Kathy, only 28 at the time, felt ill with what she thought was a stomach flu. Symptoms persisted longer than expected and medical tests revealed a virus had indeed invaded Kathy’s body and attacked her heart. Kathy was in congestive heart failure and immediately started a regimen of medication and lifestyle changes to mitigate her symptoms. Unfortunately, Kathy’s condition worsened and she was hospitalized, where she remained until she received the gift of a heart transplant. Now, Kathy enjoys swimming or walking long distances, things she struggled to do before her transplant because of her extreme fatigue. In July 2022, Kathy even graduated college. She is grateful to her donor, who has provided her the ability to enjoy more quality time with her family. Whenever she can, Kathy shares her story to educate others, especially multicultural communities, about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation.