My name is Renee A. Gibbs, Co-Founder, President and CEO of the Heartbeat Foundation, Inc. I started the foundation because I am the recipient of a double lung and heart. I had the support of my family and friends throughout  pre- and post-transplant, which was a very difficult time. Prior to my transplant, I joined a Facebook group and discovered that there are so many people on the transplant list or who have been approved for transplant and are waiting that don’t have the kind of support that I had. 

Without support, approval for a transplant can be denied. Three years after the transplant, I began meeting with patients and counseling them on what I went through, helping them with things like health needs, manicures, pedicures, hair services, transportation, and even food using my own resources. After providing these services, I realized that starting a foundation would help me to provide services to a wider range of pre and post-transplant patients. Because I was blessed to have a lot of support, it is my mission to pay it forward and give back to the patients that I know best.