FSU Student Champions Organ Donation

  By Kim Gilmore Dunn Avery Aniskevich has never needed an organ transplant, nor has anyone in her family, but she’s seen their life-changing impact up close. Her father and stepmother have spent their careers saving lives through organ donation. Now, Avery’s stepping up as an ambassador for LifeQuest and Donate Life Florida to help […]

From Vision Loss to Visionary

By Kim Gilmore Dunn Loni Smith is an accomplished artist, author and teacher whose life and career have been profoundly shaped by her battle with vision loss. Despite facing double vision and progressive corneal disease, she continues to find ways to express her creativity and share her ideas with the help of emerging technologies and […]

The Counselor Becomes the Patient

By Kim Gilmore Dunn Siouxniqua Smith, a former U.S. Marine and rehabilitation disability counselor, dedicated her life to guiding others through hardship by encouraging them to embrace a positive outlook and live life fully. Then in 2009, the tables turned after a routine medical exam. “I got a call from the doctor. He said, ‘Your […]

The Day Her Sister Became a Survivor: Nilda Jimenez’s Story of Living Donation

April 2025 October 12, 2023 marked a life-changing moment for the Jimenez family. It was the day they had long prayed for — the day Elaine, beloved sister and grandmother, became a survivor. This miracle was made possible by Nilda Jimenez, who made the selfless decision to donate one of her healthy kidneys to her […]

Story Keeper

April 2025 By Kim Gilmore Dunn If you ask Rob Bellanich about his liver transplant, he will point you to his wife, Lezlee – his caregiver and the unofficial keeper of his story. Lezlee goes to great lengths to preserve the bravery and selflessness that shine through in retelling not only her family’s journey, but […]

Poetry in Motion

January 2025 By Kim Gilmore Dunn, senior public education coordinator It started with a simple yes-or-no question. “The lady from LifeQuest asked if I knew how to fold the American flag,” said Pastor Kenneth Frame, a veteran and parking enforcement technician at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. “I told her yes.” Frame witnessed an Honor Walk — […]

The Value of a Penny

December 2024 By Kim Gilmore Dunn, LifeQuest Senior Public Education Coordinator Jackson Bebiak was a softhearted soul who loved making others laugh. He was best known for his capacity to love, his sensible nature and his passion for video games, cars and music. “Jackson really appreciated the way things used to be,” said his father, […]