Lynsey- Liver Recipient

If it wasn’t for an organ donor I would NOT be here today. I was just in my first year of college starting my second semester. One day, out of the blue, I became ill while at school. Within a week’s time I had gained 15 lbs and had no idea why. I felt fatigued and weak and my color started to change. I came home to see my family Dr. for some blood work on a Thursday. As the weekend approached I progressively became worse. I was sent to UK Medical Hospital for more test. While at UK, I was diagnosed with Wilsons Disease, a genetic disorder which can affect your liver. My doctors couldn’t believe that I had no symptoms at all except for the past week at school.

From the time I was admitted to UK on a Monday, I found myself fighting for my life on Friday of that same week. I was only sick for TWO weeks! On March 6th, at 9:00 p.m. I was told that I was nowhere near a transplant. Oh how things can change in a blink of an eye. By that next morning on Friday March 7th, I had become number 1 on the transplant list. By the Grace of God and a courageous donor and donor family, my liver was found less than 12 hours prior to being put on the transplant list. I received a liver transplant on March 8, 2014 which changed my life forever.

I am very blessed and very thankful for the gift of life. My donor is my unknown hero who made a courageous decision to become an organ donor. I today am an organ donor because I want to save someone’s life, just like my donor saved mine. Be a hero, learn more about organ donation. Please join the Kentucky Organ Donor registry. Give someone a second chance, be someone’s hero.