Nurse Using Her Own Experience to Encourage Organ Donation

KANSAS CITY, KAN—

Meryl Lin McKean

 

10:37 p.m. CDT, June 24, 2011

A nurse from the University of Kansas Hospital will be throwing out the first pitch on Saturday evening before the Royals-Cubs game, but it's because of her remarkable past as a patient.

Kris Brees received a new liver 21 years ago after a long-term battle with an inherited disease, and it has been something that she has only rarely mentioned to coworkers. Now, she is using her experience to encourage others to become organ donors.

There was nothing about her that would ever lead anyone to believe she'd had a liver transplant," said KU Hospital vice president Lila Martin.

But not only is Brees a transplant patient, "I was KU's first liver transplant patient," she says.

Brees was the first of the 872 liver transplants performed at the hospital to date, and afterwards she decided to give back by becoming a nurse.

On Saturday, Brees will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Royals-Cubs game. She hopes that her story will be a strong pitch for others to become organ donors, and to sign donor cards.

"She's a walking billboard to why organ transplant is successful and why we need to continue doing it," said Martin.

"I want them to see they have a chance to really do well," said Brees.

http://www.fox4kc.com/health/wdaf-nurse-using-her-own-experience-to-encourage-organ-donation-20110624,0,3966122.story