03/09/2026
For more than a decade, kidney disease slowly changed Jamie Ousley’s life. The jazz musician and Florida International University professor watched his energy fade as his kidney function declined, making it harder to perform and teach.
As a transplant became the next step, the wait for an organ posed serious risks. At Miami Transplant Institute, the living kidney donor program offered a hopeful path forward led by medical director Giselle Guerra, MD.
Jamie and his family began sharing his story on social media and encouraging loved ones to get tested.
That message reached his cousin, Sarah Overman, in Arkansas. Seeing how the disease had taken him away from the music he loved, she stepped forward to give him a second chance at life.
On July 10, 2025, the pair underwent a robotic-assisted transplant procedure, an advanced approach offered at only a few centers worldwide. Sarah returned home the next day, and Jamie was discharged just days later.
Today, Jamie is back to the classroom with a new tune as his energy returns. He looks forward to coaching the next generation of jazz artists and sharing his music with the community.
Read more at https://jacksonhealth.org/blog/miami-transplant-institute-gives-musician-a-tune-up-through-living-kidney-donor-program/
