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Annville kidney donor climbs one of the world’s tallest mountains to encourage organ donation

  • Aniya Faulcon
Mandi Smith on Mt. Kilimanjaro

 Mandi Smith

Mandi Smith on Mt. Kilimanjaro

Airdate: April 11th, 2023

According to the American Transplant Foundation, over 104,000 people in the United States are currently on the waiting list for a lifesaving organ transplant.

One person can save eight lives and enhance 75 others through organ, eye and tissue donation, according to Donate Life California.

Mandi Smith, Annville resident and kidney donor, is one of those life savers, who took her donation miles further by traveling halfway around the world and up one of the world’s tallest mountains, Mt. Kilimanjaro, to encourage others to consider organ donation and dispel the common misconception that organ donation has lasting limiting effects on a donor’s active lifestyle.

Smith and her transplant surgeon at UPMC, Dr. Vijay Menon, joined us on The Spark Tuesday to share her story and the importance of organ donation.

 

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