Amanda Fay

1 month ago | wtol.com | Amanda Fay

SYLVANIA, Ohio — A group of Sylvania high school students transformed personal tragedy into community action, raising a record-breaking $260,000 for blood cancer research and patient support through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Student Visionaries campaign. Sylvania Southview senior Jack Bauer joined the fundraising effort while navigating a challenging year that included the recent loss of his sister, Charley Bauer, to leukemia.

1 month ago | wtol.com | Amanda Fay

TOLEDO, Ohio — Each April, Life Connection of Ohio joins WTOL 11 for the 24-hour Donate Life Green Chair Sit-In. The event raises awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation through personal stories of how the gift of life has forever changed families. Eighteen-year-old Sarae Randolph joined the event for the first time, accompanied by her sisters, nephew and mother Stefanie Cooper. The Lansing Community College student celebrated a future that once seemed uncertain.

1 month ago | wtol.com | Amanda Fay

OREGON, Ohio — Two juniors at Cardinal Stritch High School are transforming their school's culture by introducing classmates to Hispanic traditions while fostering an inclusive environment. Rei Viegas and Oscar Tobar recently organized a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that included mariachi singing and traditional Mexican pastries. "We brought in pastries, which is a concha. It's like a Mexican bread and we gave it out to the people in the assembly," Tobar said.

2 months ago | wtol.com | Amanda Fay

MAUMEE, Ohio — More than 100,000 Americans currently await organ transplants, a statistic highlighted by Life Connection of Ohio during April's National Donate Life Month. Behind these numbers are individuals whose lives have been fundamentally transformed by organ donation. Two local kidney recipients recently marked 25 years since receiving their life-changing transplants. Kandy Takas was just 32 when a routine hospital visit revealed a life-threatening condition.

2 months ago | wtol.com | Amanda Fay

OREGON, Ohio — At Cardinal Stritch High School, senior Mackenzie Kinnie has mastered the delicate balance between academics, athletics and community service. "At first, it was difficult," Mackenzie said. "I felt like I was pulled everywhere, but now it's just normal." Her version of "normal" includes a rigorous academic schedule of honors and Advanced Placement classes plus college courses. Her achievements have made her a finalist for a scholarship that offers a full-ride to top universities.