Jill Morton

In 2003 an internet chat room and an unlikely woman in Australia saved Jill Morton’s life. A mother of two sons, she had been in failing health and had been on the transplant list for two long years. Her wait for a transplant ended when a total stranger on the other side of the world offered to donate one of her kidneys.

After compatibility was confirmed, the surgery was conducted in adjacent operating rooms at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Jill finds it unbelievable that a total stranger would give you a kidney simply out of the goodness of her heart. The following year, Jill won a gold medal at the U.S. Transplant Games and had the joy of placing it around the neck of her donor.

Jill’s gratitude is demonstrated by her belief in making the most of the gift – medication, prescribed diet and exercise. She also does what she can to promote organ donor awareness and the National Kidney Foundation.

In her third transplant games in August, 2010 Jill won gold medals in tennis, 5K run and 20k cycling event. She and heart transplant recipient , Bob Swanson, took bronze in mixed doubles tennis. These were especially emotional Games for Jill as her donor was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma.