Courtesy photo
A Decade of Gratitude and Advocacy
NJ Sharing Network
On February 11, 2014, Jared Wohl, then 27, donated 65 percent of his liver to his younger brother, Cameron, then 24, who was battling primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare autoimmune disease impacting the bile ducts of the liver, via a living donor transplant. The successful transplant marked the beginning of a new chapter for both brothers, who continue to advocate for organ and tissue donation awareness and education.
In a heartfelt celebration of the 10th anniversary of their lifesaving liver transplant, co-founders of The Wave SetCameron and Jared Wohl of Little Falls and Livingston, NJ, have announced a philanthropic contribution of $10,000 to the Sharing Network Foundation. This gift will support the newly established Joseph S. Roth Simulation Center, a state-of-the-art training facility at NJ Sharing Network’s (NJSN’s) headquarters. The Simulation Training Center is crucial for enhancing the education and training of healthcare professionals, ensuring they are well-equipped to manage organ and tissue donors and support families, ultimately helping to save more lives.
“Contributing to the Simulation Training Center and the hands-on training it will provide in a real-world setting is our way of giving back to NJ Sharing Network and the community that has supported us throughout our transplant journey. As a former educator, and having been a living transplant donor, it means so much to be able to play a part in maximizing organ donation outcomes at NJSN and helping to save and enhance more lives through education,” said Jared Wohl.
“Our contribution is not just about honoring our ten-year milestone; it’s about investing in the future of organ and tissue donation and ensuring that NJ Sharing Network’s teams have the best training possible to make the biggest impact on the number of organs recovered and, ultimately, number of lives saved,” said Cameron Wohl.
The Wave Set: Spreading Awareness and Educating
In 2013, leading up to the transplant, Jared and Cameron founded The Wave Set, an organization aimed at raising awareness and educating the public about the importance of organ and tissue donation, while showing the world that “We Are Vital to Each Other.” Now a named fund of the Sharing NetworkFoundation, The Wave Set has been instrumental in promoting organ and tissue donor registration and supporting donor families. In 2016, they launched a crowdfunded documentary, “65 Percent,” depicting their family’s journey through the transplant experience and offering a poignant look at the impact of organ donation. The documentary can be viewed at www.sharingnetworkfoundation.org/the-wave-set. Since then, Jared and Cameron have planned and executed speaking engagements and fundraising events to support The Wave Set’s mission.
Reflecting on Ten Years of Life and Health
“It’s surreal to see how far we’ve come since the transplant. When I’m having a tough day, I’ll occasionally think back, and it helps give much needed perspective on how fragile life is and what’s really important – our health. And to see my brother and nephew, it’s just incredible,” said Jared. Cameron echoed these sentiments, stating, “I’m so grateful to have my health. I think of all the things I’ve done in the time span since my transplant – going back to school, picking up hockey again, changing careers, starting a family. It helped shape me into the person I am and the outlook I have.”
A Full Circle Journey
Cameron’s post-transplant journey led him to pursue a career in healthcare. After becoming a registered nurse, he worked in the operating room at University Hospital in Newark, where he had the chance to collaborate with one of the surgeons from his transplant team. Cameron now works as a Field Clinical Specialist, introducing new therapies to physicians to optimize patient outcomes, combining his passions for patient care, relationship building, and technology.
Jared works as a Senior Account Director in SAAS sales, partnering with higher education institutions to strategize ways to improve their academic offerings, fuel skill development for staff and faculty, hire top talent, and support student career-readiness. He is also a singer-songwriter and the proud father of two young boys.
Supporting the Joseph S. Roth Simulation Center
The Joseph S. Roth Simulation Training Center, named and dedicated in memory of NJSN’s former President and CEO, is designed to prepare clinical teams with the best hands-on learning options available to manage organ and tissue donors and support families. The center features the same advanced technologies and equipment used in partner hospitals throughout New Jersey, including patient simulators, monitors, ventilators, and advanced video technologies.
Looking Ahead
With Cameron’s primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in remission and the recent birth of his son, Lucas John, the Wohl family has much to celebrate. The brothers, along with their families, continue their mission of spreading awareness and educating the public about organ and tissue donation. “One way we can save more lives is to get more people to sign up as registered organ donors and consider living donation,” said Jared. Cameron added, “ Perhaps even more important is sharing those wishes with your family.”
About NJ Sharing Network
NJ Sharing Network, headquartered in New Providence, NJ, is the federally designated non-profit organization focused on saving and enhancing lives through the recovery of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State. NJ Sharing Network partners with an extensive network of 54 local hospitals to provide hope for the nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and it is part of the national recovery system for the over 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list. For five consecutive years, NJ Sharing Network has reported organ donation records, and more than three million New Jerseyans are registered as organ and tissue donors, according to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC). Among the top performing OPOs in the nation, NJ Sharing Network has been recognized by NJBIZ for seven consecutive years as one of the state’s ‘Best Places to Work.’ To learn more, get involved, and join the National Donate Life Registry as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
About the Sharing Network Foundation
The Sharing Network Foundation supports the work of NJ Sharing Network, the federally designated non-profit organization responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State. The Foundation is committed to increasing the number of lives saved through clinical advancement, family support, public awareness and education about the lifesaving benefits of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. For more information or to make a contribution, visit www.SharingNetworkFoundation.org.
