Honoring an organ donor’s gift: Behind The Tin Woman and the power of organ donation
When Joy and her husband, Michael, suddenly lost their 16-year-old son, Lewis, they made a decision that would change many lives. This is the story of how their pain turned into hope, and how they’ve used their experience to raise awareness about organ donation through theater.
Late one night, Joy and her husband, Michael, were faced with an unimaginable choice. Their 16-year-old son, Lewis, had passed away suddenly, and they had to decide whether to donate his organs.
At the time, they weren’t ready to make such a huge decision while at the start of their unexpected grief journey. They needed answers.
LifeSource has the honor of supporting families – like Joy and Michael – throughout the organ and tissue donation process. At this time, our team met with Joy and Michael to answer their questions about organ donation and share the impact Lewis could have.
Even in their grief, they found comfort in knowing their son’s memory would live on in someone else. Although Lewis hadn’t had the opportunity to register as an organ donor, Joy and Michael knew it was something he would have wanted, thanks to his big heart and compassion for others. They decided to donate his organs.
Joy later said, “What was the darkest night of our lives held the future promise of something good, something that would bring life to someone else.” A few years later, they received a letter from the person who received Lewis’s tissue donation. It was a young man who had surgery on his knee and went on to win his high school’s district basketball championship. This was a reminder that even in the hardest times, there is hope.
Fast forward, donor mom Joy is now the director and producer of 100 Percent Human Theatre, and she’s using her love for theater to raise awareness about organ donation. This April, her theater company will put on a play called The Tin Woman, comedic drama about a young woman who receives a heart transplant and follows her journey to find her donor’s family.
The Tin Woman will be a captivating experience beyond simply seeing a show — 100 Percent Human Theatre is partnering with LifeSource to provide opportunities for audiences to learn more about donation, to hear real life organ donation and transplantation stories, and to join the organ donor registry at the performances.
Join us for this special event and help spread the word about the power of organ donation.
About The Tin Woman
The Tin Woman play is a comedic drama about a young woman who receives a heart transplant. Instead of relishing life after her surgery, Joy enters a downward spiral. Meanwhile, Alice and Hank mourn the loss of their son, Jack, whose heart was used to save Joy. At a friend’s urging, Joy tracks down Jack’s family to find closure and a tempestuous meeting ensues, resulting in a roller coaster of tears, laughter, letting go and finding new life.
Performances will be April 4-13, 2025, at the Historic Mounds Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. Get tickets >
To learn more about The Tin Woman and 100 Percent Human Theatre, visit 100 Percent Human Theatre.