“You gave me life.”

Katrina Thompson’s life took a dramatic turn when she faced the daunting challenges of managing diabetes and supporting her family as a single mother. Diagnosed with diabetes at 21 years old, Katrina did her best to care for herself, despite inadequate insurance coverage. Over time, her health deteriorated and after 17 years of managing as best she could, she found herself facing kidney failure, a consequence of uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension.

Her feet were constantly swollen; she dealt with regular migraines and constant nausea. Faced with uncertainty and fear, Katrina embarked on a journey of medical appointments, treatments and prayers, all while clinging to hope for a chance at a new lease on life.

When her nephrologist first mentioned that she might be a candidate for transplant, her mind went blank. “I was petrified, just petrified,” she remembers, “But when I was 40 years old, they put me on the transplant list.”

Katrina waited. She went for regular testing, and each time testing showed further decline in her kidney function. “I just kept praying and praying. I did that for two years.”

Then, over Fourth of July weekend in 2004, she got the call. A near-perfect match from a kidney donor was available. “They didn’t tell me a whole lot about him,” she said. “They did tell me that it was a male who died in a motorcycle accident, which really resonated with me because I lost somebody that I loved very, very much when he was 23, on a motorcycle.”

The transplant surgery was not without difficulties, but Katrina emerged with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude. With her newfound health, she embraced life's simple joys, cherishing moments with her family and relishing in experiences she once took for granted. “It has been a whole new life. Because of this gift, I was able to see my granddaughter born, and then 2 years later, my grandson. And now my other daughter has 8-year-old twins. I live just down the street from them, so I’m able to see them every day.”

Katrina’s journey not only brought her physical healing but also instilled in her a profound appreciation for the precious gift of organ donation. Reflecting on her miraculous journey, Katrina finds comfort in honoring her anonymous donor, whom she affectionately refers to as her angel. With a heart full of gratitude, she imagines what she would say to her donor, expressing profound thanks. She says, “First I would say, I’m so sorry that my life came at the expense of losing yours. Then, thank you. You gave me life; you gave me a new life.”

Katrina lives every day, making sure that she does not take this life for granted and that she makes use of the incredible gift she was given: “I have really used my life. I was able to see the ocean again. I was able to watch the sun set again. All these little things that people just take for granted. I see what’s really important.”