Christie

I used to love to walk with a metal detector on the beach. But, for the past two years, a collapsed arch in my left foot made walking on the uneven ground very painful with each step. You can’t imagine what such chronic pain takes out of a person after even a normal day of walking. After three rounds of physical therapy and several weeks wearing a corrective walking boot.

Now, although I’m still recovering, I hope to regain my normal activities very soon. With two grown children, a young great-nephew, and eventually grandchildren to keep up with, my doctor said the next step was surgery using donated tissue. And, if that wasn’t enough motivation, I had triple bypass surgery in 2013, so staying physically active is very important to keep my heart strong.

I have always been a registered organ and tissue donor myself because I believe it’s important to help others as much as we can. So, I want to express my thanks to my donor family for their compassion. As hard as it must be, I hope that knowing the loss of their loved one was not in vain. It has truly made a difference in my life.