VALDOSTA – Lindsay Gutierrez, an Air Power veteran and resident of Nashville, is a residing kidney donor. 

By means of a pageant expertise, Gutierrez stated she turned an altruistic donor to a different navy veteran by means of the nonprofit, DOVE.

Her donor journey started on the American Magnificence pageant in October 2021 when she met a pageant pal who expressed she had a pal in want of a kidney.

“I instantly volunteered to donate if I used to be suitable,” Gutierrez stated. “I at all times donate blood and by no means actually considered organ donation however I used to be prepared to assist in any means attainable.”

Quick ahead to January, Gutierrez had grow to be “Mrs. Georgia American Magnificence 2022.” Whereas studying {a magazine}, she sees a donor commercial for DOVE.

DOVE’s aim is to seek out, educate, display and assist potential residing donors after which match these donors to a veteran awaiting transplant, based on the mission assertion.

Gutierrez reminiscing on her latest pageant expertise took the chance to contact the group for extra data.

She underwent consumption with Shayrn Krieitzer, DOVE founder and govt director, and in April, she was formally thought-about a donor and commenced working together with her transplant group at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York Metropolis.

Gutierrez stated she was extraordinarily excited to not solely be a donor to a fellow veteran however she started testing the Yankees baseball schedule in hopes of catching a sport whereas in New York.

In Could, Gutierrez and her husband, Anthony, packed their baggage and took a flight to New York the place they spent the following two weeks whereas she ready and recovered for her kidney donation surgical procedure.

Earlier that month, Gutierrez came upon she can be part of a four-person chain swap, which was the primary ever in Division of Veteran Affairs historical past, she stated.

She met Wendy, a fellow donor and husband Reggie, who can be receiving Gutierrez kidney. Whereas Wendy would donate her kidney to Kevin.

Gutierrez and Reggie underwent surgical procedure Could 25, following Wendy and Kevin who had their procedures Could 24.

“Not solely have been all 4 procedures profitable however they’ve confirmed to an vital federal company just like the VA that chain donations between non-public and federal services can work,” Gutierrez stated. “These actions will hopefully open extra choices for different VA transplant hospitals to carry out chain donation surgical procedures on veterans needing kidney transplants.”

Following her restoration within the hospital, the Yankees baseball franchise and DOVE gave the Gutierrezes tickets to attend the June 2 sport.

Gutierrez is now six weeks submit op, residence nonetheless recovering. She encourages readers to teach themselves on organ donation.

“The most important questions I used to be requested is what occurs if I ever want a kidney, how will I pay for all the things and what concerning the threat for demise?” Gutierrez stated. “My solutions to these questions are donors are in a position to reside a wholesome life after, your life can get again to regular exterior of the restoration interval. Being a donor doesn’t negatively impression my probability to obtain, often because I’m a donor I’m going to the highest of the donor listing. Financially, there are a whole lot of grants, together with the recipient’s insurance coverage or their means to cowl bills for donors.”

She continued, “DOVE makes it attainable by means of neighborhood based mostly, recipients are at all times veterans, which is exclusive. I really feel you will need to discuss our experiences to lift consciousness as a result of there are such a lot of individuals on the market in want of organs. I encourage individuals to do their analysis and ask questions. You by no means know when you could be the particular person to assist save a life.”

Gutierrez and her husband plan to hike Mount Kilimanjaro in March 2023 for World Kidney Day. This November, she is going to use her pageant platform to discuss organ donation advocacy, training and consciousness not simply regionally however all through the U.S.

Anybody eager about donating to the March 2023 charity trek to lift consciousness for residing kidney donation and fundraiser for DOVE, contact lindsay.n.gutierrez@gmail.com or by way of social media Fb: www.fb.com/mrsgaae and Instagram: www.instagram.com/linds_gutierrez.