Monument Health continues Donate Life Month tradition

RAPID CITY, S.D. – In 2021, as many as 169 million folks have been registered as an organ donor.

During this National Donate Life Month, the Rapid City group was out celebrating its important significance.

“There’s so many individuals which can be ready on an organ, that it’s so vital. And tissue,” Director of Nursing at Monument Health Stephanie Battell mentioned. “When you concentrate on tissue, it’s your coronary heart valves, it’s bone. There’s so many issues that it’s used for. A number of burn sufferers use tissue, eyes, cornea transplants. It’s onerous to type of sum up what only one organ donor means as a result of it’s extra than simply organs, it’s tissue and eye as effectively.

Organ donors save tens of millions of lives every year, and even one thing so simple as a tissue donation alone can save as many as 75 folks.

Missy Peterson is one in all numerous those that have seen the advantages of an organ donation, the recipient herself of a double-lung transplant revamped 25 years in the past.

“I used to be recognized with cystic fibrosis after I was a yr and a half, and I spent a whole lot of the time out and in of the hospital. It affected my lungs and my digestive system, however extra so my lungs,” Peterson mentioned. “They simply constantly full of numerous mucous and I had hassle with getting it out of my lungs, and my lung operate deteriorated to the purpose that I had to make use of oxygen on a regular basis. Being in a position to get these lungs and take that first deep breath after I received them was superb and a miracle.”

After the transplant, Peterson was in a position to tackle new alternatives and challenges she had by no means been in a position to earlier than, similar to swimming within the Transplant Games of America. As a aggressive swimmer, she gained round 3o medals.

Her favourite occasion? The 500 yard Freestyle – a complete of 20 laps.

And as folks got here out to point out their help for the superb contributions made by donors previous, current and future at Monument Health’s annual Donate Life Run and Walk, she is grateful each day to her donor that made her life attainable.

“I thank my donor each single day for donating her lungs,” Peterson mentioned. “I used to be so grateful and so honored to have the ability to carry these lungs on in my physique and proceed to stay the life that I hope she wished me to stay.”