Smorgansbord

Organ donation and transplantation has always been close to my heart. In 2003 my mother was the recipient of a simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant. Her donor was a child whose parents made the decision to donate their daughter's organs. I was pretty young at the time and couldn't quite comprehend the magnitude of what had happened but l later came to realize that this was the best gift anyone could give someone. Fast forward 10 years and although her pancreas is still kicking, her kidney is no longer functioning. As she went back on dialysis, our family contemplated options and decided that a living donor was the best idea. In the summer of 2015, after a few years of up and downs, I donated my kidney as part of the National Kidney Exchange on her behalf. She was able to get the kidney she needed from a lovely lady and I gave to a man also in need. Organ donation and transplantation is wonderful. It is hard. It is scary. But these people are brave and deserve the second chance at life. With ways to say thank you to donors and congratulate recipients on their transplantaversaries, this store is full of designs and products that are meant to make these sometimes heavy times a little more bright.