find a way to be a light for other people when they enter the darkness. HHL does that."

LIKES

Jeffrey: Auburn football & fishing; Trish: Baking cookies, raising money for my kids; Dale: Goats, water & his 4-wheeler; Zack: Piano, water & working hard to reach new goals.

Kristen Sachs

SCI Caregiver: "Help Hope Live has assisted my family in managing the enormous cost of living life with a spinal cord injury. I chose to become an Ambassador because I want to help others who have experienced a life-changing injury—I want to be able to guide them to a reliable organization that can help during a very difficult time."

LIKES

Writing, crocheting, spending time with my family, leading by example, learning something new every day, and sipping red wine.

Amy Sherwood

Illness Client: "Living with multiple medical conditions, including PTSD, taught me how heavy silence can be and how isolating it feels to believe you must carry everything alone. For a long time, I struggled and survived without asking for help, convinced that no one cared and my pain was something I should endure on my own. When I found Help Hope Live everything shifted. From the very beginning, they didn’t see my diagnoses or limitations; they saw me. I was met with compassion instead of judgment and was welcomed into a space where I could finally breathe, trust, and feel safe. Their unwavering support gives me the opportunity to fundraise for my medical needs not covered by insurance, turning what once felt unreachable into reality. With my service dog, Dolly Pawton, walking beside me, I’ve learned a truth that continues to shape my life: asking for help is not weakness. It is courage, and a powerful reminder that everyone is worthy of support. Becoming an Ambassador is an honor because it allows me to share that truth with others who feel unseen, unheard, or afraid to ask for help. Help Hope Live is more than a nonprofit, it is a lifeline filled with compassion, dignity, and human connection. They restore hope when it feels lost, offer strength when it feels depleted, and hold space for vulnerability without fear or shame. I’m proud to stand with such an amazing organization that truly changes lives, stepping in where insurance falls short."

LIKES

Spending time with my service dog Dolly Pawton, teaching her new tricks and showing people that anything is possible with hard work and a little help.

Lauren Shevchek

SCI Client: "Help Help Live has been there every step of the way in my SCI journey. I thank God for their support, compassion, and camaraderie, which they have used to uplift me and my family in our fundraising efforts! Their knowledge about fundraising and commitment to helping clients is truly unmatched. Living with spinal cord injury is far from easy, but Help Hope Live is an incredible asset for lightening the load!"

LIKES

God, singing, quality time with family & friends, wine flights, reading a good book, spending time in nature.

Bill Soloway

Heart Transplant Recipient: "There's no better way to honor my donor James, then to give back and help others through their transplant journey."

LIKES

Road, Trail and High Wheel bicycle riding. Being an Ambassador for Organ Donation. Helping others.

David and Sharon Talkington

Illness Client and Caregiver: "We joined Help Hope Live in 2016 to raise funds for a handicap accessible van that we needed due to Dave's rare disease hypophosphatasia, which impacts his joints and bones. HHL has been a wonderful support system and tool. We are honored by the opportunity to share our journey as Ambassadors to help connect others in the catastrophic illness community to needed support!"

LIKES

David: technology, books, music, family, and God. Sharon: medical journals, rare disease advocacy, blogging, crocheting, family, God.

Melissa Tuff

Awaiting Second Kidney Transplant: "Without the support of Help Hope Live, I would have never been able to raise the funds necessary to be waitlisted for a life-saving kidney transplant. Every chance I get, I sing their praises and share their mission with others in need of fundraising assistance due to catastrophic illness or injury."

LIKES

Crafting, reading, volunteering, hiking, swimming, concerts and traveling

Dianne Vitkus

SCI Client: "The disabled community is one of the strongest groups of people I never thought I would get to know so personally. It is a privilege to be amongst them and a privilege to give back to them."

LIKES

Adaptive fitness/sports, spending time with friends and family, volunteering in the community, mental health, nature, food, documentaries, and audiobooks.

Stephanie and Kelson Williams (and Gus)

Illness Client and Caregiver: "This is truly a village if I ever met one. I would love nothing more than to connect you with this incredible national nonprofit."

Greg Wright

Heart Transplant Recipient: "Greg Wright received a donor heart on 2/27/20 at HUP in Philadelphia. He is grateful to the donor's family for the ultimate gift of life. Greg is enjoying retirement at his Lititz, PA home after nearly three decades of service in college athletic media relations."

LIKES

Walking his pet golden retriever, Clementine; reading; travel; rooting for the Buffalo Bills and St. Bonaventure Bonnies; watching sports (mainly hockey, golf and soccer); online get-togethers twice weekly with immediate family.