'What A Difference It Can Make In Somebody's Life': Donor Dash Supports Organ Donation
By Joel Hillan
DENVER (CBS4)- Claire Montour suffers from a rare genetic disorder.
"I have an inherited form of Amyloidosis."
The disease, passed down from her father, means the proteins her body produces are oddly shaped. They cannot be metabolized and collect in her body and her organs.
"I had a lot of water retention and heart failure, so I was on medication, but my dad lived to 75, so I thought I would live to 75."
She was just 60 years old when her life would change.
"I drove myself to the hospital because I thought I had the flu."
It would take 10 days for the staff at Swedish Hospital to stabilize her before airlifting her to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.
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After extensive evaluation, she was added to the donor list.
"After being in the hospital quite a while, I got the call one night, and you don't know what to do with those emotions."
She would receive a new heart, liver and kidney. Immediately she noticed a difference.
"The first thing was seeing my face in a mirror and I had pink in my skin!"
Slowly but surely Claire would regain strength. Nine months after driving herself to the hospital, she was able to go home.
"All because somebody said yes to organ, eye and tissue donation, what a powerful thing, what a difference it can make in somebody's life."
Sunday's Donor Dash is at 8 a.m. at Washington Park in Denver.
LINK: Donor Dash
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.