Learning to Live
Passion for education is the backbone for this native of Kaduna, Nigeria. He worked hard in Catholic schools before coming to the
United States on a soccer scholarship and attaining his Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting from Buffalo State College in New York. But he didn't stop there, still wanting to learn more. Stan continued his education to receive his Master of Arts in Broadcast Management and his Education Specialist Degree in Educational Technology from Indiana State, and his Doctorate in Communication from The University of Oklahoma. Currently an educator for East Central University, Stan Nnochirionye has made education his life.
Seeking to be educated on every level, Stan maintained yearly physicals to assure he knew everything he could about his health. Always receiving a thumbs-up from his physician, this father of one was shocked when he was instructed to undergo further testing. Stan visited his doctor in October 2011 when the testing was complete and learned he had a tumor on his liver. Doctors told Stan the tumor must be aggressively treated, so he underwent emergency surgery. Almost immediately, the tumor returned on the other side of Stan’s liver. Doctors planned to remove the tumor again, but warned that surgery would never be a successful treatment option. The tumors would continue to return, with chances being high that the cancer would spread to other parts of his body. Stan’s only hope for survival would be to get a new liver.
Coming from Nigeria, where medical treatments and new technology are non-existent, Stan knew his family would not understand the idea of transplantation. His family in fact did not trust American doctors could actually “heal” their loved one, so the family insisted Stan return to Nigeria to be sprinkled with Holy water. “It’s the way we grew up believing,” Stan explains. “Back home, they think these types of medical treatments are unnatural and impossible. These situations should be left to God alone.”
However, two people in Stan’s life changed his perspective: a cousin who is a surgeon in California and Stan’s five year old son. “My cousin told me ‘Go! Get on the list! It is your only option. This will allow you to live.’ That made sense to the very educated part of me and I started changing my mind, but what really motivated me to go through with the transplant was my son. I needed to be around for him and see him grow up.”
Doctors listed Stan for a transplant in March 2013. While waiting for his lifesaving gift, Stan wanted to learn everything he could about transplantation and recovering from surgery. “My education has taught me to be informed and to understand what will happen and what could happen,” Stan explains.
He did lots of research, studying and asking questions so that he could learn everything possible about what he was about to go through. In August, Stan was called to the hospital but the donor was not a match. Only a week later, on August 9, he received another call. Stan was elated, but very disappointed to learn his surgeon was out of town and another surgeon would perform the transplant. “I asked her lots of questions, and discovered we have a great deal in common. She shares my faith, and I knew God had put her there for a reason. I knew it would all be okay,” Stan recalls. “My faith was very strong. My faith was also instrumental in saving my life.”
When Stan woke from his surgery, he immediately made a commitment to himself to be an advocate for organ donation. Always the educator, Stan has something new he is eager to teach people about. “That’s my life mission now. I will talk about organ donation to anybody who will listen.” Stan’s passion for education has made him want to do as much as he can to spread the word about saving lives. Stan works as a volunteer for LifeShare, and recently organized and ran a successful donor registration drive on the campus of East Central University. Dr. Nnochirionye is the Interactive Television and Multimedia Services Coordinator and ACSA advisor at ECU. “My goal is to encourage people to be organ donors. I show my appreciation for my donor by telling others how they can save lives.”
Stan also wants everyone to know about the other people who were instrumental in saving his life. “I can’t for the life of me express the accomplishments of my transplant team. What these people do every day . . . fellow humans, simple people who perform miracles with their hands, is amazing.”
But even more amazing to Stan is his donor. “One kind person who saved the life of someone he never met. A person who made the selfless decision to save lives through organ donation. I am fascinated by people who do such extraordinary things.”
United States on a soccer scholarship and attaining his Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting from Buffalo State College in New York. But he didn't stop there, still wanting to learn more. Stan continued his education to receive his Master of Arts in Broadcast Management and his Education Specialist Degree in Educational Technology from Indiana State, and his Doctorate in Communication from The University of Oklahoma. Currently an educator for East Central University, Stan Nnochirionye has made education his life.
Seeking to be educated on every level, Stan maintained yearly physicals to assure he knew everything he could about his health. Always receiving a thumbs-up from his physician, this father of one was shocked when he was instructed to undergo further testing. Stan visited his doctor in October 2011 when the testing was complete and learned he had a tumor on his liver. Doctors told Stan the tumor must be aggressively treated, so he underwent emergency surgery. Almost immediately, the tumor returned on the other side of Stan’s liver. Doctors planned to remove the tumor again, but warned that surgery would never be a successful treatment option. The tumors would continue to return, with chances being high that the cancer would spread to other parts of his body. Stan’s only hope for survival would be to get a new liver.
Coming from Nigeria, where medical treatments and new technology are non-existent, Stan knew his family would not understand the idea of transplantation. His family in fact did not trust American doctors could actually “heal” their loved one, so the family insisted Stan return to Nigeria to be sprinkled with Holy water. “It’s the way we grew up believing,” Stan explains. “Back home, they think these types of medical treatments are unnatural and impossible. These situations should be left to God alone.”
However, two people in Stan’s life changed his perspective: a cousin who is a surgeon in California and Stan’s five year old son. “My cousin told me ‘Go! Get on the list! It is your only option. This will allow you to live.’ That made sense to the very educated part of me and I started changing my mind, but what really motivated me to go through with the transplant was my son. I needed to be around for him and see him grow up.”
Doctors listed Stan for a transplant in March 2013. While waiting for his lifesaving gift, Stan wanted to learn everything he could about transplantation and recovering from surgery. “My education has taught me to be informed and to understand what will happen and what could happen,” Stan explains.
He did lots of research, studying and asking questions so that he could learn everything possible about what he was about to go through. In August, Stan was called to the hospital but the donor was not a match. Only a week later, on August 9, he received another call. Stan was elated, but very disappointed to learn his surgeon was out of town and another surgeon would perform the transplant. “I asked her lots of questions, and discovered we have a great deal in common. She shares my faith, and I knew God had put her there for a reason. I knew it would all be okay,” Stan recalls. “My faith was very strong. My faith was also instrumental in saving my life.”
When Stan woke from his surgery, he immediately made a commitment to himself to be an advocate for organ donation. Always the educator, Stan has something new he is eager to teach people about. “That’s my life mission now. I will talk about organ donation to anybody who will listen.” Stan’s passion for education has made him want to do as much as he can to spread the word about saving lives. Stan works as a volunteer for LifeShare, and recently organized and ran a successful donor registration drive on the campus of East Central University. Dr. Nnochirionye is the Interactive Television and Multimedia Services Coordinator and ACSA advisor at ECU. “My goal is to encourage people to be organ donors. I show my appreciation for my donor by telling others how they can save lives.”
Stan also wants everyone to know about the other people who were instrumental in saving his life. “I can’t for the life of me express the accomplishments of my transplant team. What these people do every day . . . fellow humans, simple people who perform miracles with their hands, is amazing.”
But even more amazing to Stan is his donor. “One kind person who saved the life of someone he never met. A person who made the selfless decision to save lives through organ donation. I am fascinated by people who do such extraordinary things.”