Event Participants Included Former Pro Athletes, Sports Enthusiasts and Community Members in Support of Gift of Life’s Mission.
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL (1888PressRelease) March 06, 2026 - Nine-year-old Liliana “Lily” Woertz came face-to-face for the first time with the stem cell donor whose lifesaving act gave her a second chance at life. The heartfelt introduction took place at the Gift of Life Marrow Registry Celebrity Golf Tournament on February 23 at Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. The annual event brought together celebrity guests, sports enthusiasts and community members to support the organization’s lifesaving mission.
Lily was diagnosed at just one year old with Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, a severe autoimmune condition. As she grew, the disease led to rare and life-threatening complications that attacked her blood cells and lungs. Without advanced medical intervention, Lily faced a lifetime of pain and declining health. Her medical team determined that a stem cell transplant offered the greatest hope for a healthy future.
“We were scared but also hopeful,” said Lily’s mother, Lauren Woertz. “We went from no chance of recovery and watching our daughter continue to get worse, to having a chance.”
Although her family was heartbroken to learn that no relatives were a suitable match, hope arrived when a compatible donor was quickly identified through the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. They immediately began praying for the stranger they now considered part of their family. The Woertz family relocated from Phoenix to Cincinnati for Lily’s transplant, and after a long and challenging journey, she made a full recovery.
Lily’s donor, 24-year-old Kaden Schlichenmaier from Orlando, Fla., joined the registry in January 2022 during a donor recruitment presentation while attending Florida State University. His motivation was driven by a sincere desire to help someone in need. When he received the call that he was match for a young girl, he was excited to have an opportunity to help save her life.
“Being a donor has completely changed the way I look at life,” said Schlichenmaier. “It’s made me realize how fortunate I am to be healthy and that not everyone has that same privilege.”
Due to U.S. medical privacy laws, donors and recipients must wait at least one year before learning each other’s identities, making introductions like this long-anticipated, emotional events. The pair was introduced by tournament chair and Gift of Life Board Member Mindy Schneider.
“We will be grateful for the rest of our lives for his choice to join the registry and for his decision to donate,” said Woertz. “He gave us our daughter back, and there are no words to express how grateful we are to him. Our entire family loves him as if he were one of us.”
“I would encourage everyone to join the Gift of Life registry,” said Schlichenmaier. You don’t get many opportunities in your life to save someone else’s.”
Additional participants in the golf tournament included NFL legends Woody Bennett, J.B. Brown, Jason Cabinda, Travis Daniels, Troy Drayton, Kerry Glenn, Sean Hill, Sony Michel, Laurent Robinson, Don Silvestri, Duane Starks, Vinny Sutherland, Jed Weaver and Erik Williams, along with NHL alumnus and Florida Panthers Radio Color Analyst Bob Lindsay.
The golf tournament was followed by a cocktail reception, awards ceremony and silent auction. All proceeds benefit Gift of Life Marrow Registry, helping to increase the number of potential donors and give patients battling diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia a second chance at life.
About Gift of Life Marrow Registry
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The organization, established in 1991, is dedicated to saving lives by facilitating blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood-related diseases. The registry houses its own state-of-the-art stem cell collection center, biobank, and laboratory. To learn more about Gift of Life Marrow Registry, visit www.giftoflife.org.
Event Participants Included Former Pro Athletes, Sports Enthusiasts and Community Members in Support of Gift of Life’s Mission. 
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