(NEWARK, N.J.) — Ten years ago, Gloria Robinson-Mills of Newark, N.J., wasn’t sure how much time she had left to live. Today, the 77-year-old is celebrating a decade of life after receiving a lifesaving liver transplant—and using her story to support NJ Sharing Network’s mission and encourage others to give the gift of life through organ and tissue donation.
“I am so blessed to have lived these 10 years because of my organ donor,” said Gloria. “I never knew how many years I would be given. I hoped for one year, then three, and now it’s been 10. I’m still here, still living, and still grateful for every day.”
Gloria’s transplant journey began with a routine blood test that revealed elevated liver enzymes. She was diagnosed with hepatitis, which eventually progressed to cirrhosis and the need for a liver transplant. Gloria kept much of her health journey private. But when she learned that the wait for a transplant could be years, she became determined to advocate for herself and explore every option. She traveled to several transplant centers around the country and even rented an apartment in St. Petersburg, Florida, so she could be close to a transplant center and ready to respond if a liver became available.
Then, in August 2016, Gloria returned to New Jersey for dental work. While at her dentist’s office, she received the call she had been waiting for: a liver was available for transplant at NYU Langone Transplant Institute.
“I immediately called my family, and I was on my way into New York,” Gloria recalled.
She received her lifesaving transplant on Aug. 16, 2016.
Looking back, Gloria is struck by the timing.
“Coming back to New Jersey for dental work felt like part of a bigger plan—one that was beyond anything I could have imagined,” she said. “I never could have planned it, but somehow everything fell into place. I truly believe I was meant to be back in New Jersey when that call came.”
Turning a Second Chance Into a Life of Service
Born and raised in Newark, Gloria spent her career as a social worker with the Essex County Welfare Division and has long advocated for underserved communities. For several years, she operated a program for people experiencing homelessness in Newark and founded Humans for Humanity, which provided clothing, food, and household necessities to people in need. Today, she continues helping others while serving as a full-time caregiver for her longtime partner.
“The transplant gave me more time, and I wanted to make that time count,” Gloria said. “I’ve always believed that if you have something to give, you should give it.”
Her message is especially meaningful during August, which is National Minority Donor Awareness Month—a time where NJ Sharing Network joins organizations across the country to honor the generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families while raising awareness about the need for more registered donors in diverse communities.
Nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and approximately 67% are people of color, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). One organ donor can save up to eight lives, while one tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 75 people.
As an African American transplant recipient, Gloria hopes her story inspires people in her community and beyond to consider registering as organ and tissue donors. Greater diversity among registered donors can help increase access to transplantation for everyone.
For Gloria, each year since her transplant has been a reminder of the person whose gift made those years possible. Although she does not know her donor’s identity, she remains deeply grateful to the donor and their family.
“I wish I could thank my donor’s family in person,” Gloria said. “I know that while I was given the opportunity to live, they were experiencing an incredible loss. I will never take for granted what they gave me.”
Now, as she celebrates 10 years since her transplant, Gloria hopes her story can offer encouragement to others waiting for a lifesaving transplant while inspiring more people to become donors.
“Don’t give up hope,” Gloria said. “Be your own advocate, ask questions and explore every option available to you. I want people to know that there can be hope even when the road ahead seems uncertain. I’m grateful for the life I’ve been given, and I want to use it to make a difference. If you have something to give, give it—you never know whose life you could change.”
To learn more or to register as an organ and tissue donor, visit NJ Sharing Network’s website at www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
PHOTO 1 – Gloria Robinson-Mills of Newark, NJ (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
PHOTO 2 – Gloria Robinson-Mills and her friend Denise Cooney celebrate the anniversary of Gloria’s liver transplant (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)