Ashley Stanger is a volunteer with New England Donor Services, sharing her son Lincoln’s heart transplant journey to educate and advocate for organ donation. She shares their story through talks with organizations and companies, community events and local media across New England.
Stanger is also a registered nurse at Middlesex Health and founder of Love from Lincoln.
What makes you a Healthcare Hero?
After organ donation saved my son Lincoln’s life with a heart transplant at just 5 years old, I knew I wanted to use our experience to make a difference for others. I’ve turned our family’s story into advocacy, sharing it through talks, awareness events, local media and social media to educate others about the lifesaving impact of organ donation.
I also founded Love from Lincoln to support other pediatric heart transplant families and give back to a community that means so much to us. It has been incredibly important to take what we’ve been through and use it to create hope, awareness and change for others.
Tell us about a challenge that you were able to overcome.
One of my greatest challenges has been turning one of the hardest experiences of my family’s life into something that can help others. Sharing our story can be emotional, but I’ve learned that being vulnerable can educate others, inspire organ donation and bring hope and support to families facing similar journeys.
What’s your next major goal and/or challenge?
My next goal is to continue growing Love from Lincoln so we can support even more children and families navigating heart transplants. I also hope to expand my work with New England Donor Services, reaching new audiences and helping more people understand the incredible impact one decision to become an organ donor can have.
