I received the gift of life of a heart transplant 19 years ago. I had suffered from heart failure and cardiomyopathy that runs strong in my family. After the transplant, my hopes and dreams were to help other people, to watch my three young daughters grow up and graduate high school, and, if I was lucky, to have grandchildren.

After receiving a transplant, I spent a year in recovery, and then started my journey to becoming a registered nurse. I have been able to achieve my goals of helping people through my nursing career and I currently work as a Senior Director of Acute Care at Clinton Memorial Hospital. I have also been blessed to be able to watch all my children graduate and I have two beautiful granddaughters. None of this would have been possible without organ donation.

I always tell my family and friends that if I were to die tomorrow to please not be upset as I have been more than blessed to get so much extra time with my family, to have achieved all my hopes and dreams, and to have been one of the lucky ones whose life was saved through organ donation.

DEBRA DOZIER
Heart Transplant Recipient